Patrick Swayze is hitting another guy!

Hello everyone, and welcome back! For all you first timers, get ready for the life and times of a Sconnie Sailor and his experiences in the land of the rising sun. As a disclaimer I am the worst proof-reader I know, and that's one more reason why a girlfriend would be nice, but those are hard to come by these days. Featured up above are four sailors at a Japanese resteraunt. The fellow in the white is Ice, and we were here for him because of two reasons. The first being a)celebrating his house-warming party and b) it was his 24th birthday. For one reason or another I was the only one not to drink this night. Hope that makes Mom proud.

As an additional side bar, I'll give you an update on my top 25 itunes playlist. Why? Because this is my blog, and because I can. Who knows, someone out there may want to know what I'm listening to to these days:

1. First Time/Lifehouse played 59
2. Hold Me Up/Live played 56
3. Closer to the Heart/Rush played 50
4. Stolen/Dashboard Confessional played 49
5. Big Casino/Jimmy Eat World played 49
6. Everything/Lifehouse played 49
7. Shake It/Metro Station playe 47
8. Lasting Impressions/Starting Line played 46
9. Life in Technicolor/Coldplay played 43
10. Let it Happen/Jimmy Eat World played 41
11. You and Me/Lifehouse played 40
12. Por ti Vorlae/Andrea Bocelli played 39
13. Wonderwall/Ryan Adams played 37
14. I'm Yours/Jason Mraz played 36
15. Emo Song/Starting Line played 36
16. Shattered/OAR played 35
17. Wonderwall/Oasis played 35
18. Come on Get Higher/Matt Nathonson played 34
19. Work/Jimmy Eat World played 32
20. Fix You/Coldplay played 31
21. Lucky/Jason Mraz played 31
22. The Adventure-Final/Angels and Airwaves played 28
23. King Without a Crown (Live)/Matisyahu played 28
24. Rooftops/Lostprophets played 27
25. Viva la Vida/Coldplay played 26

There you have it folks. That is what I'm listening to more than anything. Really I'm not sure why I did that, I certainly have enough to discuss, but in case you are looking for something to download that I would indirectly reccomend. Each song tells a different story as I suppose most do for people, and since this blog is all about telling my story I figure it is fitting.

I only worked for two days in the pharmacy this week. Wednesday through Friday I was in navy PRIDE class. When I arrived I realized it was a class to strength communication and leadership for junior sailors. I found it to be interesting and helpful. Plus it got me out of work so I won't complain there. Life petty officer indoc and initial command indoc this class was great for networking. I now have a couple of people from the ships who are ported here, and there was an EOD in the class as well. Needless to say that he and I had some great conversations. There really isn't much to elaborate on this class though I fear.

Also, on Friday was my Career Development Board. My Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEL, or the CMC of the command), my LPO (HM1 Martinez), another chief (my LCPO had something to attend to so this chief stood in his stead), and my work center supervisor (HM2 Dinh). I thought the board was a success and failure. A success because I mentioned a lot of stuff to the command that is on my agenda. I told them many of my goals, thoughts on the command, and projected I planned to take. It was a failure I felt because I came in a little unprepared and I felt what I thought was more important fell on deaf ears.

For example in the success category, I told them I wanted to complete my associates degree. I know I have enough credits to get one with my earned credits as a civilian and all my training command classes. The problem is that I did not tell them was I wasn't happy with the degrees offered to me from schools that would give an associates without any residency class requirements. For the immediate future it looks good, yes, to say I have a degree. It gives me extra points for sailor of the year boards, evaluations, and added points for the advancement exam. It is bad to accept one of these degrees in the long run because it could be worthless to me for future career plans as a civilian. At the end of the conversation, I need to go back to the navy college office by the end of the week and figure out what is the cheapest and fastest way to earn an associates degree. Also, as I talked about in an earlier blog, the fee is outstanding to get a degree without taking residency classes.

I thought the board was a failure for two reasons primarily. For one I walked into the board room under prepared. Instead of giving them a most updated goal sheet, I gave them my goal sheet that I wrote when I first got the command in early May. It has since been outdated, and needed revision. Knowing what I know now, I really don't need to learn "Bella's Lullabye" on the piano. I got some really weird looks. I also wrote that I wanted to read a little every day and write a letter at least once a week. Those standing in front of me obviously didn't care about personal goals, and I suppose they shouldn't since this was a career board. Secondly, what really chapped my behind the most was when I told them I didn't like my job as a pharmacy tech and how I was thinking about cross-rating to special warfare. They seemed to totally ignore me on this. At least I brought it up to them and it is now documented, and my chain of command now officially knows.

Speaking of college classes though. I've done my homework, and I know what I want to take. All together there are 5 classes and a lab. The nice thing is the classes are split between different dates. The first set of classes start on 31 August and end 8 November. Then I'll be taking Intro to Sociology and Intro to Psycology. The next set of classes start 9 November and end 24 January. Then I'll be taking Intro to computer-based systems, Contemporary moral issues, concepts of biology, and the concepts of biology lab (which is only 1 credit, but need to take with the class). All together is 16 credits for my first semester back, and they are all needed for my political science major. It will be an interesting conversation with my LPO to be allowed to take this many classes. Needless to say I will be plenty busy. This is on top of volunteering coaching throughout the year, PT-ing in the mornings, and keeping up on my required courses for corpsmen stuff.

As I told the board, I have nothing better to do than to apply myself. I have no family here, no wife, no kids, nobody to worry about with myself except numero uno. I also told the board because of this I would be the first to volunteer for an IA (individual augmentee) deployment. Heck, if I'm going to be in Japan, I'm going to keep as busy as I can to keep my mind off of the things that are bothering me in the states.

We had a swim meet on Friday. Only one more meet the 7th of August, and the season is over. Unlike Seymour, I will be happy the season is over. Too many of these kids should still be in swim lessons or we need to practice more than two days a week. Next up is I believe soccer or football, or both. Either way I plan to continuously volunteer coaching while I'm here. It's great to write down for boards and brag sheets, and as much as I complain about it, it is fulfilling to give back.

So I rented "Roadhouse" which is what my post title is suggesting. I've heard a lot about it, and heard more than one Patrick Swayze joke (even before his pancreas issues arose). I was curious. Though I thought it was entertaining, I did feel it got too ridiculous towards the end. I also rented "Pan's Labyrinth." It was nominated for about a million awards, but only walked out with 3. To expand on that, I tried watching it once in college, but everytime I popped it in it was late in the night and I could never finish it. Also went to go see "The Hangover" for a second time, and it was funnier this time around than the first!

