'cause in the glimmer of your eye, I begin to see myself in a different light.
Wow. What a weird day... So many adventures lately. lol
Let me just start by giving a big thank you to everyone that's given me musical recommendations. I love it all and the different sounds and feels of these bands I hadn't heard of before was just the breath of fresh air that I needed. Right now, I can't stop listening to Sherwood, but it's on repeat with the Decemberists, the New Pornographers, Alkaline Trio, the Dears, Rise Against, Breaking Benjamin, and Linkin Park. Delicious.
Anyway! Where to start...
My testing! Two days ago, I took the ASVAB at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Command) and I was incredibly nervous about it since I hadn't taken a test of any kind in over three years. The ASVAB score determines what jobs you'd be eligible for within the service. I got my test results the day after, and pretty much, there isn't a job I'm not qualified for. I sort of pulled a complete 180° on what MOS I was planning on pursuing.
Initially, I wanted to get into data systems or some other form of computing, or, I wanted to be a basic rifleman. Then, I started thinking about my future and what I want to do for the rest of my life since I more than likely won't be a marine forever. To be completely honest, computers bore the everliving hell out of me now. Sitting in a cubicle isn't as great as I had initially thought it would be and I simply can't do it anymore. I've decided to become a... Wait for it... Combat correspondent. Yep. News/media, and I hear there's a good chance I'll be either reporting or delivering the news or be on some other form of programming that's released to the military and even civilian media. With the training and experience I'll be receiving, I could easily make the transition to civilian media after I get out of the military.
The typical enlistment is eight years long, with five years active duty and three years inactive, which means I'd be pretty much leading a civilian life but can be called back to service if the need arises and that VERY rarely happens.
Last night, I stayed at a hotel and it was fully paid for by the government, so I could be bussed off to get my physical at MEPS along with about 50 others that were staying there as well. They came from all over the state, too. Duluth, St. Cloud, Hibbing, Faribault. Most of them weren't even 18 yet and still had another year of school to go. I talked on the phone with Carrie from my hotel's balcony after I got dinner and talked with some random people, and I really wish I had brought my trunks because they had a full-size pool and hot tub. When they said they were going to put me up at a hotel for the night, I didn't think it'd be a nice one, but man. The pillows and blankets were incredible.
I talked to Nate for the first time in a month or so, and he told me that me and him are going to hang out a LOT before I ship out. He's one of the greatest guys you could ever meet and is in a band so told me he's dragging me to a lot of the afterparties and random parties in general. Well, if he's going to twist my damn arm about it, I guess I could go along with it and be a nice guy and all... ;)
I headed into the room and it turned out I had a roommate so we just talked and watched Dallas Swat until about 11:30 when we decided to call it a night. He was pretty cool and is going into the army and is still 17 and like a lot of the people I talked to, he said that his parents were practically pushing him into the service, which is sort of odd to me since my family was doing everything they could think of to keep me from joining.
We had to wake up at 4:15AM. 4. 15. AM. The sheet said the wake-up call was going to come at 4:30, and then we get the damn call at 4:15AM. I honestly can't remember the last time I woke up even REMOTELY close to as early as I did today. Luckily, we weren't like the others who didn't even go to sleep and just stayed up all night playing cards, eating pizza or watching TV.
We headed out onto the bus after getting some breakfast (NOTE: Never drink V8 vegetable juice while eating Raisin Bran) and headed over to MEPS. We got there and this drill sergeant lined us up and led us into the processing area. The next four hours consisted of getting blood drawn, hearing/vision/urine tests, and getting a full physical from a doctor who was a retired two-star general. While I did have to turn my head and cough, I didn't have to go through the prostate check. Any day that I don't get penetrated is a very, very good day.
My eyes have a slight chance of keeping me out of the service. I have astigmatism and have a lot of trouble seeing without my glasses/contacts. But, with my glasses, I see just fine. They're sending me to an optometrist just to make sure it won't be a problem. Other than that, I'm in good health and am ready to be sworn in.
I got home today and just passed the hell out. Between getting blood drawn, waking up before the sun was even up, and sitting around for hours on end waiting to get tested, I was wiped out.
