2nd Amendment Defended

This was written by my father, there's no question where I get my literary ability now.  But I agree with him, and if you don't, that's ok.  It's your Constitutional right.  Just please read and consider, but don't be a jerk about it.

I find it hypocritical that the people who so fervently defend their constitutional rights of free speech and religion (the first amendment) are so willing to infringe and restrict the supporters of second amendment. If someone tries to restrict your religious rights, you scream to the highest mountaintops. If someone tries to restrict the press and your right of free speech, you call them oppressors and run to the courts to put an immediate stop to it. So why do you want to chip away at the second amendment? I certainly do not approve of pornography, but it is protected. I do not approve of the half-truths the so-called unbiased press spews out on a daily basis, but it too is protected. Mayor Bloomberg and his Orwellian beliefs goes from his private penthouse protected by armed guards, to his guarded limo, to his guarded office and believes we, the law abiding citizens should be restricted from having weapons. He does not live out in the country areas where budget cuts have decimated our police forces and the average time for an officer to get to my home to help is 20 minutes on a good day. By the time they get there it's all over but writing the report on what happened. I watched in disgust as David Gregory interviewed the mayor with kid gloves and did not contradict him when he made incorrect statements. The very next week he (David Gregory) went at Wayne LaPierre from the NRA like a pack of wild dogs on an injured rabbit.

Our constitutional rights (all of them) should be protected with equal enthusiasm by all Americans and should not be allowed to be subverted by any person who does not like a part of the Constitution or by special interest groups, lobbyists, or the fool who does not believe they are all equally important and necessary. My heart goes out to all those affected by the senseless act of some sicko, who by all accounts should have been institutionalized. Unfortunately, we are blaming the weapon, the magazine, the NRA, and law abiding gun owners for this senseless act and demanding to restrict them for these terrible actions. The abysmal failure of society to deal with deranged people properly instead of coddling them is coming home to roost. The failure of the legal system to effectively prosecute criminals instead of making deals and keeping the criminal on the street,  is now the fault of the rest of us and we should pay the price for the criminal rather than put them in jail where they belong. Stop blaming everything on the gun or the magazine and put the blame where it belongs -- on the criminal or the deranged animal that carries out these senseless acts.

All of your rhetoric and demands for stricter laws have scared the law abiding citizens into running out and purchasing so-called assault weapons and high capacity magazines to the point they are now on back order for fear you are going to take away their rights. What you have accomplished is a near panic among the usually reasonable populous because they now are in fear of the government. When the people fear the government, they are poised to do irrational things, which none of us want. It's time to step back, take a deep breath and work on fixing the problem in a reasonable and sensible manner keeping mind that the Constitution must be defended on all parts.

New Year, New Rules

Ok, so this one, yet again, only has a little bit to do with the Navy.  It's more or less just me being me, again. Haha.  But since 2012 is about to end, I feel like I need rules for 2013.  2012, while not overall a bad year, was for lack of a better term, a clusterf$%#.  But, for better or for worse, I have learned a few lessons.  So those lessons have been translated into new rules.  For those of you who read this and know me, please all of you be whip crackers and slave drivers to keep me to these!  I won't be mad at you, for I'm asking you to do this. So here goes:

Rule #1.) Above all else, family comes first.  I know I'm not the greatest at saying so, but I love you guys.  If it weren't for you, I would have failed so many things so many times over.  So as part of this rule, I need to make sure I tell you that I love you and I appreciate you.  And I know this life is almost as hard on you as it is on me.  I hate saying goodbye to you, even when you can stay with me all the way until I have to board my plane.  But I have decided that this difficulty in saying goodbye simply translates into love.  And I thank God for that.

Rule #2.) After family, comes me.  I've learned that putting other people first is the wrong way to go about things, unless they are family.  So after making sure I'm square with my family, I need to take care of myself.  This includes watching what I eat, working out on a regular basis, and doing what I need to do to get where I need to be.  Which leads me to rule #3....

Rule #3.)  Relationships will be verified and dealt with accordingly.  Any relationships deemed toxic will be excised as one would treat a cancerous cell.  I can't afford these emotionally taxing relationships anymore.  I'm too old to deal with this stress, haha.  I know who my friends are, I know who the people are who love me.  I don't need some silly little boy who thinks he's a man invading my life.  I'm done with the drama, I'm done with the utter bullshit and I'm moving on.  If this means I'm on par with a nun, then so be it.  I'm perfectly ok with that.  I'm not trying to be Saint Jessica, I just need to be more selective about who I keep in my life and who I let go.