This weekend I spent WAY too much time on facebook. I was really digging deep when I found my oldest/first bestfriend, Gavin. He looks like he is doing okay. I also added Butler. I remember him as being really tall for the class, but nowadays he appeared to have stopped growing around 6th grade. He isn't very tall anymore. That isn't the only people who I added, but the highlights. I also sent a message to this cat naned Travis Nickel. In my message I told him that all I remember about him was he was idolized because he could throw a football really far at recess. He was cool with that. It's weird how a lot of skinny people from back in the day are now fat and a lot of fat people are now skinny. Oh, I convinced a good friend from VA, Tamara, to get a facebook. We instant messaged each other way too late into the night last night. She is in Okinowa right now with her little boy, Ezra. We had a great talk just catching up and talking how old friends do.

Not much on tap for the rest of the week. I have to knock out some navy college stuff, but that is pretty much the highlight of my week. I will have been at the command for 90 days tomorrow, and I have jumped through all the hoops to get a overnight liberty blue card. Add payday on Friday, and you'll have a recipe for a good weekend! Translation, I'll be in the barracks watching movies and sitting on facebook. I jest, but seriously. No, the other swim coach, Kris, the diver, wants to hang out now that I don't have to worry about curfew. He also suggested that at the end of the season we split a bottle of something to celebrate. Him and I are getting a long very well, and that is fine with me.

One last shout-out because I said I would. At dinner on Friday night, or Ice's celebratory parties, I bought him some shots. This is one reason why I'm not telling anyone my birthday just because I don't want to take these shots. A Japanese shot is essentially in a tumbler, and it's 3 fingers high of straight booze. The first shot was of brandy (my nod to the motherland) and the second not more than 5 minutes later was of whiskey. That one took him a little longer to put down. Maybe 20 minutes later I could tell that he was starting to feel it, and this is why: a) his volume control was out of control. Remember that I wasn't drinking. b) we were talking about Japan's self-defense department, and America is still here because (my quote) "we won the war and we can be." Then without missing a beat Ice turns to his girlfriend, a Japanese national, points to her and yells, "yeah! we fucking kicked the shit out of you!" If anyone else could understand English they were looking at us with their jaws dropped. That was time to ask for the check and head back to base.

Morale is high and future looks bright. Time is flying by which is better than the alternative I feel.

Dorthy Mantooth is a saint!

On a lighter note, this picture is a blast from the past. It was taken my first year at UWGB when I was still swimming, and at one of the apex's of personal fitness (as you can tell, maybe). We were in Sarasota, Florida on the annual winter training trip. The guy in the picture with me is Dan, the self-proclaimed "meaniest person in the world." A little side-bar, I doubt I have ran into a more natural fit, well rounded, disciplined, athlete as him. Brad from high school is also on this list, but that is another story for a different time. Anyways, I think he threw wet sand at me, and I tried to chase him down the beach, but he eluded me. The picture was my reaction of how I felt. It was edited by a Seymour club swimmer, and thought it was cute/funny enough to post.

The title is the post is a reference to the mini-war going on between my current roommate. There is a dry-erase board outside of our room in the barracks, and we have a runny competition of who can make the best insults. The other day he said something about my mother, and that was my rebuttal. For those of you who do not know who "Dorthy Mantooth" is, she is the mother of Vince Vaughn's character in the movie "Anchor Man." At the end of the story, the picture and post title is a nod at 3 or 4 people.

Jeepers, the motherland is falling apart! My boy Aaron asked me to call him for something urgent. When I did, he told me his brother was busted big time (again) for drug-related issues. I think he was selling or something. Either way he was pretty tore up about it. Brokeback is a traditionalist like myself and very family oriented. We both share the desire to get our little brothers out of the "slump" they're in, but feel helpless to do so since the predictament they're in rest solely on their own shoulders. I think my own brother is on the way back up. He is living back home, got his haircut, shaved his beard, and has job interviews. Whether he likes it or not, acting like a responsible adult should lead him in the right direction of maturing.

The other depressing news I heard is my other friend, Joel. Now Joel holds a special place in my heart since he is labeled as my first "drinking partner." LOL, there were some nights at GB we got into some real mischief. For example we called one of our professor's office at 3am asking him some stupid question about some random paper that was due months down the road. Well, we ended up calling the wrong professor, in fact the department head of my intended major. The next day I'm in class (hung-over), and my professor asks me if I had a good night. It was awkward, but funny. Back to Joel, I shot him my first email since being over here. I've recenty been thinking about him, and felt guilty I haven't kept in better touch. He wrote back telling me that he broke up with his fiance last night, but the plot thickens. There was a domestic dispute, and story ends with her placed under arrest and spending the night in Brown County Jail. I'm the first person to admit I suck at empathy. After hearing all this bad news I just don't know what to say except to play Devil's advocate and arguing with them and saying something to the affect of they're a girl.

No lie, this post is taking way too long to complete, but I'm so easily side-tracked. I have friends skyping me, I drift away in facebookland, or I have to do this that or the other. I started this post at 1:00pm and it is not 9:10pm. UGH.

As most people know, I'm a planner, a traditionalist, a loyalist, a hopeless romantic, the list goes on. One thing I like is the ability to fall into a routine. Sundays have pretty much been the same since coming to Japan. A couple things have to happen. First, I get a haircut. Second I post a blog. Third is I wash my sheets. Fourth, I always think I'm going to get a chance to do some writing (but traditionally never really do). I clean the barracks with my roommate, and I always shower at night because of my clean sheets. I never shave on the weekends. I like to polish my shoes and/or my boots, and get an iron on the uniform. This is every Sunday. That brings comfort to me. Last of all, throughout the whole day I'm mentally scheduling my week especially what I'm doing out of working hours. Rarely do I write things down, except if I'm making a list of things to buy. It's a nasty habit of mine to forget to buy things, but I'm pretty good at not buying things that were never on the list. Excuse that double negative.

Moving on to more interesting issues. This past Thursday I was on duty. My leading chief petty officer (LCPO) was the chief of the day (COD) strangely enough. My leading petty officer (LPO, remember how the military is all about following a chain of command) had to talk to LCPO (Chief Bennett) about some stuff, and volunteered to ask him a favor for me since she was going to already be talking to him. My issue had to do with being excused to go to the navy college office and sit on a presentation regarding financial aid and the new GI Bill. The point is in this story the chain of command is directly to the COD, and not an issue to the LCPO. Tracking so far? So I had to go up to his office and talk to my chief behind a closed door. Chief petty officers are the coolest, most badass job in the navy I think, and I'm easiliy intimidated by the anchor (their insigna). I'll call an officer by their first name if I can, but a chief will ALWAYS be addressed as chief. So I'm up there asking for this simple favor and I'm visibly nervous. He asked my why I was nervous and I told him because I respected his rank so much, and yada yada. What we talked about next is the real reason why I'm telling this story.

