poit!

So I believe in math, thus I believe in the lowest common denominator. Thanksgiving plans fell through. Birthday plans fell through. Date fell through. Christmas plans fell through. What is the common denominator? Me. Well, I'm a survivor. I think I'm going to head out to the Grand Canyon. Never seen it, one of those things on the bucket list.

Also, I've re-built the Ski-chair. It is now the Ski-chair Mark II. It's stronger, faster. OK, I don't know if it really is stronger, but hopefully it is faster because I measured out the angles of the skis and tried to balance the chair's weight. Now it needs to snow so I can test this out with friends. Me sit in that chair? No thank you, I built it and I don't trust its construction. I'm kidding. The Ski-chair Mark II needs finishing touches, but I will post some pictures later.

And natural selection weeds out another one. Define irony.

And remembering Veteran's Day. For those that gave some, and honoring those that gave all since 2001.

something new

So I've realized that I've become very set in my ways. I've learned to live on a budget which isn't fun. OK, so it isn't really "learned" just a necessity since I'm on a fixed-income (geez, I sound old) but I'm doing OK. I could get a job, but then I wouldn't have time to do the stupid things I like to do.

What's the point of this rambling you ask? Well, last month I finally resolved the problem with the VA and my school. My school said that they sent in the paperwork, the VA said they don't have my record on file. That was all cleared up last month, good. I've been missing my GI Bill money since June, been living on a tight budget of my savings. Then a few weeks ago, something crazy happened.

Have you ever put on a jacket that you haven't worn in years? Reached into the pocket and pull out a $20 bill? You automatically think, "Oh! Free money!" Even though it was yours all along, but somehow you've managed to live without it all this time so it basically is free money? I'm not going to get into the exact figures, but let's just say that for the last year the VA has been paying me the wrong amount every month. It was only last month that they caught the error and made the correction. OK, fine, it was like a $500 a month difference.

So, I go to check my bank account online, thinking that I'd have just a few bucks when, BLAM! Like a shotgun, I get hit with this large figure of money in my account. Some people might thank their lucky stars, cash it, close the account; but I'm different I guess and I thought "Ah, crap. Someone made a mistake." This happened on a Saturday morning, so I had to look at it all day and then Sunday too. Calling up the VA first thing Monday morning was my priority. Now I know I sound stupid, but I was sorta mad at them and demanded to know why I had so much money in my account. Well, after about 30 minutes I got an explanation that satisfied my curiosity. It was a $20 bill in my jacket pocket.

The moral of the story is, what am I going to do with this free money? Yes, I'm saving some, but there are a few things that I do need to get. I've lived without them for so long that it has been my justification for not getting them. So far I've gotten some new power tools (for my crazy building ideas) and a new laptop & printer. Went to the Apple Store, got this Macbook. Using it now, in case you were wondering.

I figured that you might ask yourself why I'm typing on a Mac all of a sudden and how I got the money to buy it. Yup, $20 bill in my jacket. Lots of bills in my jacket. Lots of jackets with lots of bills in the pockets.

And if there are any cool/stupid ideas you have that I can do with some of this money, let me know. So far I'm planning an Appalachian Trail hike with some friends. I'm getting a lot of camping supplies.

if it at

Apparently, some time after 10am on Tuesday, my downstairs neighbor was outside doing some gardening when she came across a black cable. Thinking nothing of it, she hacked away cutting that cable and thereby severing my connection to the outside world. Nah, she just cut my Internet access and cable TV.
It is now Friday and the Internet and TV have been restored. I know what you're thinking. Someone like me going without both of those things for 3 days would be crazy. And it would be too had it not been for the Stargate SG-1 marathon I was conducting at the time. 10 seasons, each with 21-22 episodes (42 minutes a piece). Not a bad way to pass the time.

Thong injury? Yeah, not what I thought it was going to be. I was thinking something along the lines of an atomic wedgie. Huh, shows you how much I know about women's underwear because I didn't know they came with decorative metallic pieces. Plus, I don't want to think about 52 year-olds purchasing or wearing thongs. And I wonder why they didn't allow them to see the evidence.