Now, I'm up! Next Wednesday is my optometrist appointment and after I'm done with that, I'll be heading out to visit Megs in St. Cloud again. It'll be great to see her again. I don't know if I said it before or not, but I had to let her down and tell her that I wasn't ready for a relationship, especially now with my shipping out in a few months. Some people are getting married a month or a few weeks before shipping out and their wives/husbands are staying behind... I can't see that turning out too well. It's amazing how many military marriages end in divorce. Friday, I go to a party with Nate, and... Maybe Thursday I'll try to hang out with Tammy, and if she's not available, I'll go visit Carrie. I love having things in my schedule.
Late August, I'll be visiting my ex Kimmy down in Indiana. I haven't seen her in a number of years and it'll be wonderful to spend time with her again. She's a natural redhead with incredible green eyes and she just graduated with a bachelor's in Anthropology so she's definitely got a good head on her shoulders. Me and her have quite a history... We met on Battlenet when we were in high school, and we went out for a while and then broke up. A few years later and a few girlfriends later, we went out again, and then after a while, broke up again. We always seem to find our way back to each other, so maybe it's meant to be. She's gorgeous but is very picky and most of the guys she meets are either really creepy or simply just aren't right for her. The interesting part of it all is she's the one that suggested I visit her from out of nowhere, saying that I should go down there before I ship out. I'll keep you all posted on how that turns out. :)
Let's see... What else... Oh! Interesting news! I think I can finally safely say that I'm completely over her. While I was at the hotel, Carrie gave me a very fascinating little piece of information and I was able to confirm it when I got home. It turns out Kristy's blatantly flirting with someone who she knows is an enemy of mine and that there might even be something going on between the two of them. Now, here's the kicker that caught me off-guard. I. Don't. Care. At first, I was incredibly surprised that it didn't bother me at all and that I wasn't upset. I'm not even trying to fool or convince myself of this. It's the simple truth, and I could NOT be happier about it. What makes it funny is this guy that she's pulling this with tries so hard to shadow me in everything I do. He followed in my footsteps and imitated me on WoW in every way, he started typing like me after he spent months typing like a 6-year-old, and he moved in and started dating a different ex of mine shortly after I had broken up with her. And now, this. What makes it even FUNNIER is that while I was with her, she talked so much shit about him and ripped on him constantly.
Another bridge burned. Another mistake of a chapter in my life closed.
I can definitely feel myself becoming a new, better man. I've got the world ahead of me and I plan on enjoying every single thing it has to offer. :)
Youuuuu and IIIIII are on the other side of almost everythinggggggggg...
Let me just start by giving a big thank you to everyone that's given me musical recommendations. I love it all and the different sounds and feels of these bands I hadn't heard of before was just the breath of fresh air that I needed. Right now, I can't stop listening to Sherwood, but it's on repeat with the Decemberists, the New Pornographers, Alkaline Trio, the Dears, Rise Against, Breaking Benjamin, and Linkin Park. Delicious.
Anyway! Where to start...
My testing! Two days ago, I took the ASVAB at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Command) and I was incredibly nervous about it since I hadn't taken a test of any kind in over three years. The ASVAB score determines what jobs you'd be eligible for within the service. I got my test results the day after, and pretty much, there isn't a job I'm not qualified for. I sort of pulled a complete 180° on what MOS I was planning on pursuing.
Initially, I wanted to get into data systems or some other form of computing, or, I wanted to be a basic rifleman. Then, I started thinking about my future and what I want to do for the rest of my life since I more than likely won't be a marine forever. To be completely honest, computers bore the everliving hell out of me now. Sitting in a cubicle isn't as great as I had initially thought it would be and I simply can't do it anymore. I've decided to become a... Wait for it... Combat correspondent. Yep. News/media, and I hear there's a good chance I'll be either reporting or delivering the news or be on some other form of programming that's released to the military and even civilian media. With the training and experience I'll be receiving, I could easily make the transition to civilian media after I get out of the military.
The typical enlistment is eight years long, with five years active duty and three years inactive, which means I'd be pretty much leading a civilian life but can be called back to service if the need arises and that VERY rarely happens.
Last night, I stayed at a hotel and it was fully paid for by the government, so I could be bussed off to get my physical at MEPS along with about 50 others that were staying there as well. They came from all over the state, too. Duluth, St. Cloud, Hibbing, Faribault. Most of them weren't even 18 yet and still had another year of school to go. I talked on the phone with Carrie from my hotel's balcony after I got dinner and talked with some random people, and I really wish I had brought my trunks because they had a full-size pool and hot tub. When they said they were going to put me up at a hotel for the night, I didn't think it'd be a nice one, but man. The pillows and blankets were incredible.