Chief Bennett heard through the grapevine that I'm lacking focus at my job. That I seemingly want to do everything except excel as a pharmacy technician. How my goals are to make sailor of the year, go back to college, concentrate on coaching, etc. He told me to work on being a better pharmacy tech and the rest will take care of itself. That is the thing though. At my career development board later this week or early next week I'm going to tell them that not only is the NEC of pharmacy tech isn't for me, but I'm having doubts that being a corpsmen at all is in question. The medical field is something I have decided is something I will not pursue once I separate from the navy. This said, I see my life as put on hold while I'm serving my time in the navy. It kills me, I wish that wasn't the case, how I could embrace what I'm doing and just roll with the punches. The time spent in the navy is precious, and I want to be able to say I've done things I'll never able get to do ever again. At my board I will tell them at the earliest convience I'm interested in joining navy special warfare. Right now I'm looking at EOD and diving. The officer I PT with, Dr. Margraf, a former army ranger, has his jump school air wings. I asked him what jumping out of airplanes is like, and he told me go find out for myself. That was so badass. As long as I've been in the navy I've been captivated by special warfare, and it has always interested me except I never felt able because of the physical demands. With morning PT going so well, and I am noticing changes, the doors of opportunity are opening real wide for me again. I need to add about 10 more pull-ups to my count already, and knock off about 1:30 in my mile and a half time, and I'm at qualifying scores. I have the intelligence to do it. The only things holding me back is my contract obligation to serve as a pharmacy tech since the navy paid for my 'c' school to learn the job. I'm thinking about getting PT about 20 minutes earlier to workout just that much more.

Went and saw Pubic Enemies tonight. It's that new Johnny Depp movie about John Dillinger. Pretty good, but I didn't like the cinematography. I also watched the Legend of Bagger Vance last night. Not my favorite sports movie, but I do like Robert Redford directed movies. It's essentially about a golfer with PTSD. I also rented Bobby, and I'll watch it when I'm done here shining my boots.

This week I'll be going to navy PRIDE class. It's an alcohol awareness class and course to help instill pride in serving with the navy. Whatever, I need it to obtain my overnight liberty card.

We had a swim meet on Friday. Within the last 36 hours before the meet started, we had 4 kids drop-out of the meet for one reason or another. That really jagged the line-up. Kris and I were pulling our hair out and a little embarrassed at the turn-out, but that's just the way she goes. He and I are starting to think we put more stock into this than is really necessary. It's hard to be motivated when those above us seemingly aren't on the same page. At least in Seymour we had an athletic director who was gung-ho supportive. We were told that the swim team from a neighboring base wants to come down and compete in September. The thing is they swim year round. We currently just swim 2 days a week for 1 1/2 hours a day. This isn't enough time in the pool to be competitive. We a) need to be swimming at least 4 days a week for 2 hours a day and b) have to send out invitations to join this special team for the meet because frankly, a lot of my kids aren't ready to swim at the needed level to be that competitive. I refuse to be embarrassed in front of another base team with kids who should still be in swim lessons.

Speaking of Kris, things are going great. He has never seen the new Terminator movie, so I went with him. Afterwards we sat outside in the parking lot for an extra hour just talking about this and that. It was pretty cool. And to think at one time I was hesitant about having another coach assigned to me who I never met before. Did I mention before I was in the same boot camp class with his younger brother? Small navy. Kris is a huge assest to the team, and a liasion to meeting new people. I look forward to getting my overnight liberty card so I can go out and party with him without worrying about being back on base before midnight. We also frequently talk on MSN Messenger too talking about this and that. We get along great, and he reminds me a lot of people who I like to be with, primarily John in VA. Someone who I can just shoot the shit with and neither one of us running out of stories. It's awesome.

I'm on a tight budget, but things are going well and according to plan. Morale is high and I like the way things are going. One of the best parts of my week is being able to catch my mother on her way to work. I used to that in VA, and it's our little time together. Wish they were on skype more when I'm around, but that's just the way she goes. Oh, if you are planning on changing your address, please let me know. A letter takes 10 days to get to the midwest, and the worst thing is to find out you've moved on facebook the day after I sent you a letter. This only chaps my ass and suggests that you never wanted me to know you were moving in the first place. Then again, I'm not a mind reader.

Almost forgot a title I was so excited to start writing

This post is a shout-out to the guy who is in the picture with me, Joe Laughlin. I just heard earlier this week that he is leaving in October to continue on with his naval career. His orders are up and time to move onto the next command. Rumor has it he'll be going to FMSS (Field Medicine Service School) and learn field medicine so he can go run around with the marines. It's what he wants, and I give him props though it's not what I'd want to do. Out of FMSS I'm not sure where he is going to do. He wants to hit up a 'C' school like what I did, but not pharmacy. What is the motto we give to departing shipmates, Far skies and following seas? Laughlin will be missed, but that's just the way she goes in this business.

That brings me to an interesting sidebar. It's hard to have "best friends" in the navy since we are always moving on and doing other things. At least in college for the most part nobody is going anywhere for at least 4 years which in my opinion is certainly enough time to build a solid enough foundation for everlasting friendships. Maybe that'll change when I've been to a command for more than 6 months, but as of right now, that's just the way she goes. Don't worry boys, I don't need to be telling you all who is still my number one(s).

Interesting week to say the least. First of all I took a phone call from a lady who will be going on leave to Manitowoc, WI. She was fearful of the hayfever will really get to her, as if the motherland has worse allergies than Japan. Either way it was cool that in a way I found one of my own people here who understood my accent and didn't jest about it. That by the way is something Laughlin's West Virginian ass was very good at.

I got a lot done this week I felt, and I really set myself for the next month for sure. To begin with I strolled into the Navy College Office as I promised myself I would. Classes start in about a month, and I wanted to really give myself enough time to get my ducks in a row with getting all the paper work squared away. That's one thing about the navy, give yourself enough time for the paper work to go through. Anyways, I found out that with my civilian credits and credits earned at my slew of training commands that I have already earned my associates degree. That sounds pretty exciting right? I mean, I now am entitled to a piece of paper that says I know something a level higher than my high school diploma. The truth is though I won't actually be getting my associates, not from Excelsior College anyway. It is the only school that will give me a degree without a residency status, but the "graduation fee" is to the tune of $495. To me right now that is not worth it.