Holy c-section Batman! 28lbs? Twins? Uh, that's huge. And somehow they managed to compare it to the other largest twins in the state, which was 18lbs. Geez. What the hell were they feeding them? Steroids? There's healthy and there's obese. I'm just saying from a statistical standpoint, if say a healthy baby is somewhere in the vicinity of 7lbs, those twins were 28lbs and average that out to 14lbs a baby, then those babies are twice as heavy as a normal baby. Of course looking at the glass half-full, we come to the conclusion that the twins are twice as healthy. Welcome to the world kids.

I am Cornholio! I need TP for my bunghole. Cocaine is a helluva drug.

What the hell is going on in Canada. No seriously. Because the last time I checked, it costs money to take someone to court. And unless allowances have gotten bigger, I can't imagine a 12 year-old having that kind of funding. So I'm guessing that either she got financial support from a third-party or someone did the work pro bono. Since that means adults. You can't sue your parents because you think a punishment is unfair! And the punishment was "too severe?" No, this is severe. And this is severe. (To clarify, I still don't think they can be described as "torture.")

I'll say it again. Cocaine is a helluva drug. WTF? Is that what's cool now?

murphy's law of probability

This thought was running through my mind as I was driving home from Best Buy after I got a new stereo in my car. There was a cop fast approaching from behind and I thought, it would be hilarious if I got pulled over again.

Rewind to April 27...
I was driving up to help Bill and Sabrina move out of their place in Noblesville. I was in a rush and took my iPod and my debit card. What's the harm in that? Well, I was about a mile from my place on my way up when a noticed a cop ahead of me. I slowed down to avoid him, so he could get through the stop light and I'd get caught by it. Whew.
As I'm sitting there at the light I notice that there's a cop behind me. What the hell is up with all of the 5-0 crowding my junk? OK, the light's green, time to go. As I'm moving forward what's happening? Oh, he's turned on his siren. Gurrreat.
PO - "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
Me - "No."
PO - "You're missing your exhaust."
Me - "OK."
PO - "License and registration."
Me - "Um..."

Long story short. No license on me, I'm not in the database, and my registration is in Texas. Which apparently is a faux pas since I've lived in Indiana for a few years. I'm sitting in my car as the police officer is trying to find me in the database or writing my ticket, a tow truck pulls up. Also, at this point, there are two additional police vehicles behind me. I feel like this is turning into a felony stop (or everyone else is bored). The police officer walks up to the car and tells me that he's towing the car since he can't find evidence of a driver's license.
Car towed and I'm home again. Bill & Sabrina have graciously let me borrow one of their cars. So I'm driving the Crown Victoria and I've got a court date.

Fast-forward to May 28...
Court. Prove that I had a license. Check. Get Indiana state license. Check. New insurance. Check. Register vehicle. Uncheck. Court says I can have a vehicle. Yay!

Fast-forward to the last few days...
So, how to register vehicle... Oh, go to BMV with title, insurance, and license. Out-of-state registration? We need to see it. OK. Go to impound yard to get it. Impound yard says that they can't release it without police department approval. Fine. Go to police station. Police say to get affidavit to get registration. Go back to impound yard call dispatch and get PO to do an affidavit.
Finally get car registered in Indiana and go back to impound lot. Oh, I forgot to get the police department's approval. Fine. Drive back to police station and get paperwork stamped. Drive back to impound place.
Now it's raining. So I get vehicle back, but the guy tells me that the car got broken into and someone stole my stereo. Oh. What about my tools? No? OK. Get into car and look at tools. Yup, no one stole the whole toolbox. Good. Open toolbox. Oh, someone just stole all of my SAE sockets, which I had a lot of. Great.
Interesting... they stole only specific items (besides the stereo). They didn't take my Oakleys. They left my power converter. They didn't take the power drill. Yeah, I think it was an employee, but apparently the impound place isn't liable for stuff stolen from vehicles, especially for ones that stayed in as long as mine did.

Vehicle impounded for over a month. $1137
Registration and licenses. $112
New tools. $239.11
New car stereo. $352.42
A month's worth of gas in the Crown Vic. $313
Getting pulled over after spending all this money? Priceless. For everything else, there's Mastercard.


I've been flying under the wire and it was bound to catch up with me. I just didn't think it was going to be so expensive. Well, lesson learned. And, now I'm pretty much a resident of Indiana.
There's more to the story but this was the highlights. Yeah. The highlights.

my story

I consider B one of my good friends. I've known him for almost 10 years now. I met him in college, we joined the same fraternity, and we promptly dropped out of college... Not promptly, but it wasn't long before some drinking activities began to interfere with studying. Despite my joining the military and him returning home, we kept in contact with each other. There wasn't a ton of communication between us, but enough to keep the friendship going.

