Tag Archives: Navy

Doing the Marathon

21 Feb

The courtyard, complete with random chickens

Actually, I think if I tried to run a marathon I’d either die from exhaustion or just sheer boredom. How do people run for more than half a marathon? Even with ESPN on in front of me, I still get too bored and distracted.

But I digress: this post is about Marathon, Texas, a town in the middle of nowhere that borders on the Big Bend National Park. This is a really nice area for when you want to get away from doing anything at all, largely because you can do nothing except explore, sit, and drink. It manages to gather together a fairly eccentric group of people from all around the world. This time we found a bunch of Canadians, Yankees, and even a German, all of whom I assume were escaping the cold. It’s always fun to sit around the fire and talk to random people about random things; in fact, this is one of my strong suits, and I definitely get it from my dad, who apparently can make friends with anyone, anywhere.

The famous white buffalo from the Gauge Hotel. He looks a little down. Maybe it's because he never fit in as a kid, or maybe just because he got his ass shot

Way back when, this was my spring break in 2008 but this time we did less exploring and more sitting around and drinking. Doing nothing is occasionally very good, though I ended up feeling a like I needed a break for my break by the end of it (a phrase I liked and stole from Logen this morning).

It was still a good break from the routine. I largely do the same thing every single day; the same repetitious physical tasks. I’m now really, really good at doing what I do, but apart from that, I am pretty tired of it. Ready for May to roll around and the Navy to send me out. Ready to end up in Charleston, South Carolina and give that a go. Kind of hard to be motivated to go to the gym every day because it’s got so boring. Maybe I should try that P90X thing to keep it varied? My friend Josh has it and I just need to go pick it up. But then I’d be pissed at paying the gym fee and not using it. Yes, this is really the deep kind of debate I have with myself. (That and what gas station I’ll pick for lunch. Try the FIRST Stripes when you get into Crane, TX and you’ll be in for a delicious liver and gizzard treat!)

The following weeks still should be good. Still working on figuring out a date for visiting Emily, but March is pretty full and April is rough for her, so I’ll have to mess around and see what I can get arranged. And visit Sam in his million dollar crash Manhattan crash pad, as soon as he gets it. Gotta do all this before May, and it’s getting sooner.

I had to delay things a little since I got another speeding ticket. I actually don’t care too much since it was just 200 dollars and I can’t take that awful waste of my soul class, but it did mean I got the fun Navy lectures and got to fill out a sheet basically saying I’ll never speed again, ever. Military loves their paperwork.

For now though, that’s it. I spend a good part of my day thinking that I should update this, but I rarely have much to say that’s interesting, and even when I do update it, I don’t find it all that interesting when I see all of the awesome things my friends are doing with their lives.

Except Dan.

Mice, and Navy Updates

9 Dec

Alice, the official mascot of some really fun times times in sophomore year of college.

I’m not really a big fan of mice, except when they’re being eaten by snakes (cool!) or in my favorite childhood cartoon, Tom and Jerry. Lately there have been a few crafty mice in the house (winter is coming and they obviously want the warmth and any crumbs we might drop). A few nights ago they woke me up. I swear that one was on my bed and crawling around me and that’s how I woke up the first time, but the second time they had knocked my stuffed rattlesnake (yes, I have a stuffed rattlesnake, really) on to the ground and started going for the neck. I think this is some kind of amazing irony that the mice are eating the snake, so I was actually more impressed than angry. But still, I don’t like mice waking me up. So the next morning I got a few different types of traps and set them out. Amazingly, they have defeated every single trap I’ve set. I have the old fashioned lethal ones and the sticky pads ones. They tripped the old fashioned one and stole the cheese, and the sticky one caught one in the act but he dragged it under something  and was able to get free. Lucky guys. They haven’t been back since, so I hope they learned their lesson.

Two major purchases since coming home: my 1911 and my 380. In Texas, gun is spelt fun.

Anyway, I was re-reading my last post and I pretty much sounded like the most emo, upset kid around around. I think things have been building up and it hit me pretty hard, so I decided to vent a little online. I feel like that’s a good way to do it instead of killing a drifter, as my brother often says. But, for you guys reading it, and myself, I just felt like it wasn’t accurate. I don’t hate life and I do have a lot of hope for the future. I just wish my future would start now instead of later. I guess my fear is that I will have essentially wasted an entire year of my life doing nothing. That’s kind of a daunting thing to think about it as a complete waste, and it’s not really. I am paying off my credit cards and eventually my loans. I have bought a few things for myself to keep me entertained. And I’m keeping to a really intense exercise plan. I had a good session tonight so that’s partly why I’m in a good mood.