Instead I have chosen to go through University of Maryland University College. They have an office on base with a representative which communication much easier and less of a headache. Today I'm thinking I'm going to complete the Legal Studies Associates degree, minor in history for the undergrad, and major in political science. Down the road this same college has Public Administration as a master's program. Seems to me I'm finally mapping out the rest of my education. That makes me happy. Though I don't know right now just how many credits shy I am from finishing my undergrad with my already earned credits I will guess it is to the tune of 30-ish. My estimating brings me to right about the time I leave this command, and I will have my undergrad, and finally I won't feel like such a let failure. It's funny that my education is one of the most important tools to measure my success especially myself I compare myself to my friends. I mean, two of my best friends are registered nurses, one is a computer science major, Neuman is finishing his double major at GB still, Amy and Beyja is at grad school, Dearest is going to grad school, Carlee is at grad school to be a vet, and then there is me the college drop-out.

The other day after watch the watch billet coordinator asked me my thoughts on taking the EMT course. Of course I want to jump at that opportunity. Just one more qualification, right? It's a lot of responsibility, but I won't have to pull the 0300-0600 watch anymore, and I get a full night's sleep. I get to ride in the front of the ambulance on the way to chow instead of the back (it's the little things that matters) too. The course is 3 weeks long, and I have to submit a chit to my chain of command asking for permission. Just asking my department head he thought there shouldn't be a problem, but my LPO had a grimmace on her face when I brought it up. It would stretch the pharmacy a little thin, but it's in the name of helping the command as a whole if I successfully complete the course. The catch 22 is I haven't yet been at the command for 90 days and this is a class they generally like to give to sailors who have been around for a while becuase it is such a for lack of better word "prestigous" position. Time will tell on this one.

Also, I'm very close to completing everything I need to earn my overnight liberty card aka blue card. I need to take one 4 day class called Navy PRIDE. It is a class that talks about the dangers of drinking and taking pride in serving in the navy. Not a big deal, right? Well, with going out on the limb of asking off for 3 weeks to do the EMT class about a year ahead of schedule, I feel that requesting an extra 4 days on top of that is really pushing my luck. This class wouldn't be for the clinic though, but only my own selfish reasons. I need a blue card to be eligble to move out in town, and not worry about being back on base before midnight.

Since moving out in town was brought up, I can expand on that. I found out that I will be officially be paid as an e4 on Sept 16th which means it'll start showing up on my paystub the 1st of October. With everything going on, I might hold off until then assuming I don't get a roommate before that. I'm very close to paying off my laptop and I can really get cracking on paying off my private college loan (the federal loan is being taken care of in 3 annual payments with the loan repayment program). Also, I took out a private loan to pay off my Wells Fargo and UW Credit Union credit cards so I can centralize those payments with Navy Federal Credit Union. I could wait to take the Navy PRIDE class, but I just want to knock that out before my 90 days at the command is up. Not worrying about a curfew as a 21 year old petty officer would be nice.

As mentioned above, I went on the field trip needed to complete my blue card check off. Because it's summer I thought it would only be appropriate if I went to a baseball game. Let's not forget

it was Japan who won the World Baseball Classic. Needless to say, they take their baseball pretty seriously pretty seriously. All games are played in domes, and the teams are named after its sponsors rather than in America where teams are named after their home city or state. The place was packed, and I was reminded I was in Japan to the cramped seating. Prices for beer were fair ($6.50/16oz glass) and the beer was dispensed out of a CO2 tap. The picture of what I mean is on facebook. Though our team lost big time, the fans are nuts. Really cool experience.

Also this week, today actually I swam in my first swim meet since my days at Green Bay. The pool was short course meters (25 meter lenth pool), and the meet was an invite to the Japanese community club swim teams. As a swim coach for the MWR swimming program, I was invited to swim along with the other swim coach, Kris. Well, Kris is a navy diver I remind you, and he swam for the Bahama national swim team as a civilian, so he was a little more in shape than I was, but it either way we dominated most of the races. I took second in the 50m freestyle (27.3), and 3rd in the 50m butterfly (32. 0). We also were part of the 2nd placing 100 IM relay. The meet was totally legit, we earned medals and everything! Unfortunately, I forgot to put the charging battery back in my camera for the meet, so I don't have any personal pictures, but I will try to hunt a couple down from the meet. It just felt good to be back competing in the pool, but I still wouldn't trade it to coach full time.

Went and saw the new Transformers sequel. All I can say is slow motion + Megan Fox = saved the movie. I will not call this movie intelligent, thought out, but the suits got in a room and knocked out the fastests way to make the most money. No, I will not be seeing this movie again and it would be very hard to recommend seeing it. Go see it if you want to join in the conversation around the water cooler, but be prepared to be let down if you compare it to the first Transformers.

The picture above are a couple taken when I took the tour of the USS New Orleans. It is an amphibious ship that carries marines to here and there. In this case they were coming back from a 10 month deployment in Iraq. I couldn't get over just how big the ship was! Honestly it was my first time being on one which is sad since I am in the navy and all. I have a rule, and I don't care who disagrees with me, but marines are dumb. As a corpsmen it can kept as a golden rule that one is. Anyways, there was a table marines had to sign out at to leave ship and go ashore to go on liberty. On the table was a bucket full of lifestyle condoms to be passed out. Marines are dumb. Check out the facebook pics.

That's about it for now I think. I called Max this weekend and I asked him if he read the blog and said he didn't because "it was too long." 10 year old kids, I'll tell you. Our camoflouge uniform is now totally authorized to wear on days we have duty which is awesome, they look really sharp. Garcia and I are the only two cats at the command who have them so we get some interesting looks. I just tell people here that'll they'll get the same looks when they get back to states looking like prisoners in the current utility uniform. Morale is back on high and I'm coasting. Time is flying and I'm back to being awesome. I got my new haircut (once a week), PT is tomorrow morning, and I rented the movie "Fanboys" to watch while I'm shining my boots. Yeah, life is back to being good. I'll get to telling my idea for my new story in a later blog, just remind me about it.

What do I hate more, calculation(s) or wasabi?

Where to begin with this post? I feel like there is so much to touch on, but as I get writing, more and more will slip my mind. What I should do is keep notes as they come to my mind throughout the week. Witty one-liners or subject topics worthy to discuss on here.



Before all of the happens I want to bring up a comment to the post made last week. It was anonymous regarding my thoughts on the MCPON and his entourage. The comment was to the effect that the MCPON only has one photographer with him. This is different from my observation that there were many bodies all around him. What I do know is there was more than one person getting out of the van he was in, and more than just the photographer I have never seen before. To me, that makes everyone with MCPON part of his entourage.