So two years ago, we both moved to Indiana. I was coming from Cincinnati and B was coming from St. Louis. I even moved into the same apartment complex as B because it was cheap and at least I'd know someone around there.

I don't know when it was, but somehow we stopped talking to each other. To be more specific (from my perspective) he stopped talking to me. I never saw him. He was working up in Kokomo and his girlfriend was up there too. Which I didn't think was too weird, I even understood it. He eventually moved in with his girlfriend into a new place that was sort of midway between where they lived. What irked me was the fact that even though I was never seeing or talking to him, he kept in contact with other mutual friends. Now, I haven't had a job for almost a year. I'm thinking that I've got plenty of time, but nothing. I know I sound like a girl complaining about not hanging out with a friend, but it pissed me off. I just didn't like hearing about fun stuff being done without me, secondhand from mutual friends. I learned from W that he had proposed to his girlfriend. I learned from W that they were moving (again), not that I know where they live now or have any idea where they'll be living in the future. I learned from W when the wedding was. I was really feeling left out. Or as we say in the Army, "butt sore." Yeah, it's as gay as you think it is.

Honestly, we didn't start hanging out again until the skichair was built and tested. We're guys, that's what happens. We don't hang out unless there's a possibility of a story out of it.

Still haven't gotten an invitation to the wedding, but he has asked me to participate in it. W, M, and I have gotten registered as ministers, just in case they need officiants (is that a word or spelled right?) Plus, I'm trying to put together kick-ass bachelor party options (although that isn't my job). That's what friends do.

my strangest fear

I don't know if you can use strange and fear in the same sentence. Oh well, so I have acrophobia. I'm acrophobic. I have an abnormal fear of heights. I don't know if it's abnormal or not. And it's not about the height, but rather the sudden stop at the end that I'm afraid of. That's right, I'm man enough to say it. What makes it strange is that I've rappelled off of 200ft cliffs, cliff-jumped into lakes, rock climbing, and lots of other stuff involving heights yet I'm still scared until I've done it. Then, it can reappear all of a sudden without warning and I'll be scared to jump off the same cliff I've been jump off of for the last hour.
If that doesn't sound strange here's something too. Lately I've been playing my Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy game. There's a couple of levels that involve heights (within the game) and there's ledges, no railing. I get nervous playing the game, almost like I get nervous jumping off of cliffs. It's not the exact same, rather just a less intense feeling, but I get that feeling playing a game with heights. You've got to admit that's strange, because I've got the cheat codes for invincibility and it's a kid's game so it's not like its the end of the game if my character falls over.

Did any of that make sense?

i don't feel one year older

Well, this morning I woke up and I actually felt a year older. OK, so I had to program into my cell's calendar that it was my birthday. So I wouldn't forget, see, that's how I know I'm old.

To counteract the effects of age I had a nice cold beer. I'd been planning this fateful morning for about a week. I made beer cubes. I took a Bud Select and made ice cubes so that I could try to drink my beer with ice cubes but not get the diluted effects.

It didn't quite work out the way I had hoped but it was good. I did fit approximately 1.8 beers into one glass which did rock. Bad side? The beer cubes melted into their component parts too quickly, leaving me with just regular ice cubes once my beer was done. I'll have to perfect the solution before I market this to the public.

The Red Cross has a president? And he makes $500k a year? How the hell do they help anyone with such large salaries? So when I donate $20? What the hell does it pay for? Toilet paper? No, that's not fair. That pisses me off, I'm not going to give money to those people anymore. Screw them.

HELL NO! I would've cashed that check. Yeah, I can see how that 2.2mil dollars could be mistaken for a $15 refund check. And I bet all The Man did was pat this citizen on his head and told him what a fine job he did by pointing out this error instead of cashing in on it.

And people bitch about their bosses and work? Get caught doing something stupid like making long-distance calls? You and I would get fired, in North Korea? The firing squad. Go on now, bitch.

