Yeah, yeah. getting old. Should probably go and join the Geezers group. I keep meaning to, but every time I wander in, I forget why I'm there.
Good drill weekend. Spent it in Austin doing a lot of admin and stuff. More possible USMC work on the horizon. Not really what my plan was, but it looks like a cool job if it does happen.
Best part of the weekend was that I was able to promote a bunch of my Marines to Sergeant and to Corporal, including JediSped. So go give him a congratulatory kick to the thigh if you're of a mind.
It's good to see deserving Marines get to move up, and many of them long over due for it.
Taking the day off of work to relax, hang out with the roommates and Bossanova.
things are going pretty well.
Good drill weekend. Spent it in Austin doing a lot of admin and stuff. More possible USMC work on the horizon. Not really what my plan was, but it looks like a cool job if it does happen.
Best part of the weekend was that I was able to promote a bunch of my Marines to Sergeant and to Corporal, including JediSped. So go give him a congratulatory kick to the thigh if you're of a mind.
It's good to see deserving Marines get to move up, and many of them long over due for it.
Taking the day off of work to relax, hang out with the roommates and Bossanova.
things are going pretty well.
Geez. I'm not really around here as much anymore. just check in on friends and groups.
Been keeping busy at work. lots of demo work this week, which is fun, but tiring. swinging the hammer and cuttin' up sheet metal.
Drill this weekend. Be a Marine for a couple of days including a PFT (physical fitness test). Not looking forward to the three mile run. Been advised by docs to run intervals and stay away from distance running. seems to be accelerating the arthritic condition of my knees. hmph.
but it has been great weather for riding the motorcycle and spending time in the yard with the pups. Peach tree is bearing fruit and we've done lots of work on the house. Just generally been productive lately.
Been keeping busy at work. lots of demo work this week, which is fun, but tiring. swinging the hammer and cuttin' up sheet metal.
Drill this weekend. Be a Marine for a couple of days including a PFT (physical fitness test). Not looking forward to the three mile run. Been advised by docs to run intervals and stay away from distance running. seems to be accelerating the arthritic condition of my knees. hmph.
but it has been great weather for riding the motorcycle and spending time in the yard with the pups. Peach tree is bearing fruit and we've done lots of work on the house. Just generally been productive lately.
OK well it's been a while. I got back home a long time ago from New York, but I had such a great time there that I left that blog post up to smile at in the meantime.
and I'm lazy.
Just finished getting through the first batch of photos from the trip and I'll start uploading those tonight, I suppose. Keeping busy lately. Started back at my old job doing HVAC work last week. Definitely not planning on staying in it for long. Want to be back in university by the fall, but in the meantime I don't want to just sit around and burn up my deployment money. But yeah...not doing this for much longer. 2 weeks in and all the back pain that had been gone for a while is back. Lugging around equipment and manhandling 1400lb compressors into place will do that for you I suppose.
Enjoying the warmth. already had a couple of 90 degree days so far down here and great days for taking the motorcycle out.
also bought a bar for the house. We've been trying to decide what to do with the entry part of the house and it's been sitting, unfurnished, for three years now...We decided that we didn't want to do the formal type sitting room where no one ever actually sits and nick knacks accumulate dust. So we're making it into a bar. My roommate, Maria, bought a foosball table over the holidays and I had a pub table set down there. And now we have a bar. It looks nice, was inexpensive, and folds away to take up less space when we aren't getting our alcohol abuse on.
took us about an hour to put that thing together and it is SOLID. looks good in the room.
ok...now for a few travel photos!
and I'm lazy.
Just finished getting through the first batch of photos from the trip and I'll start uploading those tonight, I suppose. Keeping busy lately. Started back at my old job doing HVAC work last week. Definitely not planning on staying in it for long. Want to be back in university by the fall, but in the meantime I don't want to just sit around and burn up my deployment money. But yeah...not doing this for much longer. 2 weeks in and all the back pain that had been gone for a while is back. Lugging around equipment and manhandling 1400lb compressors into place will do that for you I suppose.
Enjoying the warmth. already had a couple of 90 degree days so far down here and great days for taking the motorcycle out.
also bought a bar for the house. We've been trying to decide what to do with the entry part of the house and it's been sitting, unfurnished, for three years now...We decided that we didn't want to do the formal type sitting room where no one ever actually sits and nick knacks accumulate dust. So we're making it into a bar. My roommate, Maria, bought a foosball table over the holidays and I had a pub table set down there. And now we have a bar. It looks nice, was inexpensive, and folds away to take up less space when we aren't getting our alcohol abuse on.
took us about an hour to put that thing together and it is SOLID. looks good in the room.
ok...now for a few travel photos!