After 6 months at a 'C' school to learn the pharmacy technician job, I realized just how much I didn't learn. I feel like they drive us through that school like cattle just so they can fill quotas. What really leads me to think this is when it comes to calculating correct dosages for infants. Because this is my blog I can pick and choose the less flattering situations I am dealing with, but this is important since this calculations deal is possibly a big reason why I working in the pharmacy stinks right now. Yes, I passed the math tests in school, but for some reason I'm really struggling now. Maybe it's because the way the information is presented to me, and I need it broken down Barney-style for me again to refresh, but I'm getting very frustrated. One day I forgot my camera at the pharmacy, and the pharmacist took this picture. On one hand it is funny because he is either Chinese or Vietamese (I can't really remember, but I think Chinese), and some of the things he says is a little funny. Case in point is the picture; even when writing he forgets to say his "s's." Also his "H" is way jacked up and I at times don't know what he is saying. The other hand though it is a little embarrassing. I'm supposed to be a certified pharmacy technician/3rd class petty officer, and I have the pharmacist, a commisioned officer, making comments about my deficiencies. Translation, I look like a real asshole. It does look like I lost some weight though in my military id though...





As for the other half of the title. I went to my first sushi bar yesterday. In Green Bay I liked going to the sushi place, but it was more upscale and rather pricey. Andy and went there before

big swim meets. In Japan I found out things are a little different. Seafood is SO readily available, but hence cheap. We walk into this place, Laughlin, Garcia, and myself, and it's almost like a buffet! Little plates of sushi are on a conveyor belt like the picture above. We sit at the bar and pick what we want to eat. There are 3 different colored plates which represent different prices. The cheapest plate is $1.10 and most expensive was $2.20 per plate. Tea and water is provided for free, but you are free to order a coke or beer if you want. It was strange, but cool at the same time. Maybe that's what Japanese people think of burger joints in the states since beef is so limited here. One thing though that I don't like about sushi is the wasabi that they put on the meat! I'm not a fan of hot foods and wasabi is horseradish on steroids. I probably looked like a real idiot trying to wipe as much of it off my sushi as I could, but I didn't care. I'm thinking about mailing some wasabi seeds to my old man. They eat them like peanuts around here; I'll pass on that.

My first 4th of July was uneventful. I spent most of my morning sleeping since I had watch the night before. Thankfully there were no calls on the eve of America's birthday. I got up and lounged around being lazy till I decided it was time to do something. We went to the soccer field on base where there were tents of games and food with a live band playing. It was cool. Funny story, I went to the beer tent to get a beer where I turned around and the commanding officer of the base is behind me with his two kids who I happen to coach. Though it was little awkward it was liberating since I am now legally able to drink at such functions. Because I am a coach and many of the kids were there, I really had to limit myself to how often I was at the beer tent though.

Speaking of swimming, things are going fine. We have our second meet on this Friday, supposedly. There are basketball camps going on at the same time, and swimming takes a back seat to the more "popular" sport meaning our meet might be moved to a different date. Though I'm not happy about being jagged around, I was told by the MWR athletic director that if I volunteer 2 sports a year for 2 1/2 years they will put in a letter for me to get my outstanding volunteer ribbon. I'm thinking I'll try to push if I volunteer for 3 sports a year, they put in the letter before I leave this command, which would make me really happy.

I can't really tell you how the fireworks here were. I was busy grinding it out playing poker. There is one guy who has beat me the last couple of times we've played, and it was my goal to finally best him. I fell a little short and we ended up cutting it short and I only lost $5 of the $40 I played with. He is beatable though, and I look forward nixing him next time we sit down. I just need to watch Rounders one more time. Thank you John for teaching me how to grind it out on my leather ass and busting him all night. John being my roommate in Virginia and during March madness all we would do is play heads-up poker during the games.

Maybe the brightest part of my week, I recieved a letter from Minnesota. It was my first since being here. I'm going to compare it to the US Constitution. It was full of promising words and important to me, but it also left possibly more questions than answers. Which leads me to my next complex, I truly don't know what I want anymore. I think I want this or that, but then something else comes along and I lean towards that. This isn't just reserved to relationships (though I am certain there is nothing here I'm interested in especially when I get possibly promising letters like the one I got), but this also means I don't know when it comes to my career. This is something I'm starting to get very frustrated with. In previous letters and conversations with people I used to gloat about how great the navy is with how there are so many avenues to travel down, and all I would do is pick one. The truth is the navy is a security net for me at the moment. I'm treading water, and that isn't what I imagined.

For the record, the movie Revolutionary Road sucked, and don't wasted your time. No, I have yet to see Transformers, and I'm excited for when it comes to the onbase theater.

Next month I should be allowed to move off base. There are stipulations though, or prequistites I must do before I'm allowed to do so. For starters I have to be at the command for at least 90 days. That will happen on July 27th. Second, I need to earn my off-base/overnight liberty card. There is a rubric of things I need to do in it, and among them is complete an MWR field-trip. There are 3 options I'm interested in for July. The first being a baseball game in Fukuoka on the 11th ($35), a tour of a cave on the 18th ($35), or a day tour of Nagasaki on the 25th ($15). A third requirement is gaining another watch-standing qualification. Later in the month there is a 3 day course on learning how to become the ambulance driver. Once those things are signed off for, taken the housing class, and had all the paper work routed through, I'll be allowed to look for a home off-base. The navy will pay for housing, a stipen for utilities, my cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA aka overseas pay) will then double. Essentially I'll be paid twice as much with half as many rules compared to living in the barracks. Hopefully I'll find something closer to base so I wouldn't have to buy a car (I have already earned a Japanese civilian driver's liscense).

This week I should be stopping into the Navy College Office to look into enrolling into courses. I want them to take a closer look into my earned credits as a civilian and navy schools and see what can be done for me. I could already have enough credits for an associates, but some courses might be juggled around. I'll let you know when I know.

I've already decided that whenever I get back to the states, I'm going to print, edit, and make my overseas blogs into a miniture book, much like what I did with boot camp. This is my story overseas, and I might want to look at this someday or share it with others. I'm such a whore for history.

When I started this entry I was feeling pretty down and cruddy, but writing this has lifted up my spirits some. Morale is still up but running a baseline.

Grumblegrumble

I think I have grooved into the habit to making one post a week, lest of course something comes up that renders a special blog. Of course such an occurrence will arise when deserving, but as for now, let's just roll with what I just said in the above statement. What we are looking at are Andy Bauer and myself when I was coaching in Seymour. The picture was taken at JV Conference which we both look clueless, but we all know that was never the case (cough, cough). Sadly I don't have any pictures yet of my latest coaching stint, but if you bare with me I'm sure some will pop from the woodwork eventually. I just like this picture cause that was a very special/important time in my life, coaching Seymour. I'm grateful I was able to share it with such a good friend in Andy, but also, it taught me a lot about myself. This is a gig I want to continue.