24 was their go-to TV show? You'd think that they'd mention Numb3rs because I dunno, it deals with mathematics and crime-fighting? They even did an episode where they used mathematics to determine members of a terrorist cell. Nah, I can't see why they wouldn't use 24 as an example.

wash it out

Well, two weeks ago I set upon two "major" projects. I can say with some measure of certainty that I completed one task, and I completely failed the other. I installed computer cooling fans into my entertainment center. Designed to keep all of my electronics nice and cool during the day. Got that done, easy-peasy. The failed project? Re-wiring my accessories directly into the car battery. Sounds easy doesn't it? I thought it was. Turns out it really isn't that easy. I kept blowing fuses and ended up spending like $60 on this project. With school starting up again I figure I'll have less time to work on it, but next time I'm going to wire the accessories through the car's fusebox. Hopefully that'll work. Worse case scenario? I blow all the fuses.

one week

Four days with my dad. More than enough for the next few months. Weekend looks packed too, helping a friend move Saturday, then spend Sunday with my cousins in Ohio. One of my cousins got married earlier this month, now he's having a cookout/wedding reception for those that couldn't make it (me) in Ohio. Fun stuff.

I guess everything in Texas is bigger. Go figure. Primary purpose? Catching compact cars. Geez.

Good advice, I guess it's like the needle exchange program. Can't get rid of the problem so you might as well make it as positive as possible.

This is the true definition of "in vino veritas." Where she admits to popping Percocet when the kids act up. And she was sober enough to give her kids the keys, although I can't imagine where she'd need to go.

I just like the headline. Ah, the Mrs. America pageant. I wonder if it is Trump sponsored.

Oh MY gawd! What? What? WHAT? How does this happen? I mean, what goes through someone's mind to make this an end result? I could understand if you were stranded in the Alps in a plane crash... but still!

Oh, he was mad at her. Well him getting one year house arrest and four years of probation ought to teach her! Good job there slick.

And I thought the homeless, crazy kid that ate his roommate was insane, but WHAT? Seriously? Banning tag? Oh, but they're still allowed to play other running games as long as no one is chasing each other. So what game would that be? "Everyone! Run in different directions! Wheee! Isn't that fun?" And as far as "less physical contact" goes, you're tagging someone, with your hand. Sure there's an occasional collision, but you can't get much less contact from tag! Geez! People! It hurts kids' feelings? Guess what, when they grow up they're going to eat their roommates because the world is a tough place and their feelings are going to get hurt.

I like strippers. It's good, honest work. Well, it's hard so they get props for that. Few things really tick them off, fake money probably being at the top of that short list.

special

I don't know what really brought about this thought. Just over ten years ago I got my first portable cd player, of course it didn't have the skip-protection so it wasn't very useful on the move. For that I still had my old Walkman. You know the one. AM/FM radio, tape player, oh and the tape player had three buttons. Stop, Play, Fast-Forward. Yup, the old school. If you young bucks wondering how you'd rewind; answer: flip tape over and fast-forward. Yeah, I'm really old.

Ah, maybe just alittle bit. Nah, that's what they want you to think. It's not like they walk around with t-shirts that say "Terrorist." Just like those guys that have the "FBI" t-shirts. Hehehe. The hijab is used to focus on 'inner beauty' which translates to ugly. What? I'm shallow. Like when describing someone with the phrase, "they have a nice personality."

So weight-loss in women can be linked to a future diagnosis of dementia? I don't understand what they're saying. How does this help in the diagnosis of dementia?

Ah, if the age old question of is time-travel possible? And why oh why would anyone from the future come back and visit this time?

Wow. Got to love Indiana. So what's the problem again? The urine soaked seat? Or the fact that no one helped him? No one helped him find some place to clean up? Here's a hint Sparky, see those big signs labeled "Bathroom" or "Mens?" Try there.

This guy is really blind. You know, people (as in groups) usually kill people for a purpose, like if they pose a threat. Lacing someone's pizza with LSD? Not a murder attempt. Maybe a good practical joke but not an attempt. Maybe he's just paranoid since he can't see very well.

Man, I don't think I could do it. Hehehe. Hillbilly, he said "I'm not getting rid of him for nothing." That whole double negative thing.

girth

Checked mail.

Oh! Got something for the Social Security office. Sweet! Wait, on the envelope it says "TO BE OPENED BY ADDRESSEE ONLY, UNDER PENALTY OF LAW." Well, I'm the addressee. It's a penalty under law to open this if you're the addressee? OK, well I'm not going to open it.
Ugh, all junk mail. That's crap, so I'm head back to the letter from the Social Security office. I'm thinking what the hell, let's break the law.

