Wow, only 500 posts behind

I've noticed when I usually post, my brother is 500 posts ahead of me...exactly. I'm not sure when he started his blog, but I know it was way before I did. He used to post daily, sometimes multiple times a day, but now it is more like every few days. Oh, well. He has a lot people reading his and I do mine just for family. I am not sure if my family knows more through the posts or when I talk to them on the phone. I call my mother at least once a week. My older sister usually once a week. My little sister maybe once or a couple of times a month. My older brother...well, I am afraid to call him sometimes. I have called him at 2pm before to have him answer "What do you want? I'm sleeping" Wow. I tend to talk to him more through e-mail now.

Well, had my car repaired again last week for the umpteenth time. Another $500 down the drain. Hopefully nothing else goes wrong with anything else. I have drill this weekend and another PT test. My older sister officially challenged me a couple of weeks ago to a PT test. Well, actually, she just wanted to challenge me in the 2-mile run, but instead of beating me in time, she wanted to beat me by score. Which a 34 year old male is a lot different than a 40 year old woman. So I insisted if she wants to do it by score rather than time, we should do the complete APFT. Push-ups, Sit-ups, and 2-mile run. As well as Height and Weight and tape if needed. I also told her we should do it during a family get together to give her the satisfaction of humiliating me in public if she beats me. I mean, what do I have to lose? If she wins, good for her. If I win, I can smell a rematch later. As long as I meet my minimums, I am satisfied.

Work has been going ok. I have my Commander, XO, and 1SG coming out this weekend. It will be a long weekend in the office with them as we will be hashing several things out. My middle child's birthday is in 2 weeks and he will be turning 8. We are now entering the birthday season for my family. First is my 2nd child, then mine, then my wife's, and finally my daughter's. My oldest is the oddball in May. The four of us are all between Oct 14-Nov 12. Anyways, that's all for now.

The Lone Ranger

Ok, let me start by saying the following is a joke I heard and wanted to share. Mom, you may not want to read it.

So, while I was at my Army school in Massachusettes, one of the guys in my unit went with me. He is Native American. While we were in class, others were calling him Tonto. Not to be mean, but just playing around. He told them that they would need to hear his Lone Ranger joke at the end of the 2 weeks. It goes like this:

The Lone Ranger was getting old and was getting ready to retire. The Indians had heard rumors that Lone Ranger had killed or did something to Tonto as no one has heard from Tonto in years. So the Chief decides to send a search party to capture Lone Ranger before he retires. They bring him back to the Chief.

"In three days we will have a celebration. At this celebration we will kill you. However, I will grant you three requests," the Chief tells Lone Ranger.

"I wish to speak with Silver" he replied.

The Chief agrees to let Lone Ranger speak to his horse. Lone Ranger leans close to Silver's ears and whispers lowly where no one can hear. Silver's eyes widen and he takes off. A short time later, Silver returns with a beautiful blonde girl on his back. The girl gets off and goes with Lone Ranger into the teepee.

The next morning the Chief comes out and sees Lone Ranger and smiles.

"Ah, I am impressed. However, you have two days to live. Do you have another request?" asked the Chief.

"I want to speak to Silver" Lone Ranger said.

Again he is allowed to speak with his horse. He leans in and whispers in Silver's ears again. Silver again takes off quickly.

A short time later, Silver returns with a gorgeous brunette on his back, more beautiful than the blonde. The brunette gets off of Silver and goes into the teepee.

The next morning the Chief again comes out and smiles at the Lone Ranger.

"Ah, again, I am impressed, but tomorrow, you will die. Are you ready for your last request?"

"Yes. I want to speak to Silver. In my teepee" the Lone Ranger replied.

The Chief thinks about it and agrees. The Lone Ranger and Silver head into the teepee. The Lone Ranger turns around, grabs Silver by the ears and glares directly into his eyes.

"For the last time, I said 'Bring POSSE'"

Finally back up

My computer at work has been down all week. It is finally back up today. As you can see above, it is me and Ben Stein. This was at Dallas on my way back from Boston.

I got married again on Wednesday. I now have two wives. My first wife, and The United States Army. I just re-enlisted for indefinite, which puts me getting out in 2034. So, another 25 years and I'll be free.

Anyways, just wanted to get on and post. Gotta catch up on work now. Oh, yeah, first week of school is going alright. But I hate fake people that just post to meet the requirements.

I am high in the sky

No, honestly, I am. I am on my way back from Boston from my military school. Had problems with the plane in Dallas. On a different flight heading home now. I am over 30,000 ft in the air on the internet thanks to American Airlines and GOGO wi-fi. While in Dallas I ran into Ben Stein and he shook mine and my buddies hands (because we were military). Got picture with him, but may post later. Yeah, I say that about a lot of things. Anyways, I will wrap it up as it is hard to type on a laptop when you sit in a middle seat.