In New York! Didn't sleep much night before the flight due to amazing thunder storms that shook the house all night. Wandered around the city f with friends and now ready for day two.
Got my eyes lasered on Wednesday. Still a fair amount of discomfort in my eyes, but my vision has cleared up amazingly. Had a follow up the day after the procedure and I had 20/30 vision in my right eye and 20/15 in my left and it's improved in my right eye noticeably since then.
I guess having bunch of glasses and prescription goggles I no longer have any use for is a good problem to have.
the day of my follow up exam my new desktop arrived in the mail too. Happy week! Haven't been doing too much with it because I'm trying to sit in front of a computer screen too much the first couple of weeks that I'm recovering from vision surgery. Just playing more Morrowind. The goal is to play through that, Oblivion and eventually Skyrim when I get that game.
I have to admit that I might have picked the computer case/chassis because it looks a bit like a Star Wars storm trooper to me:
internal bits:
specs for those who are interested
I guess having bunch of glasses and prescription goggles I no longer have any use for is a good problem to have.
the day of my follow up exam my new desktop arrived in the mail too. Happy week! Haven't been doing too much with it because I'm trying to sit in front of a computer screen too much the first couple of weeks that I'm recovering from vision surgery. Just playing more Morrowind. The goal is to play through that, Oblivion and eventually Skyrim when I get that game.
I have to admit that I might have picked the computer case/chassis because it looks a bit like a Star Wars storm trooper to me:
internal bits:
specs for those who are interested
They knew many things but had no idea why. And strangely this made them more, rather than less, certain that they were right. - Anathem
and also to look forward to: finally some travel not necessitating military orders! Heading up to NYC the last week of January to visit friends, take photos and chill out (literally and figuratively given the weather) 
Dropping a lot of the money I saved up from deployment this week. I guess it's going towards good (if not really necessary) things.
I was given a couple of computer games for Christmas that are just beyond what my laptop that I use for a desktop can handle, so I am went online and had a rig built to specs that shouldn't need to be replaced for a while. I'll probably sell the laptop to mitigate some of the cost of the new computer since I have two other laptops from the deployment, a netbook that i bought for taking overseas and a middling laptop that they gave us along the way.
the other, really big chunk, is for some elective surgery. nothing crazy! I went for my consult today, tomorrow I go for my pre-operation exam, and on Wednesday I'll be having my eyeballs lazered! Just a few more days of wearing glasses and then, hopefully, no more. A bit freaked out by the idea of having my eyes cut, slightly boiled, and zapped. It's a really quick procedure, so I'll just take a deep breath and hope it goes well.
Not too much else going on. Busting my ass trying to get all kinds of paperwork turned in and double checked for my impending promotion board to pick up Staff Sergeant. I kinda got screwed over on it last year while I was over seas, so I really need it to work out this year. Time to move upward.
That's about it. otherwise, I'm just enjoying not being back at work yet...playing Morrowind for fun...pretty soon I'll be able to play Morrowind thru Skyrim if I feel like it.
been reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Slowly taking to it. it's not an easy read.
they said they were gonna dilate my eyes for the examination. they weren't kidding! I was really tempted to croon "look deeeep into my eyes...." to the attractive lady opthamologist that was doing my exam...but I resisted.
I was given a couple of computer games for Christmas that are just beyond what my laptop that I use for a desktop can handle, so I am went online and had a rig built to specs that shouldn't need to be replaced for a while. I'll probably sell the laptop to mitigate some of the cost of the new computer since I have two other laptops from the deployment, a netbook that i bought for taking overseas and a middling laptop that they gave us along the way.
the other, really big chunk, is for some elective surgery. nothing crazy! I went for my consult today, tomorrow I go for my pre-operation exam, and on Wednesday I'll be having my eyeballs lazered! Just a few more days of wearing glasses and then, hopefully, no more. A bit freaked out by the idea of having my eyes cut, slightly boiled, and zapped. It's a really quick procedure, so I'll just take a deep breath and hope it goes well.
Not too much else going on. Busting my ass trying to get all kinds of paperwork turned in and double checked for my impending promotion board to pick up Staff Sergeant. I kinda got screwed over on it last year while I was over seas, so I really need it to work out this year. Time to move upward.
That's about it. otherwise, I'm just enjoying not being back at work yet...playing Morrowind for fun...pretty soon I'll be able to play Morrowind thru Skyrim if I feel like it.
been reading Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Slowly taking to it. it's not an easy read.
they said they were gonna dilate my eyes for the examination. they weren't kidding! I was really tempted to croon "look deeeep into my eyes...." to the attractive lady opthamologist that was doing my exam...but I resisted.
Gonna be in recovery most of the day. Must rest and hydrate.