Otherwise, the Navy finally got back to me on Monday. My Lt. informed me that two of my three applications for a commission were rejected, though they don’t give particular reasons. For most of the week I kind of felt like a massive failure as a human being. I think it’s my fault for thinking I would get something I knew was hard/impossible to get right off the bat, but I’m not the kind of person to not take on a challenge. I admit, I do feel a little helpless. There is something more I could have done to help me — I’m sure — but I have no idea what. That’s part of it though. I still have the chance to become a supply officer, and that’s not a bad gig at all. I actually really like logistics and I’ve already mentioned before I’d be comfortable with it. I don’t consider it settling for less. The supply board is December 16th, so pretty soon, but with the holidays around, I honestly expect it’ll be after the first of the year before I know. In the mean time, I’ve been readying for my alternative position that I already have in the Navy, enlisted (E3) Nuclear. This is one of the better programs in the Navy — I have nothing against it.In fact, it’s really not anything bad at all. The benefits are pretty legitimate in the long run.

The nuclear field isn't all that bad; Homer is my objective.

I guess my concern is that I would be, essentially, at the point where I would have been if I had never went to college (with some perks, I admit). I’m going to make this a career, so whatever happens happens — but I honestly feel like I am ready for the increased responsibility right now. Also, weirdly, I want to prove myself in OCS (Officer Candidate School) I’ve been training my body for a long time and I really want to see if I can do it. Like I said, I enjoy challenge. You can quote me now: I will reach my goals. They just might end up taking more time than I had originally intended. But, all I have is time right now.

Fitness

6 Nov

This was the before photo, but it was already after months of improvement

This really has been echoed in the past by a lot of attempts to get in shape that really failed miserably. The main factor in my failure was doing little to no cardio (eh, who am I kidding, it was just no cardio). As well, I didn’t have a gym so I thought that if I did a billion sit-ups and push-ups a night I would be in shape, but I couldn’t even manage to keep that up regardless. So, last year, literally Jan 1st 2010, I decided that I would start going to the gym and working out. The results have been pretty incredible in a year — or at least, I think so. The real motivation were the comments I kept getting from friends and family describing me as “able to drink a lot of beer” or “having a lot of fun in college” when they pointed at my stomach pudge. Gross. Well, I guess, thank you family because it worked and it was actually in a good time frame, considering I joined the Navy soon after. Mentally, I had already been mulling over the option and so it helped me get the routine started.

This was in mid-October, still work to be done

Initially the January through April period I had just bought a lot of stuff to do at home because I was embarrassed about going to a gym. One, I looked pretty awful, and two, I had no idea what the equipment did or how to use it. I had never been to a gym, never ran on a treadmill, or did a lat pull down. And, my gym at the time was provided as part of my tuition at Trinity University, so that meant I would have to see close friends, most of whom I felt where completely ripped and would think I was a fool. I realize now that most people who are working out actually really like helping other people and giving pointers. After all, getting in shape is kind of like a club. We’re all addicted to it and we want to get more people to join in.

I opted to take bi-weekly progress shots to help me get motivated as well, and that was, at first, horrific, and later, much more pleasing to reflect upon. The first time I went to the gym I got on the treadmill and tried to do a mile at 5 MPH, which was impossible. I couldn’t breathe and thought I would die. Yes, I’m serious, I was that out of shape (thankfully though, I was only 218 lbs at my fat kid peak, so it wasn’t awful on my frame). I still remember the moment I did a ten minute mile. I felt like a champion — and I told a friend who quickly noted that she could do that in middle school. Wow, I was a total joke.

My arm in early October. Neat.

Through a mixture of weights and cardio, however, I am now, almost a year later, in the best shape of my life and really content with my progress. (I can run 7 miles a day easily and I’m usually doing around 40 miles a week, with a day off for just lifting and rest.) The process of getting here kind of sucked. Protein shakes and targeted exercises, lots of pushing myself to limits I couldn’t even imagine being able to go. It really does suck. But if you push through it, I guess anything is possible. The hardest part of it all was starting and then staying motivated.

Get into my belly

I’m actually not sure what I should do next. Get a six pack? I actually think those are kind of gross. I wouldn’t mind getting larger pecs or arms, but I feel like being bulky isn’t really good for the Navy. And although the Jersey Shore says being a juice head is a good goal, I’d rather be slim and trim. Currently, I’m about 170 lbs of raw steel and sex appeal. I can always make better my best and I never plan to let it rest, so it looks good for the future. All this said, I still eat fast food at least three times a week. There is nothing in this world that will ever stop me from eating delicious 99 cent chicken sandwiches  from Jack in the Box. I could eat this 3 times a day every day, and, in college, I usually did.

Joining the Navy

6 Nov

America. F Yeah.

Well, I feel like the biggest change from March, my last real post, to right now is that I joined the Navy. Shortly after graduating, I realized that I hated the jobs that I was applying for. I spent months talking with financial institutions, hospitals, and small advertising firms about finding a job I would like. I really do like the advertising industry, but I felt like all of these jobs were just awful. I don’t want to advertise for a bank. I don’t want to advertise healthcare. I don’t want to work for a 5 man advertising team in Nebraska (this was a real offer). And most of all, I didn’t want to deal with the problems of pay and long-term financial insecurity. Some of the figures I was being thrown were 22k a year with minor benefits and the possibility to work up to 30k a year. Really? I feel like I could make more working in the oil field, a job which isn’t too stressful and I can at least enjoy being outside. Actually, it was, but more on this later.

