Sandstorms and Post Cards

Today, there is another sand storm going through, it not the first I have seen, not the second, it probably is the thirtieth or more. I could take a picture but it wouldn't turn out because the sun is down. Sandstorms are bitch to prepare for, because they just kind of pop out of nowhere. So I keep a whole bunch of stuff for sandstorms with me all the time. It just sucks.

I did receive a post card from Fran I Am today. It is a picture of water fountain in Barcelona. (Just to let everyone know, I would reply if I had an address.) I am actually one of those crazy people who keep most, if not all, of the mail sent to me. I even have a wacky filing system. So lets say you wrote me a letter when I was floating around the ocean in 1996, odds are I have it somewhere.

So today's verdict is: it sucks there is a sandstorm but I am happy because I received a post card from Fran I Am .

Post From Jan

"Cascading 268 feet into a deep pool, Snoqualmie Falls is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions."
Very Cool.

Something Everyone Can Understand

I saw this on Jan's blog, apparently anyone can enjoy my ramblings and only college level humans can enjoy hers.

The Truck

I have in my website several pictures of my '96 Ford Ranger in which I have painted several times. The thing that prompted this painting was this:




After this event, I attempted to fix it, but after another fender bender on Amarillo, Texas I said screw it.

The first original paint job was gold with chevrons on the fenders, but it didn't last very long.

This was followed shortly there after with a " 5-ton" color. I never understood why they look pale all the time until it finally rained. I had added some air-wing type terms with the type of humor I have. I have it displayed here.

Some time after that rain storm I took a little more time and used Marine Corps colors to paint my truck. This is the point when you may say I am a little proud. You can make your own assumptions. I had this paint job the longest.

The one thing you have to keep in mind is I didn't use high quality paint, so when the entire hood decide to chip up it was time to repaint. This was the last yellow paint job I had. (In the picture is a Chevy, it is not mine, it is my ex-wife's)

After that, I was experimenting with a digital patten to match our cammies and did various pattens. I did take a few pictures but I do not have access to them at the moment. Like I have mentioned before, I believe the last and current paint scheme is light blue with scarlet highlights. Something that should resemble the gremlin in the first Wayne's World.

Reading and Writing

Normally by now I would have read my usual 15 blogs and have read the headlines of around 10 news agencies. Instead I read my comments that were posted while sleeping and wrapped a hot towel around my neck.

I feel I am betraying myself somehow.

I should be writing letters back to the gracious people who have written me. I am going to put that off until tomorrow.

(Funny thing, I gave my sergeant time off again today, what the fuck was I thinking?)

I Have Been Tagged

Tagged = someone challenges you come up with 10 random things about yourself, then you have to tag 5 other bloggers.

10 random things about The Wyldth1ng:

1) When I was knee high to a grasshopper I would camp out in my toy box shaped as a football.

2) My junior year in high school I applied for the Air Force Academy.

3) I have been fascinated with breasts for as long as I can remember and I just can't seem to get enough of them.

4) The words nifty, shnazy, and silly should be included in everyone's everyday conversations.

5) My MCMAP instructor says I look like "Foamy" the Squirrel.

6) I have a glow in the dark pillow case with the solar system.

7) I love being the devil's advocate, all the time.

8) I have painted my '96 Ford Ranger 17 times, never once with auto paint.

9) I have bought the movie LA Story seven times in VHS and four times in DVD.

10) I went to Nationals while in VICA for extemporaneous speaking and finished thirteenth.

I am tagging:
MoreCows
Diane
(Deleted)
Magdalene
Jan

How it is.

I am not asking for sympathy.

I am hoping that this sore/pain lessens in the next few days or I do know if I can keep going in this course. I know that parts of my body that I don't use regularly are supposed to be sore. I have some bruises in places that there should not be bruises. I do not bruise easily.

The last few days I have been sleeping longer, my water consumption is up, and typing is royal pain in the ass(not literally, pain is in wrists and forearms). I normally don't lay still while sleeping, but everytime I do move I awake with searing pain in my ribs.

I volunteered for this. Does that make me a sadist or masochist?

Two weeks to go.

RevGals Friday Five: Interviews

Mother Laura writes:
Songbird just had an interview for a "vague and interesting" possibility, and More Cows than People is doing campus visits for doctoral programs. There always seem to be a few RevGals applying for new positions, and I just got my first call for this year's preliminary interviews for college teaching jobs at the American Academy of Religion meeting in San Diego coming up in a few weeks. It's for my dream job among this year's offerings, and I am flipflopping between excitement and nervousness. So please keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer for everyone facing such conversations, and share your thoughts on the wonderful world of interviews:

1. What was the most memorable interview you ever had?

2005 Enlisted to Warrant Officer board at the Wing level. This was the first year in which I had put in a package and the Wing wanted to conduct interviews on the potential candidates. Previous years that I had applied I only interviewed at the Squadron level. Everything I did was wrong, my ribbons were upside-down, I rattled off the wrong job description in which I was applying, I couldn't screw it up any more that I did. (By the way, the list for this year is out, I did not make it, again.)

2. Have you ever been the interviewer rather than the interviewee? If so, are you a tiger, a creampuff, or somewhere in between?

I would have to say 'not applicable.'

3. Do phone interviews make you more or less nervous than in-person ones?

Never have I done one. I would think less nervous.

4. What was the best advice you ever got to prepare for an interview? How about the worst?

The best was reread the statement of purpose(reason why interview is taking place) ten to twenty minutes prior. The worst was act naturally.

5. Do you have any pre-interview rituals that give you confidence?

I hum the Marines' Hymn. Everytime.

(I don't know why my first link didn't work, but this goes to my site.)

With All of Your Help

My comments have increased five times with all of your help. Then again, with this support I also wrote fifty posts. That alone is almost more than all of last year.

Thank you.

Time Consumption with Pain

If you "see" less of me on the internet or do not here from me much I have a good reason.
Green Belt

I am attempting to increase my Marine Corps Martial Arts (Program) belt from a gray to a green. It is not a big step, but it is a step none the less.

So more or less I will be getting my ass kicked for about three weeks by a bunch of young bucks. I found out tonight that I am one of the heaviest of the group. That is wacky. I don't think that has ever happened before.

All I have to remember is, if I am injured I have to stop; if I am hurt I keep on going.

Happy Halloween

Jan had at a link for Halloween Hangman. Here was my result.

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.