I just sat here for a half-hour and wrote a nice long message about my day, but when I went to publish it, the internets decided to be retarded and I lost my post.
Basically, I didn't get into class this morning.
I get to spend this week sitting with my back against the wall and doing absolutely nothing.
If I don't get in next week, which is highly probable, I'll be doing even more nothing.
I'm going to be stuck here longer than I thought.
The end.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Well, I'm back...
There's so much to say about the past few weeks that I really don't even know where to begin.
Basic training was an unforgettable experience. I actually really enjoyed it, and in a strange way, I kind of miss it. There was not a single easy moment for the entire eight-and-a-half weeks; it was tough, but I managed to push myself past limits that I never thought I could exceed. And I'm a better person for it.
I'd like to thank my mother for posting all my letters on here while I was away. I'm going to do a bit of tweaking and editing on them and repost them on a separate blog, so stay tuned for that.
Tech school's really cool so far. The base that I'm at is trying out a new transitioning program that grants me quite a few priviledges right off the bat, but makes it a bit more difficult to earn the bigger perks (going off base, wearing civilian clothes, no curfew, etc.) So I've been able to get back online and stuff a lot sooner then I thought I would, which is cool.
I probably won't be on a whole lot this week, as classes start tomorrow, and all my evenings will be spent studying. The first course I have to take is a two-week IT Fundamentals course, which I don't think will be too difficult, but I still need to focus and get into a good habitual study-type mindset.
A normal day for me will consist of waking up early enough to dress, get my room in inspection order, and eat before 5:05, which is when I have to form up outside the dormitory for accountability. After everybody is accounted for, we'll march over to class, and spend all day there, until we march back and get dismissed around 3:30. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, we have an hour of Physical Training before we are dismissed, then the rest of the day is our to do what we will. Also, we have every other Friday off, which is pure awesomeness. Right now, curfew is from 10:00 to 4:00 on duty days, and Midnight to 4:00 on non-duty days. One thing that really sucks is that I have to actually be awake and outside my room at Midnight on weekends for accountability, so I either have to stay up until then, or wake up at that time, and go back to sleep after. After I transition up, that'll stop, but until then...blegh.
I guess that's all for now. If I try to write about everything that's going on or has gone on, not only will this post end up being extremely long, but I won't have anything to talk about later.
It's nice to be back.
^_^|/
Basic training was an unforgettable experience. I actually really enjoyed it, and in a strange way, I kind of miss it. There was not a single easy moment for the entire eight-and-a-half weeks; it was tough, but I managed to push myself past limits that I never thought I could exceed. And I'm a better person for it.
I'd like to thank my mother for posting all my letters on here while I was away. I'm going to do a bit of tweaking and editing on them and repost them on a separate blog, so stay tuned for that.
Tech school's really cool so far. The base that I'm at is trying out a new transitioning program that grants me quite a few priviledges right off the bat, but makes it a bit more difficult to earn the bigger perks (going off base, wearing civilian clothes, no curfew, etc.) So I've been able to get back online and stuff a lot sooner then I thought I would, which is cool.
I probably won't be on a whole lot this week, as classes start tomorrow, and all my evenings will be spent studying. The first course I have to take is a two-week IT Fundamentals course, which I don't think will be too difficult, but I still need to focus and get into a good habitual study-type mindset.
A normal day for me will consist of waking up early enough to dress, get my room in inspection order, and eat before 5:05, which is when I have to form up outside the dormitory for accountability. After everybody is accounted for, we'll march over to class, and spend all day there, until we march back and get dismissed around 3:30. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, we have an hour of Physical Training before we are dismissed, then the rest of the day is our to do what we will. Also, we have every other Friday off, which is pure awesomeness. Right now, curfew is from 10:00 to 4:00 on duty days, and Midnight to 4:00 on non-duty days. One thing that really sucks is that I have to actually be awake and outside my room at Midnight on weekends for accountability, so I either have to stay up until then, or wake up at that time, and go back to sleep after. After I transition up, that'll stop, but until then...blegh.