Hope everyone had a fantastic New Year's Eve and made it home safe and sound to their bed...or someone's at least.
May this next trip 'round the sun be full of good health, adventure and fun, and love for all of us.
Hope everyone had a fantastic New Year's Eve and made it home safe and sound to their bed...or someone's at least.
May this next trip 'round the sun be full of good health, adventure and fun, and love for all of us.
Ok. update time. Haven't been up to too much. Enjoying lazing about the house with the dogs as much as I can. Doing a lot on the computer. Enjoying the hunt for gifts for friends and family. So far, I've managed to find everything that I wanted to get people online, which is really nice. Amazon and Etsy sellers made a fair amount off of me, but coming home from the deployment I had a little extra money to spend on people that I care about.
sooo. Photos!
Finished up the Toys for Tots season a little while back with an event at a vineyard and winery that holds a half marathon on their property each December:
one of my fellow Marines standing around with the toy collection boxes. He and I had the job of standing around in dress uniform and collecting toys from the runners and thanking everyone for showing up.
Our guys hanging out after the event. The younger Marine on the right ran in the event and won the half marathon. He's a ridiculous long distance runner.
the roommates working on decorating the tree with the help of the pups!
one of my projects to keep me sane the last week or so has been festivising the house for the holidays, putting up lights and such. it's been a good distraction.
my roommates also through their annual holiday party for friends they made back when Lu was working at a karaoke bar. they all stay in touch and get together a few times each year to party and make fun of each other. and sing. lots of singing.
one roommate with her ever-present boingy hat.
while the other roomie runs the karaoke
just a few more days and the Christmas madness will be over...then just New Year's madness.
and it looks like I'll be heading to NYC for at least a few days at the end of January to catch up with good friends and adventure I bit before I go back to work.
Hope all is well with everyone, however you do or don't celebrate the holidays. Stay warm out there.
sooo. Photos!
Finished up the Toys for Tots season a little while back with an event at a vineyard and winery that holds a half marathon on their property each December:
one of my fellow Marines standing around with the toy collection boxes. He and I had the job of standing around in dress uniform and collecting toys from the runners and thanking everyone for showing up.
Our guys hanging out after the event. The younger Marine on the right ran in the event and won the half marathon. He's a ridiculous long distance runner.
the roommates working on decorating the tree with the help of the pups!
one of my projects to keep me sane the last week or so has been festivising the house for the holidays, putting up lights and such. it's been a good distraction.
my roommates also through their annual holiday party for friends they made back when Lu was working at a karaoke bar. they all stay in touch and get together a few times each year to party and make fun of each other. and sing. lots of singing.
one roommate with her ever-present boingy hat.
while the other roomie runs the karaoke
just a few more days and the Christmas madness will be over...then just New Year's madness.
and it looks like I'll be heading to NYC for at least a few days at the end of January to catch up with good friends and adventure I bit before I go back to work.
Hope all is well with everyone, however you do or don't celebrate the holidays. Stay warm out there.
it is becoming clear that I am not so used to sitting around the house doing nothing. Left on my own today I worked out a couple of time for lack of something to do, cleaned up the house, and cooked a 4 pound brisket with roasted red potatoes in an au jus gravy and some vegetables..asparagus, corn, and carrots.
My roommates are starting to refer to me as their "trophy wife". At least they can't get me pregnant?
it is really nice to have use of my own kitchen again though.
My roommates are starting to refer to me as their "trophy wife". At least they can't get me pregnant?
it is really nice to have use of my own kitchen again though.
Last day of active duty completed yesterday! Got home after a bone-chilling ride down from Austin. Turns out 40 degrees, drizzle, and 20mph winds do not make for a fun ride. Remedyed the chill with three bean and bacon soup with fresh chopped onion and cilantro. Then some coffee. Then a nap on my new bed...after I checked it for mouse traps and shockey traps my roommates might have hidden in the sheets.
So GOOD to be home.
Slept great last night. Bed is firmer than most memory foam types. Woke up a bit stiff but without much of the pain I usually do. Improvement!
Now looking forward to a month or so of "aint doin' shit!". Just spending time with friends and family, probably spending too much of my deployment money, and figuring out which direction to hop in next.
Back to work..maybe..in late January and then more training with USMC in Belize in the summer.
So GOOD to be home.
Slept great last night. Bed is firmer than most memory foam types. Woke up a bit stiff but without much of the pain I usually do. Improvement!
Now looking forward to a month or so of "aint doin' shit!". Just spending time with friends and family, probably spending too much of my deployment money, and figuring out which direction to hop in next.
Back to work..maybe..in late January and then more training with USMC in Belize in the summer.