Rule #4.)  Be careful who you trust.  Not everyone in this world is worthy of trust.  In fact, most people aren't.  While there are people who the Navy trusts at my command (and every other command) with massive state secrets, that doesn't mean they're worth telling a single word of your life to.  In fact, most of them will gossip like old red hens and run around spreading your business with their big mouths.  If the government trusts them, it doesn't necessarily mean I should, too.

Rule #5.) Find God.  I've never been an atheist, I've always believed God exists, but it's about time I found Him.  I have no idea how I'm going to do this.  I might try churches, though I never feel comfortable there, I might go back to Vinyasa yoga, or just meditation and reading on my own. This is perhaps going to be the most difficult of goals, but I don't think it's impossible.  I always remember a line from the movie, Eat Pray Love, "God dwells in you, as you." So maybe by finding God, I'll find myself.  Hopefully.

Well, that's about all I have for now.  It's a bit emotional, especially for me.  But hopefully by putting this in black and white and having it out there for the world to see, I'll be more inclined to stick to it. We'll see. Take care, blogger world.  I'll write again soon.  Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, I know I did!

Christmas Leave!

Well, this is probably going to have nothing to do with the Navy at all, especially since I've been home since the 12th :)  But it's all good, I just felt the need to write something!!!

So the last days have been pretty awesome.  No work, no responsibilities, nada.  I love it!!!  It was a well needed break, and with the last weekend I had in Virginia, I was more than happy to leave and recharge.  I've spent all of my time with my family.  But living on a 30 acre farm means I don't have to deal with the city, which makes me happy.  One of the first nights I was home, I was lucky enough to watch the Gemini meteor showers from the roof of my mom's truck.  I've never seen the sky fall like that, it was GORGEOUS!!!!  The last time a meteor shower was happening, I was stuck on base and couldn't see anything, not even one meteor!  That's ok, this last shower more than made up for the others I've missed!!!  I spent two days wandering around Frankenmuth, which is this great little German-style town that is pretty famous for Bronner's, the largest Christmas store in existence.  The second day I spent with my brother's girlfriend, which was nice since I only get to see her and my brother a few days a year. :(

I've spent more than a few days working on a few handmade presents.  I decided my gift list would include one commercially produced item and one handmade item per person.  I won't say exactly what I'm making yet, since it's not Christmas and I'm not entirely sure who reads this blog... (I can only account for two or three people.)  But once Christmas has passed, I'll post what I made :)  Anyway, hopefully everyone is doing well.  Have a safe and Merry Christmas!!!! <3

Welcome to the last post before I go home for Christmas!!! Yay!!!  Needless to say, I'm pretty excited about going home, especially after the weekend I just had.  While the exact details shall remain a mystery to these pages, just trust me when I say it was extremely stressful and chaotic. But that's over, lesson learned.  Next phase, lol.

Tonight as my watch team and I came onto shift, we were greeted by our LPO's.  It was just to go over our mid-term evaluations, nothing overly serious.  As I sat down for mine, I noticed I wasn't nervous.  I'm almost always nervous when faced with being the center of attention regarding, well, anything.  Fortunately, the jist of it all was to keep on being self-motivated and pushing forward, and to keep helping others to push forward as well.  I admitted that I have basically zero confidence in any of my abilities, and was given a solid piece of advice I hope I never forget:  When faced with a decision, it is more important to make a decision and stick to it than to flounder and back down.  Even if you're wrong, so long as the decision was not made with malicious intent, it is correctable.  You learn a lesson, and you move on.  The message they were trying to get across was that we're all human, we're going to make mistakes.  That's how we learn.  Now I just face the task of trusting myself to make a decision in the first place, let alone stick to one! It will take time, but I'll figure it all out.  Fortunately, I have a good chain of command, and they honestly care about their people.  They see everything we do, and everything we don't.  Nothing goes unnoticed, and both the good and the bad are talked about behind their door.  Moral of the story: find your guns, then stick to them. 

