Finally! I recieved word from my school that they recieved my paperwork and everything will go through without a hitch. Registering for College over the internet is such a pain, especially when the time difference between where they are and where you are is around 12 hours. I'd have to call them at night, and they'd ask me to fax forms. I'd send them first thing in the morning, which was their night, and somehow the paper work would never get funnled to the right department.

At any rate, the hassle is over and I'm registered! Now all I have to worry about is the homework... ;(

This is insane.
the following is the list of required books for one of my upcoming classes.

A Farewell to Arms
By: Hemingway Publisher: Prentice Hall
ISBN: 0020519001U Ed: 1987
This item is required
***Only available used***

Anna Christie, The Emperor Jones, The Hairy Ape.
By: O'Neill Publisher: Nacscorp
ISBN: 0679763953 Ed: 1972
This item is required
***Only available used***

Cane
By: Toomer Publisher: Nacscorp
ISBN: 0871401517 Ed: 1993
This item is required

Light in August
By: Faulkner Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 067964248X Ed: 2002
This item is required
***Only available used***

Plays by American Women, 1900-1930 Revised edition
By: Barlow Publisher: Applause Theatre Books
ISBN: 1557830088 Ed: 1985
This item is required

Robert Frost's Poems
By: Frost Publisher: Nacscorp
ISBN: 0312983328 Ed: 2002
This item is required

Selected Poems
By: Eliot Publisher: Nacscorp
ISBN: 0156806479 Ed: 1964
This item is required

The Great Gatsby
By: Fitzgerald Publisher: Gale Group
ISBN: 0684717603U Ed: 1953
This item is required
***Only available used***

The Professor's House
By: Cather Publisher: Nacscorp
ISBN: 0679731806 Ed: 1990
This item is required

The Sound and the Fury
By: Faulkner Publisher: Ingram
ISBN: 0394747747U Ed: 1989
This item is required
***Only available used***

The Sun Also Rises
By: Hemingway Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0684800713 Ed: 1954
This item is required

Their Eyes Were Watching God
By: Hurston Publisher: Ingram
ISBN: 0060916508U Ed: 1990
This item is required
***Only available used***

So I broke down and decided to go back to school and actually finish my degree. Know what that means? Yes, Yes, I know. It means I have to quit dangling participles, but aside from that it means hours devoted to my blog in avoidance of homework. You got it, count on me to be posting a lot more from now on. In fact, from here on out pretty much every post you read will mean I've shirked at least an hour of homework somewhere along the line. Unless of course you're an MA1, in which case I'm literally losing sleep to ensure that the Navy's investment in my education is money well spent.

O.K. I've been busted by the "redundant fluff" department and they tell me it's time to actually post something original or kiss my kneecaps goodbye. As it would turn out my kneecaps and I have this special bond that supersedes my need for sleep; ergo, I will post.

We had a typhoon the other day. It wasn't as bad as I was anticipating, although it did blow some ships around, down a lot of trees, blow a few buildings over and flood a number of major streets. As luck would have it I was working when it actually hit us, so imagine my surprise when I stepped out the back door of HQ, a thousand thoughts in my mind, to be confronted by the offgoing section's dispatcher holding one of The Big Wheel's son. I asked if he was ok, and it was about that point that Wheel's wife and daughter came around the corner soaking wet to say that her car had died in the middle of the street after going through a deep patch of standing water. I scooped his son from the dispatcher and escorted the three of them inside to a lounge. Brown Sugar pop tarts and an Uncle Ben's rice bowl later (I knew, I should have packed a bigger lunch)they were set for the storm and I had to go out to secure a hazardous portion of road from traffic.

The thing that struck me was how brave his kids were. You have to realize his son's maybe four and his daughter six, yet they were very calm about the whole thing. I sat with them for a bit while his wife used a phone in the other room to let him know things were good. His son was smiling like they hadn't just walked in from 50mph winds and sideways rain, while his daughter leaned over to where I was sitting and hugged my soaking wet arm (I hadn't removed my wet-gear) while telling me about the birthday party they were on their way to.

That should be enough to save my kneecaps for now,
-Ace

we had an inspeciton the other day and I took the opportunity to snap a pic.

Well, it's official. This afternoon I'm bored, so instead of studying Arabic I decided to do a Jigsw Puzzel.

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
The North Shore of Lake Superior

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
Khaki pants

3.. THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?
Sarah Grove

4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
I work nights, so if you wake me up in the morning please bring a coffee.

5. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE Movie(s)
The Princess Bride, Starwars, Leon

6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Guitar

7. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?
Blue

8. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?
Both. I'd get an Evo...

9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?
Yes. Whether you believe in an afterlife or not, rest assured it believes in you.

10. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
The Chronicles of Narnia

11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
Fall

12. IF YOU HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Don't need a super power, I help save lives every day.

13. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?
No tatoo's.

14. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
No

15. THE ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK
AND TALK TO?
I'd like to go back about ten years to when I left the university for a tech school, give myself a kick in the nuts and a big fat bunch of "now you listen here..."

16. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Christmas Eve

17. WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?
Car wash supplies.

18, Sushi OR HAMBURGER?
Ebi Sushi Kudasai (shrimp sushi please).

19. FROM THE PEOPLE YOU WILL EMAIL THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO
RESPOND FIRST?
Not emailing it.

20. WHO'S LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Robbert. Just kidding,

21. WHO DID YOU RECEIVE THIS FROM?
My Uncle Rick.

22. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
Unbleached? Whole wheat? I guess it's hard to say.

23. DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?
There are a lot of peole I'd love to throttle at first sight, but I'm working on that.

24. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM JOB?
Being part of the crew that patrolls for modern day pirates.

25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
Cajun shrimp and broccoli!

I joined a softball team the other day. Haven't played since the early 90's, and boy did it show, but it was still a lot of fun. Also, got to play some poker the other night. Didn't win a whole lot of money, but doubled what I came with. Yesterday I gave the winnings to a Navy charity designed to help the hurricane victims back home.

Also, did a lot of Christmas shopping over the last few days and now have a closet full of gifts just waiting to be sent home. A lot of the things I picked up are pretty cool, and it'd be a big fat lie to say that it never crossed my mind to keep them all and instead send a card to everyone of those wankers who neglected to get me a present last year, or a card, or even an email.
Were I to do that however I think I'd probably implode under the combined weight of guilty pleasure and frivolous waste. After all how many Christmas presents does a guy need to buy himself?
...O.K. at least four
But I've been really good this year
Honest...

A hose up your nose for the mace in the face!

That's right, today we qualified to carry O.C. (pepper) spray. I've been sprayed twice now, and let me tell you this time was much easier than the other. Although our instructors didn't want to admit it, the stuff we're going to carry here, which is also what we qualified with, doesn't hold a candle to the raging wildfire that they shot us with in Texas. Don't get me wrong it still hurt; but well, it's like this...

Have your momma hit you in the head with a frying pan, it's gonna hurt. Then have Sammy Sosa hit you in the head with a angry red, fresh off the stove, so hot it's white in the middle, frying pan; and leave it there for ten minutes.

I think you get the picture now, both of em hurt, but one's just an entirely new level of pain.

Had an interesting night last night. I was able to secure a crime scene and observe an NCIS agent in action. The circumstances surrounding the whole situation were exceedingly unfortunate but are something I'm going to have to get used to.

What can I say, some days are good, some days are bad.
Life goes on and I'll be there to write the report when it's over.

My orders came in but they didn't include a dog...

This is a mixed blessing indeed. On the one hand I didn't want an MWD and having one would have added a lot of hours to my work day. On the other hand Bomb dogs save lives, and if I could have been a part of that I'd do it gladly. As things go my orders have been cut without a canine, however my department career councilor is looking into where the dog orders were dropped in the hopes of getting them back for me. Either way I'll be happy, but not having a dog will definitely free me up to develop professionally in other areas.

HOLY CRAP!
I was browsing the net while composing this post and came across this. It's a new film called "Sky Captain & the World Of Tomorrow" and it's being touted as the most stylistically original picture since 'Being John Malchevich'. Whether you like this sort of thing or not, do yourself a favor and go the above link then The Film/trailers to see a slice of it's CGI goodness. Apparently the actors for the film were shot on bluescreen and almost everything else in the movie was added on via CGI.

The bottom line:
If you like Errol Flynn, Buckling Swashes, Crimpson Skies, Metropolis (either one), The Old James Bond, The First Batman, The Words Stylized, Erstwhile, Intrepid, and Futuristic in the same sentence, or Angelina Jolie With An Eye Patch -harr harr harr, then there's only one thing to do... You've got to see this movie!

It's been a busy few days...
I took my advancement exam and think I bombed it horribly, I took a bit of time to start working with a dog handler from the kennels, and think I have secured a position in the MWD department, as their administrative aid. For the most part, work is pretty normal; a few fights, a few destructions, you get the picture. There was a death yesterday, but I can't really talk about it as it's still under investigation.