I talked to Nate for the first time in a month or so, and he told me that me and him are going to hang out a LOT before I ship out. He's one of the greatest guys you could ever meet and is in a band so told me he's dragging me to a lot of the afterparties and random parties in general. Well, if he's going to twist my damn arm about it, I guess I could go along with it and be a nice guy and all... ;)
I headed into the room and it turned out I had a roommate so we just talked and watched Dallas Swat until about 11:30 when we decided to call it a night. He was pretty cool and is going into the army and is still 17 and like a lot of the people I talked to, he said that his parents were practically pushing him into the service, which is sort of odd to me since my family was doing everything they could think of to keep me from joining.
We had to wake up at 4:15AM. 4. 15. AM. The sheet said the wake-up call was going to come at 4:30, and then we get the damn call at 4:15AM. I honestly can't remember the last time I woke up even REMOTELY close to as early as I did today. Luckily, we weren't like the others who didn't even go to sleep and just stayed up all night playing cards, eating pizza or watching TV.
We headed out onto the bus after getting some breakfast (NOTE: Never drink V8 vegetable juice while eating Raisin Bran) and headed over to MEPS. We got there and this drill sergeant lined us up and led us into the processing area. The next four hours consisted of getting blood drawn, hearing/vision/urine tests, and getting a full physical from a doctor who was a retired two-star general. While I did have to turn my head and cough, I didn't have to go through the prostate check. Any day that I don't get penetrated is a very, very good day.
My eyes have a slight chance of keeping me out of the service. I have astigmatism and have a lot of trouble seeing without my glasses/contacts. But, with my glasses, I see just fine. They're sending me to an optometrist just to make sure it won't be a problem. Other than that, I'm in good health and am ready to be sworn in.
I got home today and just passed the hell out. Between getting blood drawn, waking up before the sun was even up, and sitting around for hours on end waiting to get tested, I was wiped out.
Now, I'm up! Next Wednesday is my optometrist appointment and after I'm done with that, I'll be heading out to visit Megs in St. Cloud again. It'll be great to see her again. I don't know if I said it before or not, but I had to let her down and tell her that I wasn't ready for a relationship, especially now with my shipping out in a few months. Some people are getting married a month or a few weeks before shipping out and their wives/husbands are staying behind... I can't see that turning out too well. It's amazing how many military marriages end in divorce. Friday, I go to a party with Nate, and... Maybe Thursday I'll try to hang out with Tammy, and if she's not available, I'll go visit Carrie. I love having things in my schedule.
Late August, I'll be visiting my ex Kimmy down in Indiana. I haven't seen her in a number of years and it'll be wonderful to spend time with her again. She's a natural redhead with incredible green eyes and she just graduated with a bachelor's in Anthropology so she's definitely got a good head on her shoulders. Me and her have quite a history... We met on Battlenet when we were in high school, and we went out for a while and then broke up. A few years later and a few girlfriends later, we went out again, and then after a while, broke up again. We always seem to find our way back to each other, so maybe it's meant to be. She's gorgeous but is very picky and most of the guys she meets are either really creepy or simply just aren't right for her. The interesting part of it all is she's the one that suggested I visit her from out of nowhere, saying that I should go down there before I ship out. I'll keep you all posted on how that turns out. :)
Let's see... What else... Oh! Interesting news! I think I can finally safely say that I'm completely over her. While I was at the hotel, Carrie gave me a very fascinating little piece of information and I was able to confirm it when I got home. It turns out Kristy's blatantly flirting with someone who she knows is an enemy of mine and that there might even be something going on between the two of them. Now, here's the kicker that caught me off-guard. I. Don't. Care. At first, I was incredibly surprised that it didn't bother me at all and that I wasn't upset. I'm not even trying to fool or convince myself of this. It's the simple truth, and I could NOT be happier about it. What makes it funny is this guy that she's pulling this with tries so hard to shadow me in everything I do. He followed in my footsteps and imitated me on WoW in every way, he started typing like me after he spent months typing like a 6-year-old, and he moved in and started dating a different ex of mine shortly after I had broken up with her. And now, this. What makes it even FUNNIER is that while I was with her, she talked so much shit about him and ripped on him constantly.
Another bridge burned. Another mistake of a chapter in my life closed.
I can definitely feel myself becoming a new, better man. I've got the world ahead of me and I plan on enjoying every single thing it has to offer. :)
Youuuuu and IIIIII are on the other side of almost everythinggggggggg...