It's a good thing I've put this here, because honestly, after today, I DON'T CARE I'M ON LEAVE!!!!! Bahahhaha!  I can't wait to see snow again! This 70+ degrees in the middle of December crap is for the birds!  Have a good night, all!!

Ok, so this post really doesn't have much to do with the Navy, the bulk of it is going to be me whining about stuff, haha, sorry!!  Enjoy it anyway :-P

So on Tuesday, after an all hands call, I had to sit what's called a murder board for my warfare pin.  And no, for those of you who don't know, no one was actually murdered.  You sit in front of a panel of First and the occasional Second Class Petty Officers, and they drill you on every possible question from every section of your PQS.  This process took four hours total.  I felt ok until they started asking questions about a particular watch floor in my command.  Then I just felt absolutely retarded.  Fortunately my short-comings there weren't enough to fail me, so I still passed.  I just need to go back and talk to two of the First Classes about three sections in total (one was the one I thought I failed, the other two I just wasn't as strong as I could have been) as well as going to speak to every chief in the building.  I'm pretty excited about that one.

Unfortunately, later that evening I tried to qualify on the rifle.  Can we say epic fail???? I was qualifying with five guys, and at first I was doing really well.  I was beating all but one guy after the prone position rounds.  Kneeling was an entirely foreign concept to me, so I didn't do very well there.  But my archnemesis was the standing round.  I've never been very steady with standing and shooting anyway, and this was no exception.  My eye protection was in the way, the second set of hearing protection was in the way, and I was frustrated.  So needless to say, I didn't qualify :(  I almost feel ashamed because I've been taught how to shoot properly, by people who know exactly what the hell to do in combat and non-combat situations, but I still failed.  Granted, I've talked to two guys who I regard pretty highly and both of them agree the AR-15 isn't the best rifle anyway, and shooting it from the standing postion sucks.  So I didn't feel quite so bad, but still.  At least dinner came out well that night.  I made whiskey ribs with apple whiskey barbecue sauce and smashed garlic red potatoes for a friend who had helped me move into my  new place.  Not gonna lie, I was more worried about that not turning out than qualifying for rifle.

But on to the real whining.  Since I lost 50 lbs., I've been forever concerned with how I look, and my body composition.  Granted, being around guys who are completely cut doesn't make me feel any better, either.  So as per my general schedule, my weekly leg workout was Wednesday.  I upped the weight a little, since I'm only supposed to be doing a mid-level weight for this one, but damn I'm hurting!!!  I could hardly walk yesterday, so I did 45 minutes on an elliptical to try to push some of the lactic acid out of the muscles. Yeah, that didn't help.  Today, I'm stuck at work for 12 hours, which means the muscles will be given even more time to freeze up and get stiff.  I have a feeling I'll be wandering in circles just to keep blood flow up... ugh.  I get that beauty is pain, but really??  Oh well, what can you do?  If I ever hope to be really sexy and look good without clothes on, it's something I have to deal with.  I'm nowhere near where I want to be, so I'll be cracking down on my diet and exercise for a long time.  I hate the fact that the pressure is always on to be perfect.  There are days when it just makes me wish I'd been born a boy, not a girl.  At least then I wouldn't get dirty looks at the gym for using the free weights.  *le sigh*  Anyway, that's all I've got for now.  Next Wednesday I'll be home in Michigan for two weeks and I'll be pretty happy about that!

Fire Extinguisher = $50, False Teeth = $500, Me knocking you out with a fire extinguisher because you're a fucking moron = Priceless. There are some things money can't buy.....

Welcome to December!!!! One month left in this year, and I can't believe how quickly the year has gone for me.  While the last few weeks have been pretty decent, no major trauma or chaos, last night managed to change all of that. 

I went out to dinner with some people for work, which was a good time, made it home just fine, and passed out.  About an hour later, I was very rudely (though politely) woken up by the fire alarms.  I was horribly confused at first, because the fire alarms actually talk to you, asking you to kindly evacuate the building and to not use the elevators.  I find my way to the main entrance of the building to see that I'm one of a handful of people that actually got up and left their room as instructed.  This, as it turns out, is normal.  At least twice a weekend, these little punk ass children someone put in the Navy decide it is perfectly acceptable (and more than likely hilarious to them)  to wake up an entire, very massive building of people.  They set off fire alarms and discharge at least two extinguishers, leaving the empty canisters for the fire department to find.  Now, while this is irriating by itself, the  most disturbing feature had yet to be revealed to me until last night:  the building has NO security cameras what-so-ever.  WTF?!?!?!  Who in the world thought putting a multi-million dollar building up without installing a security system was a good idea???  Especially when that building is designed to house sailors, most of whom have never lived outside of their mama's house before now, and have no concept of respect or any shred of decency.  These are the same idiots that break washing and drying machines because mama did their laundry and wiped their asses until they left for boot camp.  Fortunately, I did find out there's a bounty on the heads of these little assholes, and I can promise you I'll be hunting them down like it's the opening day of gun season. 

