The Night Sky

This is my representation of the night sky out here. Let me explain the picture. The word "NORTH" is not in the sky, but inserted in the picture for orientation sake. The big white dot is the brightest spot in the sky. The red dot is clearly the only red dot in the sky. And the five smaller dots are my representation of Orion. The "giant" pale yellow circle is the moon.

I know this isn't to scale but my cheap camera just doesn't cut it when taking night time pictures. I hope clarifies previous posts on the subject.

Letters - The Answer Expanded

I just sent out about a dozen letters. Dropped them off in the blue box in the hallway of the "head shed" right next to the Squadron Duty Officer.

I have been putting off letter writing for a little while hoping for some news to share, but there really isn't a whole lot to share. (I am not going to spoil what I did write about though.)

Some of those who wrote me or sent a care package included email addresses or I have them, but I didn't write an email back. My thinking is, this person or people took the time to send me a package or letter so I will return the favor and write back.

Now, know this, my handwriting is awful. So I do not "write" a whole lot. I type out a letter and then "write" a sentence or two specifically to that person or people. To me the hardest part is getting the address to look neat enough so the post office won't have problems delivering the letter.

No Idea, Part II

Do you like paper letters and/or email?

I like to receive paper mail even post cards while deployed, but when I am in the states I prefer emails. Here is the reasoning, while away in some foreign land, communications as the average American indulges on is usually not a possibility. I have been fortunate in this last deployment to be able access the Internet as often as I do(, but my job is partial to blame for that).

What did you have for breakfast??

I wake up in the late afternoon, since I work at night time. I initially start off with about six or seven cans of Dr.Pepper if available or about a pot of coffee. Then I may eat some dried fruit (about 4 or 5 cups) if available then won't eat until Midrats(midnight meal). Today was just that, Dr. Pepper and some dried fruit.

What were your favorite books as a kid?

One of my all time favorites is from childhood, The Monster at the End of this Book. (Which the person asking this knew that.) It is all about presentation.
I also enjoyed The Dark Crystal, Snow White, and Gremlins. Now knowing that, you all should understand my brain better.

Describe yourself using 4 adjectives?
Egotistical
Opinionated
Proud
Unpretentious

No Idea, Give Me One Please

I have no idea what to write about today. So if you read this and want to give me a suggestion, I will write about said topic or question put forth. Let me rephrase that give a suggestion in the next 3 or so hours and I will pick at random that topic or write about all of them if the list is short. If there is none, then it will be true, I am talking to no one in particular.

Links That I Have Here

I wanted to go back over some of my links and tell you why they are here.

You've Really Got to Love Your People* - This blog helps me intellectually as well as spiritually.
Yearning For God* - This blog is reminds me of everyone else.
Tribal Church* - This blog talks about a potential progressive spiritual path, which fascinates me.
The Daily Gut - This is one of those "duh" blogs, tells it like it is and reminds me of how stupid people can be.
Suitably Flip - This blog is similar to the Daily Gut but focuses more on politics. So stupid politicians.
Sharing a Journey* - I have this blog for a few different reasons but the most important one is I really do not agree with most of what is said, so you could say I am his devil's advocate.
Seeking Authentic Voice* - This is one of the spiritually charged blogs that I have here, one that keeps me on my toes.
Rogue Gunner - A Falklands war veteran that speaks volumes to me and others of similar backgrounds.
Quiet Musings From Virginia - The title says it best.
Presbyterian Gal* - This lady writes stories that keep me coming back.
Post Secret - This is the first blog I ever found, I read it at least once a week on Sundays. Sometimes I go back several times in a week. Go there and see.
Possible Water* - Spiritually charged blog and I think she may read as much as I do which is fascination in itself.
PoliTits - A tell it like it is blog with politics with the inclusion of life.
MilBlogs - This should be a "duh" statement, the center of my webring, a columniation of military blogs.
Magdalene's Musings* - Spiritually charged blog, brings humor along in a subtle way.
Lost in Lima Ohio, A True Crime Blog - Tell it like it is and reminding us where we are going as a nation.
LadyBurg* - Spiritually charged blog, a fun read every time.
Inner Dorothy* - This blog is spiritual and I feel for her pains that she has deeply.
Identity Mixed - This blog confuses me a lot so I go back a lot to figure it out.
Going on to Perfection* - A spiritual blog that interests my on the youth level of my brain.
General Din - This mother's blog is always an interesting read.
Faith in Community* - Spiritual blog that has more about the community than most communities.
Eagle Speak - An old retired Navy captain that writes about our history and similar military topics.
Confederate Yankee - A political and headliner blog that gives us another opinion of the truth.
Cheesehead in Paradise* - One of the first spiritual blogs I have read, I do not always agree, but I don't have to.
Bruttally Honest - Political blog that the title says it best.
Blonde Sagacity - One of the first political blogs that I started reading and has always been an interesting read.
Beyond Assumptions - I relate spiritually with this blog. This is not a spiritual blog.