So, I walked in to the Navy recruiter office and told them to sign me up. In my mind, I felt like the following week I would be shipped out to basic and sailing the seas in a couple months. Ha, what a joke that is. There’s an absolutely huge amount of paperwork, and then you have to go to a place called MEPS, which is a poor acronym because it actually stands for hell (or Military Entrance Processing), and then after that they tell you to wait a year to ship. Yeah, really. A year. What am I supposed to do to pay my loans in that time? I actually rushed into this whole gig because I didn’t do my research. I had a passion and I wanted to follow up on this. For the astute followers of me, this should be no surprise — I’ve been talking about joining the Navy for years. However, with a college degree, I was able to build a really strong officer’s package to get a commission. But, without knowing this at the time, I enlisted first, originally as an AECF (Advanced Electronic Computer Field) and then later in the Nuclear field.

As an aside, I was told this is the hardest field to get into, but the tests they gave me were pretty much a joke. (If I recall correctly, I made a 94 on the ASVAB and I didn’t even bother to work the problems, I just guessed based on the answer choices so that I could finish and get back to a client.)I’m not particularly bright when it comes to math, but then again, these tests are made for, and I hesitate to say, high school kids. I am guessing that a lot of how the Navy communicates information to people in the DEP (Delayed Enlistment Program) is based on the fact that they are mostly very young, mostly with only a high school education, and mostly not mature enough to think about the gravity and depth of their commitments. And the Navy caters to this. (Kids ask questions about how cool the uniforms are between branches and don’t bother to ask things about military benefit packages and retirement options.) But, when it comes to the more serious questions, that really should be up to the applicant and the individual recruiter, something that is handled extremely effectively. There’s no BS when you try to find things out and it’s obvious you are looking for the straight answer. I respect this, and I understand why the messages are conveyed in the way they are. I feel like the shortcoming is more on the side of the kids who are joining with no clue what they are in for, so they don’t know what to ask. They will surely understand once they are in, and I think this is a good thing that they are given a dose of reality, something which college, on the other hand, helps avoid for several years. So I guess this aside is basically suggesting that high school kids are clueless because the Navy actually does try their best to prepare the kids. I’m sure that when I graduated high school I thought I was informed. I’m sure I think I’m informed now. I’ll look back on this and likely think that I was just as much, or more of, an idiot for suggesting what I’m suggesting.

Anyway, to continue, the enlisted side is now just considered a fallback if my officer’s package doesn’t go through. I feel like, honestly, I would be happy in whatever position in the Navy, but I’m looking to make this a career, so starting as an officer first seems more like the logical progression. November 15th is my review board which will establish my commission as either one of the following (or nothing at all!): Public Affairs Officer, Surface Warfare Officer, or Supply Officer. Obviously, I’m really trying hard to get the commission as a PAO — this is my passion. I love this stuff, and I live for doing research and planning ways to spread messages more effectively. Real nerd stuff that a communication major with lots of hands on experience gets into. I’m told, however, that this position is basically impossible to get. But basically impossible doesn’t mean impossible, so I’m still trying. Do advertising and marketing for the world’s largest Naval power? Hell yes. This whips the ass of doing something meaningless like advertising for healthcare systems. (Sorry healthcare, I know you’ve been a good source of income over the years!)

I feel like any position is fine, even Supply — that is, after all, a huge logistical nightmare to plan out and I love a challenge, but I’m hoping — no, praying — to get the PAO slot. I will do everything in my power to make the Navy’s PAO program proud. So, I guess it’s somewhat a patriotic goal, but also such a huge career goal, and it’s something I feel like I will enjoy. I get it, I’m repeating myself, but it’s honestly all I think about every day and has been since the day I joined the Navy. I won’t stop until I get this, no matter what it takes or where it takes me.

In the end though, this is just a collection of thoughts that have been mulling over in my head since the day I walked into the recruiter’s officer. I can’t wait to get a definite ship date and then to get out of Midland. Please, get me out of here.

7 July 2004

7 Jul

I’d like to thank the publishing company, www.xirtz.com for being so cool. I mean, now I will have my dream T-shirts full of my ugly vectors. Awesome. Besides that, I think Jon and I are going to be doing a lot of work in the future. Jon, as in, from VIAMedia. He showed me the editing software and I could at least talk in technical terms (although I have no idea how to use it… it’s on a Mac), I showed him my vectors and he wants to use the format for stuff on TV maybe, and then he saw my photography (apparently, I see things in a three point form) and we may go driving around so I can take a picture of him as a way of showing his more “I’m a normal guy side”.

I actually just wanted to be Maverick.

Seems things are just going my way. I’ve also made up my mind on specifically what branch of the Armed Forces I want to join: The Navy. In fact, I’ve decided my entire course through education there already… More to come on that one. But, eh, plans change. I just hope this one won’t.

Anytime I mention those plans to a girl, they say no. They say it’s bad. They say I’m selling my soul. If I was doing it for the money, maybe I would be.

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