Blogstones

Cheesehead was the one who originally exposed me to the "blogstone" so I have to blame her. Whether she is the one who made it up or not, to me, she is to blame.

A blogstone looks like this (o) or (O) or (0) and is not usually accompanied with anything else.

A person would use a blogstone when reading a post and you really don't have anything to say or maybe you do not have enough time to write what you want to say for the comment. This is the easy way to signify you were there and read the post. Sometimes that is enough.

Warriors - A Short Video

http://www.warriorsthefilm.com/Movie.html

Gearing Up for Summer

For some darn reason or another, I used to think that when summer was about to be on us the fun would commence. Lots of parties, BBQs, laughs with friends, lots of down time; well, that just doesn't look like that is how it is going to be. We have personnel shortages all over the place and what this means for those of us that are here: Suck it Up.

Once I became a "they or them" my fun time seemed to just go away, like the caribou. Unless we find some replacements for the people that are leaving, I am going to be working similar hours that I worked in Iraq, that my friends just is not my cup of tea. I know, lots of time before summer, right? The hundred and one days of summer start on Memorial Day, which is just next month.

I know those of you that are not military or didn't come from military families will not understand. I know that. It just hit me hard today when I was going over needs of the squadron with my boss (Captain, who is also leaving) and realized this is effecting me as much as it is effecting everyone else. I am hoping for the best, but I am starting to prepare for the worst.

One is the Loneliest Number

One is the Loneliest Number, that is a song right?

Anyway, I hate working by myself. For those you know me, I have the gift of gab. That gift means squat when you are by yourself. When I get done doing some task, I find myself doing abstract busy work. Nothing really important, just stuff.

In other news:

I have uploaded some more photos to Flickr for your viewing pleasure. I have been having problems with my videos as of late, but I am still working on uploading a few more by the end of the month.

I had occupational therapy today, the good part besides getting somewhere with my ailment is my therapist is a cheesehead. Instant bond.

The house I am trying to buy is still being repaired to what I asked for and since then I locked into a mortgage rate of six percent, it is the best one that was offered with no money down. I hoping I made a right choice with that one. Realistically speaking, I should be in debt for the rest of my natural life.

Audits

Apparently, we had an audit during the daytime today and one of the "major" hits was my training jacket. I haven't really touched it in "long while." My boss was not too happy when I came in.

I have two days to fix it.

Fun.

So Little Questions, So Much Time

Anytime any of you, the readers, want to ask a question don't hesitate. I rarely shy any from the opportunity, because I like me. For example, when ever I going into a new home I always set up an "I love me wall" things like awards I have been given or different types of certifications I have accomplished, maybe even a picture of myself from a Mess Night or Dining In. But that will be it that will be the only place I would put up my "I love me items." Other items I enjoy hanging are artwork I have collected over time, some historic paintings, and some Marine Corps memorabilia.

I straying from the subject at hand if there are any questions you like to ask and haven't already done or would like a clarification, feel free to post it here and I will answer these on Saturday like I did last week.

Okay.

****UPDATE***
All Tom Foolery aside I meant if you wanted to ask about something and didn't get the chance here is a special post just for that.

Been Sick

It should be Monday when this posts. I have had a cold since Thursday and I think it is getting better. It started with a sore throat, then a cough and sneeze by Friday and Saturday. All day Sunday my head has been stuffed up.

The cool part is I have been on duty all day Sunday. "Duty" for me is a twenty four post that requires me to verify different secure points in the squadron and check up on the barracks. There are several different "wickets" that needs to be checked off during the duty. It is a sleeping post, which means from 2200(10pm) to 0530(5:30am) myself or my clerk may sleep. Someone must be awake at all times on the quarterdeck. (Yes, I know I am throwing a whole bunch of terminology at you, bare with me here.) I have not taken anything other than some daytime Sudafed which is not working. I did try to lay down maybe slept for about fifteen minutes and here I am. I told my clerk to get some shut eye. Depending on how I feel after "changeover" which is at 0730 (7:30am) with the Sergeant Major (3 ranks higher than me or the top enlisted for the squadron) I may go into sick call.