O yeah~ The Vikes won their season opener against Dallas! And lets be clear here, by win I mean they whipped 'em like a five dollar mule.

I was able to help save a life tonight...
It should be clear that the hero of this story is my friend who jumped into that polluted cesspool of a bay to save a sailor who was going under. Everybody involved in the evolution helped save his life, but if my boy hadn't dove in after him it would have been all over but the crying.

As I was working on a Christmas leave chit at HQ, a call came in for "man overboard". No it wasn't a drill, the man had fallen approximately sixty feet off the fantail of a carrier before he hit the water. We scrambled our units to the nearest point of land and I arrived in time to see my boy MA2, responding in a patrol boat. The victim was going under, so this dude straps on a life jacket and dives into the water after him. He secured the victim but the boat began drifting away from him. The bowhook riding with him, who was brand new to the position, didn't know how to coxswain (drive the boat), so I switched radio channels to her network and began to give her instructions on what levers to push and how to turn the wheel. With no experience in coxswaining it was too dangerous for her to get close to our people in the water, so she drove the boat over to the pier I was on and myself and an MA1 jumped down onto the craft. From that point, I was able to pilot it over for the rescue where she held it steady while the MA1 and I pulled first the victim then our patrolman out of the briny deep.

Warm woolen blankets and EMT's later MA2 was relieved to shower off the crap he'd been swimming in and the victim was rushed to the emergency room while I stayed behind with the bowhook to help tie up some loose ends.

Two years ago, people thought I was insane to leave the security of my old life and run off to be a cop in the Navy. Every once in a while I'll think the same thing myself and then something like this'll happen and it just makes me smile. Pulling that guy out of the water tonight; yeah, I know I made the right decision.

I'm studying for an exam tomorrow.
I've gone over a lot of the material, but there's just so much information they'll be testing us on. It's 11:57 pm here and the test is at 0730, but before you accuse me of cramming all night instead of sleeping you have to realize that I work nights so this is when I'm normally up and instead of wasting my last few hours doing something stupid I've chosen to go over a few chapters again, and again and again...

Also, I recieved confirmation today that I will be going to a C-School when I detach from this command in order to train as a dog handler for my next duty station. It's not really the career choice I would have made for myself, but sometimes things like this happen and you just have to roll with it.

At least now I'll get to have a dog.

Tonight at work we were trying to convince The Big Wheel to try out for the upcoming "Tough Enough". His first objection, "This is stupid. What would I be called." We thought about it for a moment, then a moment longer and finally decided that we'd spend the rest of our break creating his character and special moves.

Wrestling Name: "The Hurt Locker"
Wrestling Moves: The Captains Mast, NJP (Non-Judicial Punishment), The Court Martial, The 45-45, The Rear Admiral, The Keel Haul, The "BCD" (Bad Conduct Discharge), The Square Knot, The Bends, The Scuttlebutt, The Bulkhead, The Upper Deck, The Field Day, The Anchor Chain, The Salty Dog, The Needle Gun and The Deck Seaman.

Well, it's official. I'm going to Bahrain...
There is some confusion about my job though and I need to get it straightened out. Apparently the billet they slotted me to fill is as a dog handler and I neither have nor want the necessary training this would require. Don't get me wrong, dogs are fun pets, but Military Working Dogs are an entirely different animal. Also, once you're in that job community it's hard to break out of and there are a lot of things I want to do in the Navy that don't include a canine.

MAGNETIC POETRY! I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!
You can find it on the web here, but I will be adding it to my site as a permanent link sometime in the near future.

I'm trying to save up some cash and so have been laying low for the past few weeks. Not much exiting is going on over here. I watched AVP last night. Character development was pretty non existant, but lets be honest you don't watch a movie like that to find out a particular characters motivation. If they see you they kill you, that's enough motivation for anyone.

I want a puppy.
I was reading a post by Petunia about walking her cousin's dog in the park and it made me regret not being able to obtain a mutt of my own. I'm not looking for a super expensive dog, nor any great mastiff with bloodlines that lead back to the dawn of black and white T.V.. Rather I'd prefer a puppy from the pound, smallish to medium size, and good tempered.

The way things are right now though I won't be able to get a dog until I get out of the service. O well. T-Minus 3 years, 3 months and counting.

This is one of my favorite pics in the whole world.
Back when I had one, it hung in my cube.