Two by Two - Cover Formation

Two names you go by:
1) Wyldth1ng
2) Staff Sergeant

Two things you are wearing right now:
1) Olive Drab Tee
2) Reading Glasses

Two of your favorite things:
1) Pinball
2) Strawberries

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1) Something to go right for a change
2) Acceptance of me being me.

Two favorite pets you have or had:
1) I had a gold fish once, he died like fifty times.
2) Sturgis - German Shepard

Two people you hope will fill this out:
1) DCup
2) Mathman

Two things you did last night:
1) Danced (I am white guy, so keep that in mind.)
2) Sang a little karaoke (Piano Man and Jack & Diane)

Two things you ate last night:
1) Does Captain and Coke count?
2) Chicken Fingers

Two people you last talked to:
1) The Boss (Master Sergeant)
2) A random Marine of whom I corrected his attire.

Two things you are doing tomorrow:
1) Washing my truck
2) Taking Pictures of Future Home for the Insurance Company

Two of farthest trips taken in the last 5 years:
1) Yuma, Arizona to Okinawa, Japan (3 round trips)
2) Jacksonville, North Carolina to Al Asad, Iraq (2 round trips)

Two favorite holidays:
1) Marine Corps Birthday (November 10th)
2) I would say my birthday but I don't like the fact the number keeps getting bigger. (October 22nd)

Two favorite beverages:
1) Dr. Pepper
2) Captain and Coke

Green Backs

I don't know if anyone has noticed but the interest rates have gone up across the board. In this area the lowest mortgage rate as of yesterday was 6.3%. I am getting a 6.0% on my home I am purchasing, but had I applied two weeks earlier I probably could have gotten one around 5.3%. So in the big picture what does that mean? It means that I will if I keep the loan for its life I am looking at about sixty-five thousand dollar difference. That is a lot.
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On other news, my TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) which in a way is my retirement savings, took a big hit this last quarter and my gains equated to about 3%. That is pretty crappy. I did some moving around (with my money) and this next quarter I hoping for a minimum of a increase of 6%. Last year all my investments, gained an average of 8%. So overall, I am on track. (My goal is to not have to work after the age of 50.) I wish I would have started investing when I was 20, but we all know how that goes. (Originally, my goal was 45. I was aiming too unrealistically.)



This is actually the second year in a row where our (military) money is worth less. We, in theory, were supposed to have an inflation increase every year above the inflation for six years to "catch up" with the rest of the civilized world and it was extended for four more. This was Congress' fault last year and it was the President's this year. Don't get me wrong, I make decent money now, but it took me ten years to get there. If I was married and had kids, I would be struggling and probably would have to have a second or third income.

Music in my Head, Part II

Too Sick to Pray(Song Title) - Alabama3(Band Name)

I'm in a lonely room
Hank Williams sings the Lovesick Blues
Winter's walking up the avenue
And I ain't seen the sunshine since the 6th of June
But I tell you this

Chorus:
Don't call the doctor, I'm gonna get better
Don't run for the priest, I'm gonna find some faith
Just because I burned my bible baby
It don't mean, I'm too sick to pray

I'm in a crowded place
But I can't recognize a single face
They say the thrill is in the chase
Well I ain't got the legs, ain't got the legs

To run that race

But I tell you this

Chorus:

Don't call the doctor, I'm gonna get better
Don't run for the priest, I'm gonna find some faith
Just because I burned my bible baby
It don't mean, I'm too sick to pray

They say I made my money messing up young minds

I stooped the congregation and left them crying in the rain
Yea left them with their pain
Exit your boy with his ill-got left them crying in the rain
Yea left them with their pain
Exit your boy with his ill-got pain
Exit your boy with his ill-gotten gains

Well the blood runs deep and the blood runs cold

As the knife slits so another sucker is born and thrown into this world alone
The doctor came knocking, wasn't nobody home
Better burn a candle light

Rap

Ease The Pain

Repeat Chorus

The doctor came knocking, wasn't nobody home

Ease the pain
Gotta find some faith

Repeat chorus

Better burn the candle bright

Rap

Ease The Pain

Dreams, Part II

I have been trying something different to sleep. A friend has given me a copy of listening MP3s by Brian L. Weiss, MD. It is the relaxation type stuff. It has been working so far, I am on day 2 of my week test to see how it goes. I still haven't had a dream that I remember as of yet, but I am early in the week. Maybe tonight will be my lucky night.

Childhood Favorites, Part V

When I was a little bigger than a breadbox, this tune would use a whole quarter to play.


(25 cents for two songs on a jukeboxes that played 45s. This was both sides of the 45.)