So here's the lesson of the day:  DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE!  Karma's a bitch, she'll get you in her own time, and it will be the most inconvenient for you.  Or one of these days you'll grow up and some little shitbird will return the favor (which is the ending I'm hoping for...) Anyway, that's all I had to rant about.  I spent the day shopping and spending too much money (as usual), and now I'm working a midnight shift so I don't have to be there if the alarms get tripped again.  Win.  Haha.  Happy reading!

Constant Movement comes to an end...

So this isn't too bad, really.  I got a phone call yesterday that PPV had space available for me.  PPV stands for something, but I can't remember what it is.  Needless to say, I packed up and moved out of Schamberger hall as quickly as I could.  The real allure of this place lies in the room set-up.  There are only two people per room, and they share a kitchen and a living room.  Each individual has their own bathroom, bedroom, and walk-in closet.  Did I mention the full kitchen?! Now I can actually cook again.  If you know me at all, you understand why I'm so excited about this.  NO MORE MICROWAVE DINNERS EVERY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!  I'm pretty stoked about that, lol.

There are, however, a few drawbacks to this place.  For one, it's nicknamed "The Castle," and yes, it really looks like a castle of sorts.  The interior is much like a maze, and even the people who've lived here for some time still get lost trying to get around.  Parking isn't the greatest.  While they seem to have space for one car per person, it's still difficult to find parking if you leave at night.  Those are really the biggest ones I can think of right now.  My room did reek of cigarettes yesterday, and it still kinda does.  My roommate apologized for that, blaming it on friends of hers, but it's whatever.  She seems ok so far, which has only been about five seconds of talking to her, lol. The common spaces are all pretty clean, so I have no reason to think she's going to be a bad roommate.  Only time will tell.  I'll post the pictures to Instagram, just so you can see how I'm living now. :)    Other than that, I'm pretty much out of anything to say today! Have a good one ;)

Kinda how I felt today, just thought I'd share... HAPPY MONDAY!

Truths of the "Real" Navy

Alright, now that I have this up and running again, here we go.  So I've spent the last few months in the real Navy, no longer at some bullshit training command.  I've learned quite a few things since I've been here, too. 

1.)  Get all the qualifications you can, as quickly as you can.  This shows upper chain of command that you're ready and willing to whatever they need you to do at a moment's notice.  It also looks good on evaluations and brag sheets that you're forced to do.  I've been at this command for less than six months and I'm very nearly qualified for a warfare pin, which isn't too bad.  I also have a good chunk of the other qualifications I need to be a decent maintenance tech.  Hopefully I'll get those knocked out before January is over.
2.) Learn to navigate politics.  This place is more political than a presidential race!  Seriously, President Obama and Governor Romney could have taken lessons here!  While not all politics are bad, it's good to learn how to move and get what you want without beating it out of people.  If you can learn the system, you can learn to reduce stress and still move upwards.  Politics are really the backbone to it all, the best players get the best slots in the shop, so on and so forth.  I HATE politics, but even I'm learning to make the best of it.
3.)  The Advancement exams are NOT fixed!  While I've only been through one personally, I already know this is not rigged.  Here's where the politics end and the evaluations and raw test taking skills take over.  If you're not a shitbag, you'll get a good evaluation, which gives you points.  Get your education!! Bachelors and Assosicates degress are more points.  Certain awards and certificates count as points, as does passing the previous exam.  But the biggest contributing factor:  STUDY YOUR ASS OFF!  It's a massive test, on par with the most hideous college final exam you've ever taken.  Let's put it this way, if at the end of your senior year in college, they asked you to take an exam over everything you learned during your time at the university, that's what it's like.  It's not meant to be easy.  And yes, I believe some of it is up to fate, and you'll make it when you're supposed to, if you're supposed to make it.  But don't freak out, just read your profile sheet and move forward.  Study where you failed, but don't forget about what you did well in, too. 
4.)  People suck.  There will always be someone to tell you no, or to try and bring you down.  Let the haters hate.  You'll prove them wrong if you're determined enough.  There's one person in particular here I absolutely cannot stand.  Every time I see him I want to find a new way to prove I'm not a "waste of time."  In time, I'll prove him wrong again and again.  I just have to keep my nose clean, chin up and do whatever I need to do.
5.) Listen to someone who's done well and is seen as a "go-getter."  If they did something right, chances are they won't lead you down the wrong path.  Being cautious is good, but don't be completely distrustful.  And listen to the advice of well respected First Classes, Chiefs (inclusive of Senior and Master Chiefs) and Officers, even if they aren't the same rate as you.  They have their collar devices for a reason, and it isn't because they sat around on their backside doing nothing. 
6.)  Support people newer than you.  You were once the newbie that nobody liked, never forget that.  Help them with qualifications, bureaucracy, and generally fitting in.  No, you're not going to like everyone you work with, but don't make them feel like they don't belong, either.  I managed to put aside my severe distaste for a particular person enough to make sure she'd checked in properly, and I still have polite passing conversation with her, just to keep the peace.  Plus, by the time you're an "old salt" at one command, that might mean it's now your turn to go somewhere else and be the "FNG."