I hate going to sick call. Sick call is a designated time period in which no appointment is necessary to see a corpsman. Mondays are the worst day to go. I would rather buy the super heavy duty taste awful medicine I can find at the drug store and try to sleep it off. So knowing that, if in the next eight hours or so it gets worse I will go into medical and wait in line with everyone else for a minimum half the day. To me it seems to be a major waste of time, so I tend to not go. (That I inherited from my father, his arm better be torn from the socket before he sees a doctor.)

Off on another tangent, why does it seem I have seen so many doctors? I have this other bad habit of over doing things(not sure who I inherited that from) which when I do, I get hurt. Simple. I put in a hundred and ten percent and ten percent gets broken.

At any rate, the head cold is pissing me off. I have plans. I need to be better now. I know you, the reader, can relate. Most likely, I will try to sleep it off sometime on Monday, with any luck.

Answers for the Peanut Gallery, Part II

The Village Carpenter has asked:

If you could be a woman for a day just to see what it was like, would you want to? If yes, what would you do in that day?

I don't think any man would turn down the opportunity. Sad, but I would probably play with myself all day. I think it would unlock a few mysteries.

Brenda (Wisconsinite) has asked:

So let's say, in all of that spare time you get, you invented a time machine. After all, who wouldn't want one for when they're bored?Who would you go back in time to meet? What events in history would you like to witness?

I am a history fan so to be nice to the audience the condensed version of this would be I would like to go back to April or May of 1945 and meet Helmuth Weidling. At least a day or two before May 2nd.

Ron has asked:

If you could ask a higher power one question and were guaranteed to have it answered, no matter what the question was, what would you ask?

Is it possible for a swallow to carry a coconut?

Presbyterian Gal has asked:

Butter or margarine (on food)? : Butter

Boxers or briefs? : Boxers for everyday, Boxer-briefs for PT

Coke or Pepsi? : Coke

Athletic shoes or boots? : Boots

Jeans: zippers or button fly? : Zippers on men, Button for women

Fries or fruit? : Sandwiches get fries; everything else,Fruits

Salad dressing on the side or on the salad? : On the side

PK has asked:

If you aren’t into expounding further on her question… this is mine very own... would you consider/have you ever thought about going to seminary?

I don't think I could preach something I am completely sure about. So no.

MEL (Jarhead) has asked:
1) Why have you not been drawing me pictures? Handicapped at the moment.

2) If you had unlimited time and money (and cheap labor), what kind of flowers and or plants would you decorate your yard with? I would like to know the reasons for your choices as well. Is this a trick question? Pretty ones.

3) When are you coming to visit? (Obviously a rhetorical question.) As soon as I can convince them I need to go to a school in Miramar for something. Or maybe fall.

4) Tym would like to know the size of your left big toe as well. Diameter and length.

I posted a picture of the missing toenail, but the diameter is about and inch and a quarter and the length is about two and quarter inches.

and one more:

Do you feel it is morally and ethically wrong to require Marines to attend a mess night that they have to pay for? Also If you are morally and ethically opposed to this, how would you advise a junior Marine to peacefully protest? No, It is one of the best traditions to enjoy. I wouldn't protest it.

Evil Twin's Wife has asked:

What type of scents/smells do you like (in general)? If you wear cologne, do you have a favorite and what do you like to smell on females?

Vanilla. For me I am like Drakkar.(Which I am currently out and have been unable to find any in the stupid town.) Some smells are good on some women and awful on others, but I figure you couldn't lose with Jasmine.

CDP has asked:
What are you reading, and what do you like to read? I am in between books at the moment, which is rare, I will probably find a Koontz book to read soon. I like to read mystery, or science fiction, or comedy, or books about war, or history.
What are your favorite movies (recent and classic?) La Story and Gosford Park and The Kindred and Dangerous Liaisons (and few more)

Will you retire from the Marines? If all goes well I should retire February 7th, 2015.