I guess that's all for now. If I try to write about everything that's going on or has gone on, not only will this post end up being extremely long, but I won't have anything to talk about later.
It's nice to be back.
^_^|/
Monday, January 18, 2010
This Is It...
I'm not really sure what else needs to be said, because I think I've just about covered it all at some point or another.
Tomorrow I will officially be an Airman.
It's been a long, crazy, emotional process.
It's about to be a long, crazy, emotional nine weeks.
Bring it on.
Basic training is the seemingly uncrossable River standing between me and my future. It won't be fun; I'm sure there will be times where I'll feel like quitting. But I won't. Every step will be taken with the knowledge that my Friend, my Brother, my Savior is with me; that my family and friends are thinking about and praying for me. My will cannot be broken; my mind cannot be weakened. I have filled myself with encouraging thoughts that will keep me focused, and keep me moving forward. This River stands in my way, but there is a bank on the other side. In March, I will stretch out my hand and find my future there.
Until then...
^_^|/
Tomorrow I will officially be an Airman.
It's been a long, crazy, emotional process.
It's about to be a long, crazy, emotional nine weeks.
Bring it on.
Basic training is the seemingly uncrossable River standing between me and my future. It won't be fun; I'm sure there will be times where I'll feel like quitting. But I won't. Every step will be taken with the knowledge that my Friend, my Brother, my Savior is with me; that my family and friends are thinking about and praying for me. My will cannot be broken; my mind cannot be weakened. I have filled myself with encouraging thoughts that will keep me focused, and keep me moving forward. This River stands in my way, but there is a bank on the other side. In March, I will stretch out my hand and find my future there.
Until then...
^_^|/
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Ready
There is no worry.
There is no fear.
There is hardly any nervousness.
There are none of these things because my state-of-mind is the best it's ever been.
However...
With about 36 hours to go before I walk out the door, it all seems very...real.
My world is about to turn up-side-down.
It's so much more than a feeling of having to go without my stuff for a while.
It's more like I'm about to depart from myself entirely.
Before things settle down again, half a year will have passed.
The world will continue on without me, and I will continue on without the world.
There is nothing easy about what I'm about to go through.
But it will be the greatest thing I've ever done.
And I'm ready.
There is no fear.
There is hardly any nervousness.
There are none of these things because my state-of-mind is the best it's ever been.
However...
With about 36 hours to go before I walk out the door, it all seems very...real.
My world is about to turn up-side-down.
It's so much more than a feeling of having to go without my stuff for a while.
It's more like I'm about to depart from myself entirely.
Before things settle down again, half a year will have passed.
The world will continue on without me, and I will continue on without the world.
There is nothing easy about what I'm about to go through.
But it will be the greatest thing I've ever done.
And I'm ready.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Target Revisited
I officially saw the last of Target today.
I needed to go pick up all the little things I'm going to need to get me through zero week (next week!), and discovered I had a couple of Target gift cards that I had forgotten about, so I ran up there this morning. Plus, it gave me a chance to bid adieu to a few people that I really didn't get to talk to a few weeks ago.
I'm slowly getting things checked off my to-do-before-I-go list. I'm needing to run to the credit union tomorrow morning, as well as the comic book store. Then I can finish getting all my comics in order, and continue packing all my stuff.
Dell decided to send me my new mouse last night, but no laptop to go with it. It's like they're teasing me <_<
Nothing much new to say, really. A week from now, I'll be at Lackland wondering what the frack I've gotten myself into.
But I'm ready.
I needed to go pick up all the little things I'm going to need to get me through zero week (next week!), and discovered I had a couple of Target gift cards that I had forgotten about, so I ran up there this morning. Plus, it gave me a chance to bid adieu to a few people that I really didn't get to talk to a few weeks ago.
I'm slowly getting things checked off my to-do-before-I-go list. I'm needing to run to the credit union tomorrow morning, as well as the comic book store. Then I can finish getting all my comics in order, and continue packing all my stuff.
Dell decided to send me my new mouse last night, but no laptop to go with it. It's like they're teasing me <_<
Nothing much new to say, really. A week from now, I'll be at Lackland wondering what the frack I've gotten myself into.