Well, right now that's all I have.  I suppose I should get back to studying for this terrifying murder board.  I really hate boards. :-(  And one last note, these are indeed my opinions and observations.  If I offend you, I apologize.  If you don't like what I have to say, then just don't read it.  Have a great night!

Just a Side Note!

Ok, so before anyone asks... No, I did not write all of those blogs in one day.  I actually stole them from another blog that was mine, but I'm an idiot and can't remember the right email to log into that email.  Therefore, I'll be starting over here, with an email address I use every day.  This way, my dumb ass won't forget how to access this!! Haha.  Anyway, I'll try to get a more recent blog up soon. So if anyone actually reads this, hang in there!!!

Time Flies When You're in the Navy....

Yeah, so I realize I've been lazy about this, and in my own defense, there's been a lot going on. Since my last rant, I've gotten a few more topics to rant about, though some will just be advice. I've also had the pleasure of leaving that horrid place called Great Lakes, and have since been allowed to be an adult yet again. It feels so liberating being at a Naval Base that recognizes I'm not a five year old and can cross the street and go to the commissary all on my own!!! Ok, so here goes... Doing what's expected of you: Ok, so I'm now at a normal Naval base, no longer a 'training' one. Thank God for that!! Here, the only thing anyone expects of you, is to be wherever you need to be, when you need to be there. Do your job, and don't get in trouble on liberty. Really not that hard kids!! So far, everyone I know who's here from Great Lakes is doing extremely well, and definitely feels happier being at a real base. Now that I'm finished with C-School, and have moved on to my permanent home (for the next two years, at least) I understand something they used to tell us; always do the right thing, especially when you think no one is looking. Like everyone else in the Navy, I went through a Career Development Board (CDB) shortly after arriving to my new command. I was floored when my Master Chief, Senior Chief, LPO and both career advisors mentioned things I had already done while at the command, things I didn't even think they'd seen. So never, never, never play around just because you think no one is looking. They really do see everything you do. As a result, I've been entrusted with primary supervision of part of my workspace, and am being sent back to school to not only continue the path the Navy started me on, but to make sure this part of our shop continues to run at full capacity. Can we say nerve wracking? Yes, it is. I'm not going to sit here and say I'm Joe Navy, that I can't do anything wrong, God knows that's not true. But all I've done so far is hit the ground running, and I don't intend to stop. Those who are higher ranked than I am see that I'm trying, that I'm not sitting on my ass because I'm the new kid and don't know anyone. They see that I'm getting right into the work loads, getting my qualifications, and working on a warfare pin that my rate usually doesn't have a chance to get. I've made my career goals known to them, and by showing that I'm not going to sit around and do nothing until opportunities arise, my Chain of Command is willing to help me attain my goals. It's never too late to try, and it's never too late to ask for help. Just have high expectations for yourself, and NEVER BACK DOWN. Everyone is going to have bad days, but just like a diet, one bad day is not necessarily going to ruin everying. Just don't do anything illegal. ROOMMATES: Ok, so here's one that seriously gives me heartburn. If you have a roommate, don't be an asshole. Put your shit away, keep your portion of the room clean. Especially if your entire room is considered 'common space' like mine is. I currently have a roommate that REFUSES to clean, and insists that her toiletries need to be kept on the sink or in the shower. F*&% that! I finally had enough last week and put all of her crap under the sink and then cleaned the sink. Another bad habit: flossing your teeth and leaving the nastiness from your teeth all over the mirror. This is absolutely disgusting. I cornered her about cleaning up her filth one day, her response, "My time off is too precious to spend cleaning." Bitch, please, like