We can certainly talk about my new job as a coach. I'm officially the Head Coach for the MWR Main Base swim team. There are two teams at the command. Every other week we have a meet with only that team. This is all volunteering mind you, and with that comes some drawbacks. For starters we only practice 2 days a week. This is good for my work schedule, but a killer to maximize improvment and success potential. For two, the kids are young, and very inexperienced. Complex sets and times are non-existant as I'm trying to teach kids how to start without belly-flopping and flip-turning without rolling over on their sides. As a pharmacy technician for the base, I know what drugs the kids are on, and Ritalin is very common which shows when I'm trying to explain the next drill. I've talked about it more than once, but the commanding officer's kids' are on the team, and a master chief has some kids on the team too. This can be political pressure though they may say it doesn't/shouldn't ,but it does.

One thing though I really like about the swim team is the other coach assigned to me. His name is Kristoph Carey, and he is the leading example that it is a small navy since I served in the same boot camp division as his younger brother. He is from the Bahamas and he has a very credited swimming past. He has swam for the Bahama nation team, swam at the Pan-Am games, Olympic trials (for the Bahamas), and swam at the college level. He and I willingly get stuck talking about swimming and almost anything. So far he is pretty cool. Today, perfect example, it was lightening before practice started. Practice starts at 6pm and I cancelled it at 5:30pm. He wasn't there so I texted him not to come since all I was doing was baby-sitting those kids already at the pool before their folks picked them up. He texted back and told me that he'd baby-sit with me, and we stood in the shed by the pool for an hour after we sent the last kid home talking about swimming, college war stories, and previous jobs. I'm glad to have him on board. Did I mention that he is a navy diver too? That is another story for another time.

Alright, so the MCPON, or Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, came to visit the command today. This guy is the most senior enlisted personel in the entire navy. Needless to say, he is very important. Listening to him talk you can tell that once you get to a certain level in the navy if just becomes as political as any other Washington assigned job. The MCPON's office is in the Pentagon and he works directly under the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO, a 4 star admiral). What is funny is the entourage the MCPON came with. A bunch of photographers and other khaki running around with him kissing his ass. Good stuff. I looked over his uniform to try and call him out on anything wrong with it, but he was very VERY squared away; fun to watch really, I like these kind of things.

This past weekend was a movie extravaganza. I went to go see the newest Star Trek installment. I found it very entertaining and captivating. Not more than 3 hours later I was back in the theater watching the new romantic comedy "The Proposal." It starred Sandra Bullock (who will always be sexy) and Ryan Reynolds (very funny man in his own right). It too was enjoyed by my group. One thing that is funny/irking is my friends, Laughlin and Icenhouer have no sense of volume control. They talk in a theater like they rented it and took it home. Hill people, I'll tell you. My movie watching didn't end there. I watched a Ken Burns documentary on my boy, Thomas Jefferson. It was good, but I knew most of what they already talked about though. I also watched Friday the 13th (the newest one), Defiance, and He's Just Not That Into You. On tap is something that has been on my back-burner for some time, Scent of a Woman.

I don't think I like being a pharmacy technician. As tired as I am right now it is hard for me to put it into words at the moment, but I feel like I should be doing more. As if I don't belong "trapped" in a pharmacy counting pills. It can get soul sucking. Plus there is no advantage to my 6 months of schooling except I'm put on another watch billet. Sure I can handle narcotics and most other corpsmen can't, but so what? Sure it is a good gig once I get on the outside moonlighting while I'm going to school, but there is no edge while I'm active duty. I don't get paid more, no preferrial treatment, no advantage over the next corpsmen straight out of 'A' school/the 18 year old fresh out of high school. Why did I take this job that I'm contractually obligated to for the next 3 years if there is no incentive?

That is why I've been working out hard. I wake up every morning at 0410 to get to the field at 0430 and get some 4-5 days a week. Don't laugh, but I've been thing about special warfare. Not SEALs, but either EOD or a diver. Possibly a diver medical technician? I need to get in mad shape, put some time in as a pharm tech, and be an all around on point sailor if I want to get a chance to either change rates, or get a new NEC especially before my contract as a pharm tech is over.

In the end, I don't know what I want to do. I want to do something big, not count pills. What is big though? How far can I push myself? What is satisfying to Cal Rastall? The sky is still my limit, but I just need to look at the branded ink in both of my arms, and gather some "patience" and "understanding" because I'm low on each right about now.

My finances are looking in the up and up though. Things are being paid off, and winter plans to a foreign country are still in the works. Sad news though, I won't be seeing Christina "Dearest" Solomon before she leaves South Korea to go back home to the states. We thought about meeting in Tokyo for a night if she decided to take a long lay-over from Seoul to Chicago, but that fell through. For a round trip flight from Sasebo to Toyko and one night at a hotel it would $670. August is a bad time of year to visit Japan for all you motivators out there.

This past Saturday I was talked into going to the little mart on base to get a six-pack of beer. I'd be damned, but they have Leinkugel's Honey Weiss. Of course I bought a little pack. Y'all, I had 3 beers, and I woke up with a hang-over. Figure that one out, and read between those lines.

Morale is a little low because of my latest frustrations with my job, but I'm still trucking forward. It all works out. I've been in country for a little more than 2 months now, and the time has flown by. Only another 22 to go, and I'm either back in the states, or Europe. Failure isn't an option, I'm a warrior, I'm awesome.

Can't live in the past, but I do from time to time

These two pictures are a bit of a before and after snapshot to the evolution of my being. The picture on top is was taken July 24, 2007. I was living in Green Bay then, and living the high life. No literally, maybe not marijuana, but certainly the lady on the moon, aka Miller High Life. Plenty of it too obviously seeing how I'm about to top out of this shirt. As a quick sidebar I'm going to predict Rich and I probably won this game of beer pong. The bottom picture was taken last night at the Corpsmen Ball June 21, 2009. In almost two years I want to say I like the way I look more now than what I did back then. These two pictures were taken because I am wearing the same shirt to give an idea of comparision, or a constant if you will. Thank you to all of my science teachers for that one; yes, I was actually listening. I just thought this would be a good ice-breaker.

Before I move on with trying to tie in a meaning to the title of theis blog, I want to touch on the last two entries, which is actually a single entry just broken into two parts.