If so, what do you hope to do and where do you hope to live after you retire? (or after you leave the military?) I have or will have homes in Arizona and North Carolina, but I think I would rather live in Tennessee and most likely will keep something in Wisconsin.

And finally, are you a car lover, or do you not care what you drive as long as it runs? I am definitely not a car fanatic, but I appreciate cars and trucks more than I did when I was younger.

Tammie has asked:
1. If you found out tomorrow that you had to change careers, what would you choose as your new career? Aviation Safety Analyst or Consumer Safety Officer

2. What do you find intriguing about a person that makes you want to get to know them better? Mind

3. What is your favorite childhood memory? I talk about it here: http://wyldth1ng.blogspot.com/2005/06/thomas-l-stueber-jr.html

4. If you had to lose your hearing or sight, which one would you choose to give up? Hearing

5. Out of all the people you've known in your life, who would you say has been your partner in crime most often and why would you say that about this person? Thomas Stueber, the is explained in the above post.

imngrace has asked:
why did you join Marines? I needed a change in my life at the time.

Whom do you most admire and why? The man(woman) I have not met yet. The one who will take me on the next journey.

Ruth has asked:
What 5 words does a Marine have to have in his vocabulary to make it through the day? Other than profanity. Words like "perimeter" (is that a good Marine word?)

First let me say that I am an Airwing Marine so this may not apply to everyone. (Disclaimer)

Head - a place with a commode

Scuttlebucket - a fountain of some sort usually has water

Stick - A group of people assigned one when boarding a plane or helicopter

Hatch - door

Buttcan- a place where cigarettes go when done with them, also is in a location where smoking is allowed

MezzoSF has asked:
What do you like best about your job? What do you like least about your job? This is a qood question, the most is when you teach something and they get it. The least is probably when dealing with spouses of ones that were lost.
What is your favorite curse word? FUCK an A
Do you have any tattoos? If so - what (and where) are they? No, it was removed.

Diane has asked:
Where in the world would you like to go that you haven't been to already?

Home, a place I can call home.

RevGals Friday Five: Moving

1. How many times have you moved? When was the last time?
47 times. A few months ago and will move again in about a month.

2. What do you love and hate about moving?
It is hard to to say what I I love and hate other than I have gotten quite good at it.

3. Do you do it yourself or hire movers?
I have done it myself, with friends, and by the government.

4. Advice for surviving and thriving during a move?
Know what you cherish and know that it may perish.

5. Are you in the middle of any inner moves, if not outer ones?
Like I have already stated I am about to move again. Life moves pretty fast, sometimes you have to take a step back to to see it coming.

The Classic Dumb Male Syndrome, Part III

Defeatist is a strategy used by no one of the CDMS. Victory is always had in the mind of this individual when in reality this is not the case. The larger problem is when the individual does realize he is at fault, it is already too late. Reconciliation can not happen because he has been classified a loser. Again the best thing for him to do is jump off a tall bridge or bake a pipe bomb while sitting in front of the oven.

(Disclaimer: Do not attempt any of these acts for serious harm will be fall you.)

My Big Toe - The Picture

By popular demand.
Yes I know it is slightly blurry. But the camera was not cooperating.

From the Peanut Gallery, Part II

I have done a similar post before asking for questions from you the reader. Ron has done two posts recently like this and since it has been a while since I did my last one, I am soliciting questions and I will do my best to answer them on Saturday. No question is forbidden, even from Mel.

My Big Toe

I had a partial toe nail removal done today on my big toe. I cannot understand why it was such a big deal for the doc to do this, it only took about ten minutes and the longest time was waiting for the lidocaine to kick in.(No pun intended.)

`

I do know that the lidocaine has definitely worn off and it hurts a fuck-load. It is actually rivaling my wrist pain at the moment. So I did the most natural thing to do and took a couple of Tramadol tablets. Now the ailments are more of an annoyance and I have a tingling feeling over most of my body. Unfortunately, this drug only lasts for about two hours. The good news is when it comes to sleepy time I have a new prescription of Ambien.