USMC Ribbon Checker - Always a good site after a deployment.
Real Clear Politics - A collection of many articles and polls, you get to make up your own mind.
News Busters - Set s the record straight on sloppy journalism.
My Pay - Federal and uniformed employs of the government need to know what they are being paid.
Middle East Journal - An independent journalist in the Middle East area.
Marine For Life - Life after the Marine Corps, one of the many tools available.
Global Incident Map - What "apocalyptic" event is happening where you live?
Bear Trap Guides - It is always good to know where the smoky may be.
Absentee Voting Assistance - Of those of us that are no where near to vote this where to get started.

TP

This is a rant. WARNING This is a rant. WARNING

To save the taxpayers money "we" use one-ply toilet paper. (This does not save anyone any money. If fact more ends up being used.) And that is the sad part.

I can't image what the females do.

Someone had sent a roll of Charmin or Northern in a care package and I guarded it with great care. That roll lasted three (3) weeks. That was also quite awhile ago.

So now with more than sevety five percent of this deployment done, one of my top fives on my list is to use "soft" toilet paper whenever I want.

Survey Says...

Wondering what to write about today or if I should write about anything, I have to decide to a do a short blog roll. Or in other words, a recap of other blogs I have been reading today, for fun.

LadyBurg is having a Blogiversary and it is also her 250th post.

More Cows is walking the labyrinth and I hope the best for her.

(Not a blog) I hopefully have fixed my guestbook on my website for the last time, today.

Diane has an awesome picture of her father in her 200th post.

RevGals Friday Six: Halloween

RevGals Friday Five turned into a Friday six. Singing Owl writes:
All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is near. As a child, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays. We didn’t yet worry about razor blades in apples or popcorn balls or some of the other concerns people have with Halloween these days. Halloween was a chance to be mildly scared, and better yet, to dress up and pretend to be something we really weren’t. Let’s talk about that a bit, but then let’s add in some food ideas for this year. Where I live the leaves are falling, the temperature is chilly and pumpkins are for sale everywhere, along with many kids of apples. What's more, the "Holiday Season" will soon be upon us. ACK! I could use a new idea for dessert. So, here we go…

1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child?

I went trick or treating, had this huge pumpkin basket. I think I could have filled it with fifteen or twenty pounds of candy. It had a rope for handle. It worked well for years.

2. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do?
Parents owned a resturant so that was the celebration.

2. Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else?
Never had red cinnamon, unless baked counts, if it does then yes.

3. Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O’ Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them?
Made a few, but they never lasted very long. If you use marker it last the whole season and into Thanskgiving.

4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures.


5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring our an alternate personality?
Doesn't everyone? Sometimes a costume will bring out the best in me.

The Blanket

I have a blanket that is nylon/polyester/cotton mix with a pattern on one side. I think I may have bought it at a dollar general or family dollar or a big lots or some type of store like those. The pattern is of Winnie the Pooh, Donald Duck, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and is repeated 3 times on the blanket. There is a purple border or it may have been the field. The blanket is for a twin or double sized bed. I do know I bought it before my first deployment aboard the USS Nassau in 1996.

The pattern is no longer vibrant with color and can hardly be called a blanket anymore. I still use it everyday. There are holes in various locations throughout and there is a hydraulic stain in the lower left hand corner from my second deployment on the USS Saipan in 1998 from when I was sleeping on the hangar deck waiting for my stick to leave the ship.

My blanket has been to Main Land Japan, Okinawa, Mexico, Canada, Greece, France, Malta, Zaire, America, Kuwait, Italy, Iraq, Congo, and a few others. My blanket has been in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It has seen a Shellback or two and has been to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

I am thinking I may have to retire this blanket soon or it may be lost forever.

Orions's Pals

I had asked earlier about the sky out here or some help on what I see.

This is what I do not see:
The Dippers, aliens, the concord, bald eagles, robins, ducks, kites, balloons, asteroids, et cetra.

What I do see:
is the red ball of light, a large white ball of light, Orion and military aircraft. (I don't actually see the aircraft, I work at night, so maybe a wing light and that's it.)

I have been told the balls of light are planets. I have neither confirmed or denied the rumor.

What I Want to Be When I Grow Up

President of the Federation of Planets
At least that is what I wanted to be earlier in life.
I know at age 35 I am eligible to be President of the United States.

With all seriousness, what I have been doing is trying to build my resume` as much as possible while I have been in. My trade is Aviation Electrician and have acquired a journeyman status for Electronics Technician, Electric Mechanic, and Maintenance Electrician for any industry. Basically that means I spent 8000 hours per skill as an apprentice completed by on the job training and work and am now a journeyman by the regulations from the Deportment of Labor.
I have been certifeid in the federal safety and instructor courses, which means I can teach or instruct OSHA level classes. I have a several other certifications but those are the big ones.

I just don't know if I want to do any of that after the Corps.

I was looking into Troops to Teachers, but I think I would need to mellow out more for that. Your next question would be: what would I teach? Probably history, always my favorite.

The thing is I have been trying to keep my certifications open or more broad as possible to keep my options open.