But I'm ready.
Monday, January 11, 2010
My River
That whole idea about sleeping didn't work out so well. It's simply not going to happen.
I managed to over-saturate myself with basic training-related stuff today (yesterday), and managed to not, as one might assume, freak myself out, but rather managed to pump myself up to the point where I am now wide awake and sitting here thinking that I'm about to go through the most amazing eight weeks ever. To see videos of what's in store for me very shortly really gets me excited. I don't know how I never stumbled across this before, but it's a very cool overview and breakdown of Air Force BMT:
http://www.airforce.com/opportunities/enlisted/basic-training/
Of course, excited though I am, there's also a part of me that thinks upon the whole ordeal as impossible. Am I confident that I'll be able to make it through when the time comes? Absolutely. But there is no question that it will be the most difficult, exhausting, and trying thing I've ever had to do.
My first line of defense to counteract any self-doubt is the fact that I have a Savior who will be with me every step of the way, a God in whom I trust that the impossible is made possible, and a Spirit of encouragement. Also, knowing that I have the prayers and support of a loving family and friends means the world to me; and even though they (you) cannot physically be there, He is.
As far as my other point of encouragement, there is NOTHING that sums up and captures my personal feelings and emotions better than this:
Move forward.
Don't stop.
Walk the road of hope to the place where the sun rises.
A river blocking your way.
A river in your way.
A river of fate.
A river that tests you.
Cast aside your doubts.
Show some guts.
Don't hesitate.
Take a step right now.
Believe yourself.
Forward.
Forward.
Go straight forward.
Cross the river.
Dreams always seem far away.
They feel out of your reach.
Pick up one of the stones at your feet and throw it with all your might.
There's a river running before your eyes.
A big, wide river.
Even if it's deep and dark;
Even if the current is fast;
You don't need to be afraid.
It may be far away, but yes, there's a bank on the other side.
Have more faith in yourself.
Swim with all your might through the dark.
Don't look back.
When you stretch out your hand, you'll find your future there.
Don't give up, thinking you can't reach it.
The stone you threw will make your dream come true.
You won't even hear it land.
There's a river running in your heart too.
The river of hard times.
Even if things don't go well;
Even if you drown sometimes;
Just try again.
Don't give up.
There will be a bank.
You're sure to get there someday.
Get over it.
River!
Don't make excuses to yourself.
You won't know until you try.
Nothing for it but to go straight forward.
Keep on walking;
Forever;
Down the road you've chosen.
There's a river running before your eyes.
A big, wide river.
Even if it's deep and dark;
Even if the current is fast;
You don't need to be afraid.
It may be far away, but yes, there's a bank on the other side.
Have more faith in yourself.
There's a river running in your heart too.
A river of sweat and tears.
Even if you fail;
Even if you're swept away;
Just start over.
Never say die.
Hang on to your dreams until the day your wishes come true.
Cross the river.
You can do it!
Those are the most encouraging words I've ever heard. Forget the fact that it's a Japanese pop song for a minute (which, I realize now, I didn't even mention in the first place), and put yourself in my shoes, about to embark on the journey I'm about to begin. I take this song, which only just came out at the end of October, as a huge blessing for me personally, and as proof that God often uses the most unusual things to show us how much He cares. The song has been there for me throughout my preparations, and it will be ingrained in my head over the next few months; it is special to me in a way that goes beyond any real explanation. Between the timing of the release, the fact that I had only even become a fan of the group in September, the spot-on lyrics, and the fact that (and this is the real kicker) the music video is military-themed, I simply cannot accept that there was mere coincidence involved with it becoming part of who I am.