Having Good Friends

It is a good thing I have some friends. Last night I almost was in a bar fight. I would love to tell you all that I have never been in one,but reality and fantasy are two different things.

How it was started: I was having a conversation with one of my friends that bartends at another bar and was talking about how this town has interesting characters in it, she had recently moved here from Maryland. The reason the subject came up was there was a very drunk man hitting on her earlier and she didn't want any of it. This other fellow who was drunk, took what I said and thought it was some sort of insult on his family. He also was not in the conversation. I really don't know where he was at the time of it.

My friend goes off to go dance and this guy comes up from behind me and jabs me in the ribs and threatens me. He told me how he was going to dispose of my body and how I had better watch myself. I as politely as possible, knowing I had a few drinks, did not want to get in a fight. Potentiality that is grounds for dismissal from the Corps while state-side, fights while drinking.

At some point, two of my friends butted in between us and eventually escorted this guy away. One of them says to me later, that he heard me asking the drunk if he was threatening me and knew it was starting to get bad.

RevGals Friday Five: Garage Sales

1) Are you a garage saler?
Sometimes if the mood strikes me right.

2) If so, are you an immediate buyer or a risk taker who comes back later when prices are lower?
I haggle.

3) Seriously, if you're not a garage saler, you are probably not going to want to play this one.
(That wasn't really #3.)
3) This is the real #3: What's the best treasure you've found at a yard or garage sale?
Glass beer stein boot for quarter

4)If you've done one yourself, at church or at home, was it worth the effort?
Not really, but my garbage was someone else's wealth.

5) Can you bring yourself to haggle?
It is a sport.

May 300th Comment

Mel gave me my 300th comment of the month, congratulations!

You are now entitled to my virtual collection of three horned dragon wing bats!

God, Part III

(If you do a search for the second post you will not find it here. So don't bother looking.)

Being the well rounded individual that I am, I wonder at today and yesterday. This wonder is what we have done.

According to Ms. Winfrey, the mere conscious is God. To her there is nothing after here, which to her credit might be true since she makes a lot of money here. Why have a sin of greed, let's just get rid of that, then it won't be sinful to be rich. I will be honest with you all, I don't like her and her preachings; the cult she has made or the money machine she generated with it.

Then you have those who have decided to replace it all with a machine that has a meter on it like a Geiger counter. I have been exposed by enough radiation to know that this crap is for the loonies.

I could easily go on with more examples of lunacy and cult-like activities, but why?

It seems to be the hip thing to do lately, really. Let's replace God with stuff. Okay, so for the next twenty minutes all my advice is going to come from an iPod.

That was fun wasn't it?

I am still searching with my spirit. I don't know what I want to follow. I do know what not to follow.

When someone came up with the seven deadly sins, I think maybe they came up with this list for a reason. I mean look at what they are:

Lust - okay so with out this one the porn industry would be out of business and we know how good business is.

Gluttony - Do these jeans make me look fat? If you asking the question you probably are.

Greed - I think I all ready covered this one.

Sloth - I am sorry but sometimes it is easier to push the buttons on the TV set than finding the remote.

Wrath - You would think I would know a lot about this one, not the case. There are others much better at it than I.

Envy - I don't anyone with out this, I am one of them. I envy goodwill and happiness.

Pride - This is one of my worst and low and behold it is considered the worst. I just can't stop.

So there you have it. I am still searching for something else. These "sins" are called that for a reason and I can find fault in myself with them, but I am working on it.

Oath of Enlistment

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm)
that I will support and defend
the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies,
foreign and domestic;
that I will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same;
and that I will obey
the orders of the President of the United States
and the orders of the officers appointed over me,
according to regulations
and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
So help me God.

Acronyms - Pet Peeve # 316

I may be a dumb man, but I am not stupid. It irritates me immensely when people use acronyms to express their feelings or use it to express themselves in a conversations. While I know that I use a blogstones at times, this is not an acronym. It is a symbol. When communicating with any sort, they use crap like LOL, LMAO or SASMF; I tend to believe that the individual still hasn't passed the eighth grade. Well, I did.

In the military, there are many acronyms for just about any job and it differs tremendously on occupation. Out of habit more now than anything else, I will use the words in everyday conversation unless said acronym is an accepted form by all parties.

Most people(in my experience) that use this type method to converse, instead of typing it all out, also seem to not understand basic sentence structure. "Noun - verb idea." If using an action verb there must be something doing the action. And guess what, a whole sentence cannot be all prepositions. It just cannot. Sorry to disappoint you all on that one. The point I am trying to make here is, if you are trying to impress me don't speak (type) outside of your grade level. Let me know if you flunked out of high school, so that I will use small one syllable words. I have no problem if you were a child left behind, let me know and I will help you fill out that (insert no education required employer here) application.