Money

I am always curious how much other jobs make. My job is paid by tax payers so my pay chart is public knowledge.(The cool part is I pay taxes, when not in a combat zone, so in effect I pay my own wage.)

I am a salary worker so figuring out my pat is easy. You take my pay grade and the number of years I have been in active duty and walla. If you look at a paychart, find E6 then cross it with 13 years, oh wait, there is no 13. So you find 12 years and run your finger to cross meet and find I make 2928.30 a month before taxes.

In a combat zone we get few extra pays depending on what our function(job skill) is and where we are located. I receive an extra 225.00 for Imminent Danger Pay, 100.00 for Hardship Duty(which is figured by location), and I receive a deployed per diem of 3.50 a day. Even though we are in a combat zone and I am not taxed by my state and not taxed by the federal government I still pay (for me) 186.00 for Social Security, 43.50 for Medicare, and of course 50 cents for the United States Navy and Marine Corps Retirement Home. I have other stuff going on on my pay stub, but you all need not know that information.

So in a combat zone I should make about 37572.00 give or take a couple of hundred dollars for the year. This will be my best year since being in the Marine Corps. Last year I made about 27000.00, huge difference. Basically, my pay last was derived from not being in combat zone to rate extra pay and I still paid taxes to my "resident" state and the Federal government. I think it comes out that I pay myself every three months or so.

All right I am way off subject here, what I want to know is about how much do you make for your profession?

You don't have to give me exactly but I am looking for a ball park figure here. Just a rough estimate.

You may ask why, well, sometimes when life is hard and I wonder why the fuck I do this job. I think about what else I could be doing and I am curious what kind of increase of pay there is. My job is not about the money, it never has been, but it always nice to have a little. So you can buy a Willy Wonka bar or a feather pillow.

So, please, let me know. I am curious.

16830720 Minutes

Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me.
Just doesn't have the same ring to it, the way I remember it.

I am about 1,009,843,199 seconds old, give or take a few hundred. I work nights so was able to watch my body grow older as it happened. It was remarkable, one more gray hair sprung out and is free from the clutter of my normal hair.

I did receive a card from my brother and his family, which has the sort of humor my family strives on. It is a good one. My nephew wants ot know what I am going to dress up for Halloween. That is a good question. That will require a little more thought.

I also received a box from the Lauri, in which, has some great pictures and some other always needed items here in Iraq.

Thank you all for remembering.

Public Thank You

I would like to publicly thank my Mom!

Not only is she the best Mom ever! but she sent out to me lots of Grape koolaid and Twizzlers!

Her timing is perfect for my birthday. It doesn't get much better than this.

Thank you, Mom!

RevGals Friday Five: Top Chef

With Top Chef on the Bravo channel in mind, here is this week’s Friday Five.

If you were a food, what would you be?
Normally I would say a strawberry, sweet and fruity, but lately I would say a coconut, so hard on the outside you need a rock to crack and I need sugar to be sweet.

What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where?
Preteen years on my uncle's farm, during the summer under that big tree between the house and barn.

What is your favorite comfort food from childhood?
I really don't understand this question.
(Thanks to revhrod for the explanation.) I guess my comfort food strawberry twizzlers.

When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit?
I have no idea. Peanut squares. It is a SWAG.

What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate?
Is this strange in my eyes? Cow tongue was pretty funny.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal?
Captian and Coke in a tub (I can still hear the song, Big Time, from Big & Rich)

Something Different

By trying to stay on the lighter side of blogging, I am going to do something different this morning.

Here is the top locations of my frequent visitors to my site:

Number 1 - Honolulu, Hawaii

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# 2 - San Diego, California

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Tied for Third - Binghamton, New York and Corpus Christi, Texas

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A Five way tie for No. 4 - Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin and Jacksonville, North Carolina and Janesville, Wisconsin and Phoenix, Arizona and Portland, Maine

And these are top non US of A locations:

Bordeaux, Aquitaine
Bucharest, Bucuresti
Sydney, New South Wales
Thunder Bay, Ontario
San Juan
Paderborn, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal
London, London, City of London
Melbourne, Victoria

Beer

Thanks to LadyBurg I have beer on the brain, so I have some of my favorties listed. There are SO many.

Leinenkugel

Special Export

Old Style

Arrogant Bastard Ale
EKU28

Point

Fun Stuff for Tuesday

I saw this on someone's blog and I thought to myself "Why not?" Plus it has pretty colors associated with it.

My personalDNA Report

Lot's of Pink, for some darn reason. You should be able to hover over the colors for meaning.

Advocating Builder

From Fox News...Ben Stein

I hope this video works.

I am sure you all have seen it, but in case you didn't.

Boom

Apparently last night during my shift there was a load audible 'boom' and it shook several buildings. I missed it.

I mean I didn't hear it or feel it. I have friends who said they were awoken in their deep sleep to this 'boom' and some said they could feel it when this 'boom' happened. I was outside at the time and I do not remember anything in particular. Nothing at all.

What does that mean?

That must mean something, right? It seems, I was the only one who missed it. So strange.