First and foremost, it was a peak at a more adult side to my life. I tried to keep it PG-13, but you know how it gets hard to say certain truths. In essence, let's not forget a 21 year old (single) sailor is writing this, and some things are bound to slip. I apologize if I offended anyone out there, but I felt the bottom line was there was a story I needed to share. This is my disclaimer for that, and I think I can leave it at this.

Now let me dip into the facts of what actually happened with my time, and then I'll get to my opinions about random stuff. This weekend was mostly throttling at good, but it had a hiccup or two like any other decent weekend does. The first part was the situation with Laughlin and the boys. Laughlin had his identity stolen. He had to go through the whole nine yards to cancel everything, etc, but in the meantime while he was waiting for his new cards to come in, he had to depend on Icenhouer and myself to financially support him. We roger-ed up and helped him out, and as a repayment, besides paying us back in full of what he owed us, he took us out to dinner at a resteraunt. This style of resteraunt, called a yokineekoo (trying to spell it phonetically), has a wok in the middle of the table and they serve beef which we cook ourselves. Some pretty good stuff especially for the all you can eat deal for only $25. On top of that, there is an all you can drink deal for an extra $10. Put the pieces together there.

Laughlin paid for Ice and myself. There were others though who tagged along. The Filipino is Garica whom I mentioned before. The skinny blonde kid is Campbell. He is 18 years old and just got off of restriction for underage drinking. He is drinking coke here. The goon on the left is Ellis. When he was busted for underage drinking he was only 19, but now he is 20. Everyone at the table is pretty cool with everyone else. We had a great time telling stories and being merry. The action didn't start until dinner was over and it was time to start bar hopping. Ice, Garcia, and myself are outside. Ice is talking to Satski on the phone while Garcia is trying to convince me that I had a chance with some girl back in Virginia who we went to school with. The truth of that is Garcia had no idea that Ganih and I were just friends and that's the way we wanted to keep it.

Eventually we noticed that we didn't know where Laughlin, Campbell, and Ellis went. There was only one exit to the building and we were standing right in front of it. They were no where to be seen. I checked with the resteraunt staff and they said we paid so they weren't being a bunch of pranksters at least. We didn't know where they were, and Campbell was sober! The 3 of us, being the geniuses that we are, decide to look for them. Of course we pick the bar with the $10 cover charge, and the only thing inside was a huge smoke cloud, other drunk AMERICANS, Icenhauers ex-girlfriend, and not Laughlin, Campbell, or Ellis. We were pissed, but were laughing at the same time. We eventually stopped at McDonalds so I could pick up an ice-cream cone and we walked to the bus station to pick up Satski.

As it turns out they somehow ducked out of there and simply wanted to do their own thing. No reason, that's just the way they are from time to time. Everyone was safe and sound, but Laughlin was WAY hung over to come to the Corpsmen Ball the next day.

The next day, Saturday, was the day of the Corpsmen Ball. This is a military function that celebrates my rate (job) as a corpsmen. We are the most decorated rate in the navy, and also we have the most Medal of Honor recipients. So there is a big ceremony and dance afterwards. Well, I really didn't want to be there in the first place. I hate dressing in my dress white uniform simply because it is so easy to get dirty and I love to hate tying my neckerchief. Also, it's a "ball," which in my mind is a dance. I've been to prom and I've been to homecoming, and they all sucked, even when I had dates. On this night of course I didn't even have a date. That's why I decided to utilize the bar at the pre-ceremony cocktail hour. Yes folks, I do like gin martinis, and since working at Victoria's in Green Bay, I know what are good cocktails pre-dinner, during dinner, and after-dinner. It was martinis to pregame the ceremony, then I ordered a glass of red wine to go with my steak meal (which was very good I will add). After dinner and the ceremony we were allowed to change, which I did (see first picture).

Upon my arrival, I stopped at the ATM because I was certain this night was going be one of those nights. I didn't want to be there, I didn't have a date, and alcohol makes the time fly by, right? Garcia went with me to go change, and when we got back the first place we stopped was the line to the bar. I was all ready to order my ice-cream drink or white Russian when my LPO, HM1 Martinez came up to me, and pulled me aside. Remember this was a military function and rank applies especially when we're in uniform. HM1 tells me to go get a cup of COFFEE instead!! I couldn't believe it! Of course I couldn't argue with her because for one I really like my LPO, but 2 of her rank and authority over me. That glass of wine was my last alcohol for the Corpsmen Ball. I drank lots of tea, some coffee, and a coke for the night. In HM1's defense, she had good reason to cut me off. Some very important people were in the room, and she didn't want me to have her look like an asshole if I did something suggestive. That could have happened, but it didn't so I'm not mad. It did put a kink in my courage to go dancing though.

When the ball ended and people were thinking places to go for the after party we ended up just going to the bar on base. It was too late for me to start getting all lit up, so I hung low with only one white Russian and an amoretto stone sour. This was not the case for Garcia. That guy was swinging for the fences and it started to show when we got back from the bar and back in the barracks. All I'm going to say is a) that guy can take four horsemen shots like it's water and b) good thing there weren't any higher-ups around to hear some of the things he was saying. Garcia was toasted, but we've all had those kind of nights. I was sober enough to enjoy them.

Sunday in Japan is mostly Saturday in Wisconsin, which in my opinion makes Father's Day extra long for my old man. Lucky him, but he really does deserve it I think. I'm not about to get all sappy cause he reads this blog, but knowing what I know now maybe I wouldn't have been such a dick to him in the past. We went to go see "The Hangover" at the onbase theater. It is pretty funny, and it's from the same director as "Old School." Really you can't beat the $3 entry fee. .

Now to the story behind the title of this blog. I've been talking to a couple people from my past, and not talking to a couple of people in my past, and the hamsters in my head got the wheel spinning. For one, I called my best friend, Neuman. We talked how we always did. I remember just sitting there and bullshitting with him all day. Going and doing things that didn't make any sense, but it was funny as hell anyways. The second is my friend I mentioned earlier from VA, Ganih. She was tons of fun, and I miss talking to her. We would have the best discussions about pop culture mostly, and everytime I tried to stump her she kept up with me. Mitchell just had a kid so he is all busy and Daddy-like. I hope he won't make the same mistake his father made and make him into a Cubs fan though.

The second big conversation was with my friend, Jen, or as Rich and I called her "Jen Jen." For some reason we grew apart in recent months and it bugs me why. She was alwasy so interesting and she challenged my thought and reasoning which I totally dug. I asked her if she could go back in time knowing what she knows now would she do it, and she said yes. I think I would concur. Starting from my high school graduation. Maybe even before that when I was still living at home. Appropriated money differently, handled relationships differently, experienced different things.