Childhood Favorites, Part IV

I just could not get this tune out of my head this weekend.

Childhood Favorites, Part Friday

The intro (in my mind) is one the best ever. So in lieu of not doing a Friday Five, enjoy.

Popular Posts by General Public

This is another installment of the non-topic posts. Probably, the last one for awhile. The following are the most viewed and or linked to posts on my site since the beginning of the year.

Updating Pictures
February 12

Middle Name Meme
March 26

Rainy Day
April 5

Pet Peeve #23
May 8

The Poll to the Right
May 15

Coming Home - Surprises
February 3

Coming Home - The Transition
February 4

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part Seven A
February 4

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part Seven, Subsection A
February 5

Vacation Winter ' 08
February 5

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part XIII

Today was a pinnacle point in my situation(re-evaluation). I received an injection to my joint in my wrist which the needle was two and half inches long and my wrist is about an inch and half thick. We learned I do not have a joint problem and it is ligament and/or tendon damage. This is separate from my thumb which we have known all along it was tendon damage. My thumb is now my (and the Navy's) secondary concern, but still a concern none the less. I have a new (temporary) splint for the long weekend that supports my wrist more and gives me more freedom with my thumb. After Decoration Day, I will be going back to Occupational Therapy to concentrate on my wrist and drop the pain levels. I am making progress and the doctor is confident that returning back to full duty will be a reality.

Childhood Favorite, Part II

NOTE: This is from Leader of the Banned and may not be suitable for young minds.

Post 600

Going with the current theme of non-topic posts, this is a display of the most common ISP(Internet Service Providers) that come visit me.

1) Road Runner Holdco Llc
2) Earthlink Inc
3) Charter Communications
4) Comcast Cable Communications Inc
5) Verizon Internet Services Inc
6) New York Life Insurance Company
7) Covad Communications Co
7) Qwest Communications Corporation
8) Marshfield Medical Research & Education Foundation
8) Pppox Pool Rback37.snfcca
9) Xo Communications
9) Grande Communications Networks Inc
9) Insight Communications Company L.p
10) Stentor National Integrated Communications Network
10) Hughes Network Systems

11) Embarq Corporation
11) Elca
11) Oregon Health & Science University
11) Simple Pc.net
12) Comcast Cable Communications Holdings Inc
12) Wideopenwest Michigan
12) Connecting Point Computers
12) Bellsouth.net Inc
12) Prairiewave Static Host Assignment
13) Level 3 Communications Inc
13) Google Inc
13) Thunder Bay Telephone
13) Service Provider Corporation
13) Nctc
13) Pppox Pool - Rback5 Emhril
13) Hale County Cscd
13) Central Scott Telephone
13) Taylor & Francis Inc
13) Pcs Broadband Llc
13) University Of Arkansas For Medical Sciences
13) Special Design Products

Childhood Favorite

Blog Roll Amnesty Redux, Part II

It seems as of late there has been a few blogmeisters that have republished their blog roll and have given me link love. Being the jolly fellow that I am I wish to reciprocate with everything but the kitchen sink.

The following are the Masters of the Blogworld each in their own mind(and blogverse):

Zaius Nation
You've Really Got to Love Your People*
Yearning For God*
Work in Progress*
When Will I Use This?
We Do It Too*
Ton-Fifty-ONE
The Warped Mind of Ron
The Village Carpenter
The Glamorous Life of a Hausfrau
Suzi Riot
Sharing a Journey*
Seeking Authentic Voice*
Rogue Gunner
RevGalBlogPals*
Random thoughts and Acts of Stupidty
Random Laundry
Presbyterian Gal*
Presbyfruit
Post Secret
Possible Water*
PoliTits
No Smoking in the Skull Cave
My Saturday Evening Post
Mock, Paper, Scissors
MilBlogs
Meaning and Authenticity*
Magdalene's Musings*
Lost in Lima Ohio, A True Crime Blog
LadyBurg*
Jonestown
Jeans, Flops, and Jesus*
Inner Dorothy*
Identity Mixed
I, Splotchy
Hot Cup Lutheran*
Growing Where I'm Planted*
Freida Bee
FranIAm
Faith in Community*
distributorcap NY
Crummy Church Signs**
Cheesehead in Paradise*
Blonde Sagacity
Bits and Odd Pieces of Mindy's Kingdom
Beyond Assumptions
Aunt Dahlia
all the way from oy to vey

Happy Thoughts, Part II

I saw a sparkle yesterday. They have seemed so rare as of late. Sparkles always make me happy. Part of being "the classic dumb male" has always given way to shiny objects.