Oh, it's my social security statement. Well that's cool. Let's flip it open. Up at the top it says, you need 40 credits to retire, currently you have 32 credits. Sweet! I'm almost there! How I got there, I don't know. Not bad for only 7 years of working. But I'm going to get those 8 credits I need and retire! Well, maybe not. But I am eligible for benefits through disability. I could get $921 a month if I was disabled. If only... Wait, on the back is a definition of "disability" and one of the options is "a physical or mental impairment that's expected to prevent you from doing 'substantial' work for a year or more or result in death." There's so many things to say about that...
1. Mental impairment? Sweet, I'm lazy. That's a mental impairment right?
2. Physical impairment. I'm a fat bastard. Mostly due in part of my laziness.
3. Now the funny stuff. "Result in death"???? Now is the death from the substantial work? Or from the impairment? Isn't living going to result in death? In fact everything you do has the same result, you die. In the long run, people die. Result = death.

Interesting... If I choose to retire now (when I get my 40 credits) my benefits would be permanently reduced but I'd get them for a longer time.

Thought I'd share this with everyone.

glorious

Because I love her. She just doesn't know it.




That sucks now doesn't it? How the hell are these people supposed to get on with their lives? How is the city supposed to rebuild? Oh no, big companies might lose a lot of money? Isn't it their job to pay people that give them money in case shit happens? Oh crap a hurricane hit, like there wouldn't have been payouts. You can't say you won't pay because there's too much. What the hell? I should run my personal life like that and see if I can't get away with it. Those people paid for a damn service! They should get it.

He says he's not a bad driver and I believe him. At least he doesn't use his cell phone when he drives. I just want to know how the hell did he get a driver's license? He got zapped at 13, I'm assuming he got amputated around the same time. He's just a regular guy with "some handicaps"... some. Helen Keller didn't have as many handicaps as this guy.

Sorry, they said Real American Heroes and I thought, "Bud Light Presents. Real American Heroes. Thank-you Mister Parking Lot Attendant Flashlight Waver..." Those are some great commercials.

Darn-tootin'! Maybe Harry Potter is based on a real person. Maybe this 78yo was a wizard or whatever. I don't understand why people want his autograph or interview him. So what? He's got the same name as a popular character.

i me wed

I Me Wed, got hooked because of Erica Durance. So hot. Otherwise I wouldn't normally watch the Lifetime Channel. I like that idea that you can be single and be happy. Still, not the happy ending that you'd want for this movie, but nevertheless it is the happy ending of happy endings. I guess it's just a complex love story.





How exactly do you forget their kid? I want to know what's more important than your kid? I mean unless they're the perfect kid that just sits around quietly, doesn't bother the adults when there's company over, and certainly never run under foot while you're trying to get into the house. No, no, no. I wasn't even that well-behaved. I was an angel most of the time but never all the time and certainly not in those circumstances. What? I thought I could get in front of my dad as he opened the door, most times I would make to but then my mom would catch up to me and whup me.
As far as punishment goes, I say sterilize them. That way they can't "forget" about their kid in the car again. Problem solved.

I'd like keep following this story and see if the "my cat was dying" defense works in court. You'd think he'd just speed all the way to the vet's office instead of leading the cops around on a wild goose chase. Like they'd just go, "oh well, he's not stopping. Let's go get some coffee."
And what's the status on that cat? Did it make it?

ooOOoo, an ATM that gives out too much money. It sucks that they've got to track down the people that used the ATM. I say sucks to your asthma.

You know what says I love you? Not a poop picture frame. It kind of says, stay away, you stink. This, on the other hand does say I love you. Well, maybe not but it does dole out the compliments. Maybe as an experiment I'd take the place of that machine. That'd be fun to do for like a week or so right? Just hang out at a busy intersection and dole out compliments.




On a personal note, I'm starting to get my GI Bill payments. Funny, I guess I wasn't getting paid much at my last job because my GI Bill pays more. Yup, how screwed up is that? Oh well, I'm enjoying life now. Getting paid to go to school, well until I graduate and have to pay back the loans. See kids? Joining the military has its benefits, you just have to survive it.

zip zip zip huh?