`

I was told that the "soreness" will last for about a week. And it will take about two months until my nail "fully recovers." You really have to love how they put that.

The Classic Dumb Male Syndrome, Part II

Sometimes CDMS is characterized as the "That Guy" side effect. Which no one wants to be "That Guy" and at times it is inevitable. This side effect can be helped along with alcohol, lack of sleep, or more notorious other men displaying the CDMS.

One of the problems with becoming "That Guy" if only for a night, it is very difficult to shake that label. The best thing to do after that, is to move to another country or hide under a rock for a period of no less than six months.

The Classic Dumb Male Syndrome

While I have written several excerpts already about "The Classic Dumb Male Syndrome" or the CDMS for short, I have had more experience of it as of late and feel I need to expound your knowledge of it. Some men can be quite intelligent and still have CDMS, pretty much anyone who is a man is a carrier of it. And what makes this syndrome special is it can effect other men in the vicinity, up to thirty feet or more.

There are certain objects that can expose a man who has CDMS: anything shiny, anything with buttons, anything with buttons with signs saying not to touch said buttons, large round objects, things that bounce; the list really goes on for a while but I think you get the idea.

When said man is showing symptoms of CDMS, he may experience the Peacock Effect. The Peacock Effect is also referred as the Rooster. Once the effect takes place there is little turning back to the original state for at least the rest of the evening. Sometimes when two or more men enter the Peacock Effect, an explosion of sorts happens and feelings get hurt or a drink slung at them. Not always a good show and most people don't remember the occurrence for much longer than a period of seven days.

Rainy Day

I am sure there is some reasoning on not using a computer during a thunderstorm. I know about the bathtub/shower. ( When lightning strikes the ground the current travel the pipes and electrocutes you.) Which I am still going to take a shower here shortly. When my time comes, I will not fight it. I am not sure what I will do on this rainy day, but now I am pissed I didn't put Rain-X on my windshield yesterday when it wasn't raining. I might go out and splash about in the puddles, because I am boy and that is what boys do. I just don't know, but I do know I don't want to stay inside all day.

RevGals Friday Five: Revelation

Sally of RevGals writes:

How has God revealed him/herself to you in a:

1. Book
The Monster at the End of this Book

2.Film
What a Wonderful

3. Song
China Roses

4. Another person
The couple I describe here: http://wyldth1ng.blogspot.com/2005/07/kindness-act-of.html

5. Creation
Justice Seifert
He was born April 29, 1995.

The Last Audio Book of the Week

I had read the first two books while in Iraq. And since, my job dictates that I cannot read during it but listen for enjoyment, this seemed like the logical step to continue my literary journey in time.

I have learned there is another book following it, and it was quite obvious from the ending that there would be. So now I will look for that as well.

It is also possible to read these books separately since the author does a fair job to make it so.

I appeal to this character in a way that probably complicates me farther as I only want to be simplified.

Music in my Head

While at the dentist again today, I had this tune stuck in my head but cannot remember who sings it or the title. It actually pisses me off. The words I can remember go something like this:

Don't call the doctor
I am going to get better

I want to say Butthole Surfers maybe, but I am not really sure about that either. The good news is I almost have a new grill, even though this song still lingers in my head.

Post

While picking up my mail today I was uniquely surprised to find many different items.

1) A bill. Not surprised at all, actually disappointed.

2) An insurance quote. Not surprised was actually expecting it.

3) A box. Curious, I knew it was coming but didn't know what was inside. (put that off to the side for a moment.)

4) A letter from my Mom. Surprised since it is January third and was sent to the Iraq address.

5) Newsletter. Surprised somewhat since it was also address to me in Iraq.

3a) The box has quite a few curious items from my visit with the Evil Twin and the Evil Twin's Wife. Very surprised and very thankful.