Don't get me started on anyone from Minnessota. One refuses to talk to me anymore and the other I have to salute. So figure that out. There is always Rich to talk to especially via email that I love. Makes the work day fly by. Aaron needs to learn how to live separated, but that is neither here nor there. My list goes on. At times I wish I could go back and do a lot of things over again.

As for Iran, I have nothing to do with that as a member of the military. I am keeping as close of an eye on it as the next guy is. As for North Korea, I'm not sure what I am allowed to tell you what I know. I do know that there is no heightened security here in Sasebo, and I have recieved no new word of potential threats from North Korea. I am not worried.

Morale is high-ish and it's time for the Sconnie sailor to hit the hay.

You are Japan, I am Godzilla part deux

Here I am, again, on watch and writing to everyone out there who is dedicated enough to take some time out of your day to read what I have to say. I really do appreciate it though I may not say it directly. All the comments are good and it's always enough fuel to keep writing. Moving on, I have a story to finish and touch on a couple other things as well.

Darryl and Satski are back in their hotel room at 1730 (5:30pm) and I decide to take a hike to find a bar. Japan really doesn't have a bar time how the states does. Instead of bars closing at 2am, they're open till 6 or 7am especially on a Saturday night like it was. As a quick sidebar, the navy has set up rules that we sailors can't stay out drinking between 2am-6am at clubs and bars, but that isn't the Japanese rule, but we still have to follow what Uncle Sam has to say. Confusing yet? Okay, so I didn't know that bars didn't open up till 6pm all over Kumamoto. That was okay because it gave me a chance to walk around and see what the city had to offer. My camera phone was charging at the time, but I'm pretty sure I walked through the strip club precinct based on the size of the bouncers at the door, suggestive (but not telling) pictures in the windows, and pink neon lights beaming all around me. Good thing there was a cover charge cause at the time I was feeling I'm not sure if there was much more keeping me from meandering on in.

6pm comes and I kind my establishment which is fine because I sort of wanted to drink alone to gather my thoughts. Of course this doesn't happen. The bartender speaks about as much English as I do Japanese and tries to tell me that he visited Los Angeles once in '93. On top of that he doesn't know how to make a martini, so he rifles through his book and gets out the supplies and then offers me to show him how to make it. The end of this is my martini's were only $4 each. This guy just wouldn't walk away from me to do his job. All I wanted was to be left alone, but the last thing we were talking about before I left was about the movie "Lost in Translation" and how Bill Murray was in Japan advertising Suntory Whiskey in the movie. Either way I was well on my way to a productive evening after 3 martinis.

At 730pm I go and get the two lovers and we can't decide where to eat. That was when I suggested the bar/resteraunt I was just at. I order some kind of rice'n'pork dish and an Asahi (brand of beer). From dinner on the night and my money goes kind of fast.

I d0n't know all the bars we went to, and even if I did it wasn't important. What is important to the story plot is I got shit-housed drunk which in turn provided the more responsible drinkers of the night, aka Ice and Satski, a helluva lot of entertainment for the night.

The rest of the trip is best summed up in an email to my BFF, Rich. Some of what is said is not child friendly, then again a lot of what I said about this trip isn't child friendly:

Not sure how many bars I went to. There was this International bar though I do remember that had a bartender who saw my Green Bay swimming shirt andtold me she was an exchange student at Eau Claire. I was too tore up to comment back.

There was one time though I remember walking into a 7/11 (yes, we have themhere too) and getting a coke because I wanted to try and "pace" myself. When I told Ice this, I told him to police me if I strayed from my originalintent. That didn't last long. When he tried to remind me I yelled at himsaying that, "im a grown ass man and I can do whatever the fuck I want!" Ieven bummed a cigarette from some chick. Pretty good looking at the time,but not when I looked at my camera the next morning.

We went to this empty bar to play darts (which I of course won) and theytotally jewed me over. Not only were the glasses tiny and they charged $5 for them, but they had a cover charge, on an empty fucking bar! I about went Clint Eastwood on them. The night ended by going to McDonald's so I couldget an ice-cream cone and vent about Osko jagging me around. You know how I get.

A huge assest to Japan is man-power. They have tons of people lining thestreet with fliers passing out advertisments. Of course I though it'd be agood idea to help them. So I was screaming to everyone to take my flierbecause "I'm American." I even tried to sell doughnuts for some girl.
There was one trio of girls I walked by and I asked if they spoke English,yes, English. Before they could even nod their heads one way or the other, I said "me neither" with a gay fling of my arm as I kept walking. Some of thepictures I'll post are pretty good.

I was in bed my midnight. My mattress was rock hard, everything mini-me sized. God I love this country and hate it even more when I'm wasted.

Next morning of course I felt like ass. McDonald's for breakfast didn't help anyone. I was able to pull off my hung over idiot routine as I'm know for. Afterwards we changed our bus ticket to leave at 1430 instead of the 1900 originally planned. There is just nothing to do in the city we were in,Kummoto (SP?). Thank God we made that change.

The last thing we left was go to a karoke bar. Pretty cool actually except Ican't sing for shit, but didn't stop me from singing some Dragonforce (all the good bands were unavailable). Of course Osko had to show back up which didn't make the situation comfortable at all, but I managed. She gave me therun-around why she couldn't make it out, but in the end, she simply wasn't there which was all I needed to know.

At 1430 we got on the bus and got the fuck out of there. I vowed never to return to that city again.

In other business the swim season officially started on Monday. I'm pretty stoked about it, but I wish things were a little different. It isn't that competitive at all. That alters intensity of practices and planning of work-outs. Also, there is a lot of belly-rubbing going on. Not saying I want to throw another clipboard in the water, but if wasn't any room for that in Seymour, there DEFINITELY isn't any room for it here. I like being able to talk to the kids about stuff, I suppose it's hard for me to get back onto the level of an elementary school aged kid. I wish things was a little more organized too. In the past I had an entire summer to prep for my "mission." I only had literally a weekend from the time I got the roster to the time of the first practice. It doesn't help that the base commanding officer's kids are on the team, a master chief kids' are on the team, and an officer from the clinic has a kid on the team. A lot more important eyes are watching me which adds more pressure.

Also, I have an assistant coach now. He is a 3rd class navy diver (you know, like Cuba Gooding Jr and Robert DeNiro in "Men of Honor") named Kristoph. It was one thing when Andy and I coached because we were such good friends, but with Kristoph it is a little different. Though I am the head coach, I'm going to try to make it as similar as it was with Andy in Seymour. Let's hope for a miracle, and let Kristoph and myself
have a fraction of what I had in Seymour.

Morale is back on high now that I'm back in Sasebo. Though I'm very tired and busy busy busy, I can take comfort that the days come and go fast.