Day 3:
It's been 3 days since I've become unemployed. I haven't gotten much accomplished in those three days. Well, that depends on what you consider an accomplishment. I've watched the entire first season of HIMYM on DVD. Also, I got through the 2nd season of Sleeper Cell.
So what did I do on this, the third day of unemployment? Well, I set up an appointment to go and visit ITT. See the campus, maybe ask a few questions, that sort of thing. I applied online yesterday and was contacted by a counselor today at 1pm. Appointment time? 3pm. After I got passed from person-to-person for three hours, took a test, and then found myself getting scooted out of the registrar's office with a class schedule. WHAT?
On a stranger note, I was supposed to call my buddy Joe to figure out when we're going to meet up this weekend. I didn't call, but I did see him at ITT. Who would've thought we'd be at the registrar's office at the same time. Weird.

Well, now I've got to go get a job. Money will run out in a few months and I'd rather not get to that point.

huh?

Because you asked Christy, I'll answer. Why was I in Columbus, Ohio? The simple answer is for the Army. I took a month off to get my unit mobilized (without me). I've been working day after day to get these people out of here, plus the week of training I taught. And let me tell you, not a lot of people even noticed what I did but that's the way it should be. I don't need credit or recognition, it just needed to be done.
The complex answer? What other motivation is there for a guy besides a girl? All of the stupid things I've done have been for a girl. Move away for college? Joined the Army? Running into a semi-busy road? *sigh* I'm not very smart. She's cool, funny (my kind of funny), cute as hell; but here's the catch: she's a little too young for me. It's not really an excuse but when I put some thought into it; it just seems weird. *shrug* She's seven years younger than me, which isn't bad but I've been in the Army for that long. When I joined she was in middle school and doesn't that seem weird? Maybe it's me or maybe I'm thinking too much (for a dumb guy I do a lot of thinking).
Still, she's made her feelings towards me clear and I can accept that. Plus, you've got to figure my life will be different in a year when she gets back and I'll forget the whole thing. Probably not, but I can hope can't I?

it's so tru

So, I like TV. I really like TV. I like DVDs too. You get movies and tv shows all in the comfort of your home. With DVDs you get to choose when and where you get to watch, you can pause it and go to the bathroom, make a call, or whatever you need. There are no commercials on DVD, that's a big advantage. Sure you can do that now with the digital cable but it's just not the same. So with all of the advantages of DVDs over TV, why would I voluntarily choose to sit through a show marathon on TV when I own it on DVD? Or why I'd watch a movie (that I own) on TV with all the commercials and censures. I don't know, I can't explain it. I hate commercials, so you'd think that a TV marathon would be the last thing on my mind, but it's what I choose.


Sit back and enjoy my decent into craziness. It should be a fun ride.

angel of music

You know, I've been living here in this hotel for two weeks, and most likely will be living here for the rest of the month. It has its benefits. Most of my house bills will be low, not a lot of usage this past month.
Last weekend we had a "cultural awareness" class given by a civilian. This class was supposed to give us a better understanding about the situation we headed into. That was the plan, instead we got a "brief history of conflict in the Middle East" video. From the displacement of Jews in WWII, the settlement of Israel, Iran-Contra, to the Gulf War. It was made before the events of 9/11 though. Ah, the propaganda. I was definitely feeling an anti-Semitic vibe from our civilian instructor (and I wasn't the only one). Yes, the US hasn't made the best decisions when it's come to deal with the Middle East or Muslims but I don't think it's fair to place all the blame on the Jews and Israel. There's plenty to go around.
It's been fun playing soldier for the last month but I'm ready to go back to my regularly scheduled life. One of my best friend's from college is pregnant and is having her last day of work and a shopping spree in early June which I want to be a part of but might not be able to because of this Army thing. If I had a sister, I'd want her to be just like LJ.

Eating out for lunch and dinner is getting to be expensive but a necessary thing. Damn you economy!

ah crap again

censorship lives on.

it hurt so bad

As predicted, going from zero to 7 miles a day hurts. It still hurts two days later. Of course it doesn't hurt as bad as it did yesterday but still! I must be out of shape. I'm happy to report that I've lost 15lbs (in 2 months, I'm not anorexic), what scares me is that I don't know where I put it and I'm afraid it'll come back at the worse possible time. I'm going to go try to run this weekend but I'm not promising anything. Weather is supposed to be decent so I might get some car maintenance out of the way. There's been some user abuse since the car's last checkup. The tires also need to get rotated and regripped. Plus with the impending deployment I have to find a storage place nearby. I should probably get an Indiana driver's license too, get the car registered in Indiana too. There's so much to do...
I wonder how much more (weight) I can lose on this poor man's diet. Hmm, I guess I'm proof of my own diet strategy. Decrease intake and increase output and the pounds just fall off. So now that I've found a happy input level and increase my output I can start to lose some serious weight.