Almost over

Here it is Thursday and I am almost done with this school. The last 3 days we spent out in the field. Weather was nice considering it rained most of the first week we were here, but it didn't rain while we were in the field. It got a little chilly at night, at least for me it was as I am used to AZ summer nights in the 90's, but it was in the 50's and 60's at night. All of our academic tests were done the first week and I passed with a 92.60%. I will be leaving Sat afternoon to return to AZ.

When I get back I have to get the car fixed, again. Before I left, I replaced the battery and now it seems like it is not getting any gas and just dies. This car has been giving me a lot of problems lately. I will finally be caught up on all my bills within the next couple of weeks. At least I will have everything current. Including having car insurance and my registration back on the vehicles.

I guess the family has been sick while I have been gone. It usually happens that when I leave, one of the kids get sick and then they pass it around. It is usually gone by the time I get home. Next week I have to go in for my annual medical and dental check ups for the military. At least now I am done with all of my military schools. In April next year, I will have to go to a 2 week course for my civilian job. I will also be leaving out for two weeks in Dec to go to Germany again.

I will be elgible to put my packet in for promotion to E-8/Master SGT by June next year. A lot of it depends on if the Commander will allow me to get promoted and stay in my position as we do not have any slots at our location for an E-8. Not sure if I want to do it just yet either as I still have 9 years to go. I re-enlist next Wednesday for indefinite. What that pretty much means is I will be in until retirement age. It's been good so far. That's about it for now.

Quick update

Well, this is a quick update from school. I passed my PT test (YAY ME). I have so far passed 4 out of 6 exams. Getting ready to do the 5th one here shortly. Should be taking the final one tomorrow. Next week we go to the field for 3 days. Hopefully we will have Sunday off and I can go into Boston. Maybe get to visit the "REAL" Cheers bar. Apparantly they have two of them here. One is the real one and the other is where they filmed the show that is more of a tourist attraction/gift shop.

Well, just wanted to drop a quick update. One more week to go before I return home. See ya.

All in

That is how I feel today. I just enrolled with a University to do online classes to earn a Bachelor's Degree. They say with all my military credits transferring over, I should get my Bachelor Degree in about a year and a half. And if I decide to continue, it will be another year to get my Master's. Hmmmm. Well, the military is paying for it anyways, why not? So I will start my first class when I return from military school near the end of Sept. I will be able to finish 2 classes before I leave in December to Germany for another two weeks. I guess this will be one way to soak up my time here at work.

I have been getting ready to leave Saturday for Massachusettes. Not much else to do except make sure I have a ride to the airport at 4am. It will be a long flight as it is non-stop, but I like it that way. Plenty of time to sleep and not be disturbed to switch planes or anything.

After this trip, I should be caught up on all my past dues. Then I can actually have money to do things with my family. Since the wife and kids and I haven't really been able to go anywhere or do anything. It will be nice to be ahead of the game again.

Watched a few movies last week. ADVENTURELAND wasn't as good as I thought it would have been. VALKYRIE I didn't originally plan to watch because I am not big on Tom Cruise, but I did rent it because it was based on true events. It was actually a good movie. Another movie I watched about a month ago was based on real events also, DEFIANCE. Can't remember the other movies, so they must not have been that great. Right now I have THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. No desire to really see it, but the wife wanted to. Maybe I'll watch it tonight.

I've been watching HELL'S KITCHEN this season. I love this show. It just gets better and better. Can't wait for my other shows to start their seasons. I watch HEROES, FRINGE, all of the CSI's, NCIS, SMALLVILLE, ELEVENTH HOUR, CRIMINAL MINDS, WITHOUT A TRACE, and sometimes I'll watch BONES, LIE TO ME, and THE MENTALIST.

Well that's about it for today.

BORED

I know I shouldn't be complaining since I do have a job and many Americans don't at this time, but I am bored. I sit in my office all day and wait for something to do. I daily run out of things to do after I check the news websites, the movie datbase, the blogs I look at, etc. I can only think of so many things to google.

I leave out Saturday morning to head to Massachusettes for a military school. I won't be back until mid/late Sept. Of course I will have to take an APFT while I am there...you know, push ups, sit ups, 2-mile run. I should be able to pass it, but we shall see. The academics portion I am not worried about.

After I return from that, I am going to go back to school. I have already been talking to a school for the last few months and will return to school once I come back at the end of Sept. I will be going for a Bachelor degree which should take about a year and a half with credits being transferred over. I am also thinking of going for a Masters after that which would be one additional year. I don't really "need" it, but just in case after I am done with the military and government service, I want to have something to fall back on.

Everything else at home has been fine. Since starting this job in late June, I am just about caught up on my bills. I am still behind on the electric bill and getting my vehicle plates unsuspended, but all of that should be taken care of when I return from school.

I also have a physical and dental exam coming up when I return. The Reserves now do a physical yearly instead of every five years, which it used to do. I hope I pass these exams as I am not sure what to study for them. haha.

Anyways, that's all I have to ramble about today.