I actually went ahead and uploaded the video (with subtitles) to YouTube. The subtitles are not my work (the credits are in the video), and I really appreciate the effort that was taken to make a subbed version. When I think on basic training, I think of this song. They are hand-in-glove to me, and I encourage you to watch it as if in my position, looking beyond the pretty girls in the skirts, and into the meaning, power, and emotion of the song:
AKB48 - RIVER
I managed to over-saturate myself with basic training-related stuff today (yesterday), and managed to not, as one might assume, freak myself out, but rather managed to pump myself up to the point where I am now wide awake and sitting here thinking that I'm about to go through the most amazing eight weeks ever. To see videos of what's in store for me very shortly really gets me excited. I don't know how I never stumbled across this before, but it's a very cool overview and breakdown of Air Force BMT:
http://www.airforce.com/opportunities/enlisted/basic-training/
Of course, excited though I am, there's also a part of me that thinks upon the whole ordeal as impossible. Am I confident that I'll be able to make it through when the time comes? Absolutely. But there is no question that it will be the most difficult, exhausting, and trying thing I've ever had to do.
My first line of defense to counteract any self-doubt is the fact that I have a Savior who will be with me every step of the way, a God in whom I trust that the impossible is made possible, and a Spirit of encouragement. Also, knowing that I have the prayers and support of a loving family and friends means the world to me; and even though they (you) cannot physically be there, He is.
As far as my other point of encouragement, there is NOTHING that sums up and captures my personal feelings and emotions better than this:
Move forward.
Don't stop.
Walk the road of hope to the place where the sun rises.
A river blocking your way.
A river in your way.
A river of fate.
A river that tests you.
Cast aside your doubts.
Show some guts.
Don't hesitate.
Take a step right now.
Believe yourself.
Forward.
Forward.
Go straight forward.
Cross the river.
Dreams always seem far away.
They feel out of your reach.
Pick up one of the stones at your feet and throw it with all your might.
There's a river running before your eyes.
A big, wide river.
Even if it's deep and dark;
Even if the current is fast;
You don't need to be afraid.
It may be far away, but yes, there's a bank on the other side.
Have more faith in yourself.
Swim with all your might through the dark.
Don't look back.
When you stretch out your hand, you'll find your future there.
Don't give up, thinking you can't reach it.
The stone you threw will make your dream come true.
You won't even hear it land.
There's a river running in your heart too.
The river of hard times.
Even if things don't go well;
Even if you drown sometimes;
Just try again.
Don't give up.
There will be a bank.
You're sure to get there someday.
Get over it.
River!
Don't make excuses to yourself.
You won't know until you try.
Nothing for it but to go straight forward.
Keep on walking;
Forever;
Down the road you've chosen.
There's a river running before your eyes.
A big, wide river.
Even if it's deep and dark;
Even if the current is fast;
You don't need to be afraid.
It may be far away, but yes, there's a bank on the other side.
Have more faith in yourself.
There's a river running in your heart too.
A river of sweat and tears.
Even if you fail;
Even if you're swept away;
Just start over.
Never say die.
Hang on to your dreams until the day your wishes come true.
Cross the river.
You can do it!
Those are the most encouraging words I've ever heard. Forget the fact that it's a Japanese pop song for a minute (which, I realize now, I didn't even mention in the first place), and put yourself in my shoes, about to embark on the journey I'm about to begin. I take this song, which only just came out at the end of October, as a huge blessing for me personally, and as proof that God often uses the most unusual things to show us how much He cares. The song has been there for me throughout my preparations, and it will be ingrained in my head over the next few months; it is special to me in a way that goes beyond any real explanation. Between the timing of the release, the fact that I had only even become a fan of the group in September, the spot-on lyrics, and the fact that (and this is the real kicker) the music video is military-themed, I simply cannot accept that there was mere coincidence involved with it becoming part of who I am.
I actually went ahead and uploaded the video (with subtitles) to YouTube. The subtitles are not my work (the credits are in the video), and I really appreciate the effort that was taken to make a subbed version. When I think on basic training, I think of this song. They are hand-in-glove to me, and I encourage you to watch it as if in my position, looking beyond the pretty girls in the skirts, and into the meaning, power, and emotion of the song:
AKB48 - RIVER
Never Mind
I was going to write something, but I think I'll grab a few hours of sleep instead, and write early tomorrow morning.
Deal?
Deal?
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