You've got to love the 50's and their wacky PSAs. Apparently older boys are just a menace to everyone.

cause and effect

When my unit was put on alert to prepare to deploy (sounds like a lot of ifs) people asked me why I wanted to go. By people I mean friends and family; strangers don’t ask me that question so much. I’m fighting tooth and nail to go, but my unit won’t deploy me (as of yet). My friends and family don’t understand why. It’s hard to explain, especially for those that have never served in a branch of the armed services. Plus, it’s partly me which can't be explained.
I grew up around the military, the Air Force specifically. So while the first fifteen years or so I wasn’t in the military it did affect me. My dad was gone for big portions of my life, my mom was consumed with being a good military wife; supportive and understanding. In high school I was bitter at the military because I realized that it had taken so much away from me (I won’t go into details) and it set me apart from those I called my friends.
DePauw University is a very liberal college, hippie comes to mind when I try to think of adjectives that describe the feel of the college. There’s no ROTC, hippies burned down the building back in the 70’s. For most of my college friends this was the first time away from home (for an extended period of time). They missed their old friends and their family. I was different, I loved my parents but I didn’t miss them. I didn’t even call them unless it was to ask for money. They knew I loved them, nothing more was needed.
I gradually realized that I was very different than those around me because of what the military had given me. Strength. The strength to love my family but not miss them. The strength to make new best friends on a whim and leave to never see them again. The strength to know that there’s always more beneath the eye on events around the world. Then I accepted the fact that I like who I am today, that it was in most part because of the military.
So I dropped out of college and joined the Army. My grandfather had been in the Army, served as a medic in the Pacific theater during a little war known in the history books as World War II. My father had served in the Air Force for 27 years until his retirement in 1994; his first year was in a place called Vietnam. He was in the intel field, I never learned what he did (I don’t have the clearance or ‘need to know’), so I decided to go into Army Intelligence. Sort of an homage to both of them.
I’ve only known one person that joined the Army to serve his country. He’s a good guy too; he got a lot of respect for his decision. For the most part, the military is made up of guys (and girls) that are looking for a better life for themselves and their families. It gives them training, a job, a steady paycheck, and money for college. You can do a lot with that kind of opportunity. Some just need to get out of their small towns, not working at Wal-Mart with all of their high school friends, drinking beers out in the cornfields on the weekends. Others just have no place else to go.
Whatever the reasons, they all come to one place (their unit, so really its many places). Yes, we go because we’re ordered to, but that comes with the job. You have to be stupid to think that the Army won’t deploy. That’s like taking a job as a stock boy and then act surprised when your boss tells you to stock the shelves. “But, but I’m just here for the money.” Well, now you’re going to earn it. Still, what makes us go isn’t just orders. You can defer for many reasons, anyone can get out for any number of excuses. We overcome them because there’s an underlying bond between those you serve with.
I’m not close to my family. Yes, I’d be there for any one of my cousins at the drop of a hat. I’d get their back in a fight. I’d run through fire for them, but I’m not close to them. I can say the same thing for those that I serve with. They too are my family. The difference is that when I’m with my Army family, I don’t feel like I have to pretend to be someone else. I am who I am, no censor, I don’t have to worry about what I say or how I say it, they make jokes at my expense like I make jokes at theirs. When I’m around family I have to choose my words carefully. I think it still sounds like me, but I know that it isn’t me. I’m good at soldiering; it’s probably the only thing I am good at (as a job skill).
I want to deploy with my unit. I think I’m good for them, I have experience and knowledge that can’t be taught in a classroom. Plus, I’m selfish. I don’t want to be stuck here worried about them and then wonder if I could have done something if I was there. Or worse, that it should’ve been me. Yeah, it’s future survivor’s guilt. It was hard for me to sit at home when 4th Infantry Division deployed again in 2005, and I only knew a few of them. Now it’ll be a lot harder because I know most of the people in my unit. What would you do for your friends and family? I’d deploy for them.