I don't have better things to be doing? Give me a break. I was always taught you make the mess, you clean it up. Granted, this took a few years to set in, but now I'm pretty OCD about it. It's even worse knowing that I live with someone I didn't choose, and she's a pig. Oh, and dirty laundry: don't leave that shit out in common spaces! In my case, we have two lockers, one larger, one smaller. Lock that shit up! I don't need to smell your nasty laundry because you're too lazy to put the shit away. Also, if your roommate's guy is in the room, wandering around in nothing but a towel is NOT ok. Bitch, I'm a fighter, you'll lose. People are ridiculous. Does anyone understand the words "respect" and "propriety" anymore? Guess not. Get a dictionary, people!!! RANDOM PEOPLE YOU MEET: This is for everyone, but more specifically misogynistic assholes. Don't ever walk up to someone and say, "hey, how about you lay off the calories, you'd be much cuter about 50 pounds lighter." A) you have no idea what that person has been through, or where they've come from. For all you know, they ARE 50 pounds lighter then they once were, and B) in the words of Bob Marley, "Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect -and I don't live to be- but before you start pointing fingers... make sure you hands are clean!" So if you're going to tell me I'm not perfect, you'd better make sure you are! Be courteous to everyone you meet, greet them, even if they don't have any sort of collar device on. You never know, that one greeting may change a horrible day to a good one, just because you acknowledged their existence. So don't be an asshole just because you can, karma's a bitch and so are girls like me. And don't ever knock someone's dreams. Just because they have work to do, and can't reach their dreams now, don't kick that ladder out from underneath them. Everyone needs a dream or two, otherwise we'd all just be robots working from day to day without any hopes of advancing to better lives. For now, that's about all I have, or all I can think of. I don't care which branch's uniform you wear, or your rate/rank, we're all in this together. I know we're not all going to get along swimmingly, but it's ok. Just treat each other with respect, we're all fighting for the same cause. We're all Americans, let's act like it.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

So it's been a minute since I last posted here, I suppose it's time for another blog. Regrettably, (to the few who really read this) I only have a short post this time. This one is on respect. For the last few weeks I have been considered an Awaiting Transfer student, and I'm currently working as a Yeoman on another barracks (called ships, here). For the most part, the job is pretty much standard office paper-pusher stuff, nothing to interesting. But I have noticed how people respond to authority in said office. Most of the people I see on a daily basis have either gotten so lax in their bearing, or flat out just don't give a damn anymore, they refuse to acknowledge anyone higher in rank than they are. For example, standard office entering procedure:
Knock three times, wait to be called in. Once told to "enter and report," the student will loudly respond (at attention) "Good morning/afternoon/evening, (highest person in the room), SN Navy reporting." On a standard night student schedule, this comes out as.... "Good morning, chief. SN Smuckatelli reporting." Easy, right? Yeah, no. More often than not, most people will just try to walk in, do what they want and leave. Or they decide not to report at all and just demand something from the yeoman. Doesn't fly with me, thanks. The worst was when one female decided to refuse to enter at all, and when told several times to enter and report, she finally told me no, she wouldn't enter until the officer left, that she wasn't going to deal with him. Who the f%$# do you think you are?! And once the officer left, she refused to speak to him though he had to walk right past her. Bitch, please. If you expect to ever get respect in the Navy, you'd better learn to give it.

Here's another thing, using the word "shipmate." I may very well be your shipmate, however, my name is printed on my chest, and my rank is on my collar. Use one or the other, but don't be a jackass and say shipmate. I had a watch do this to me about a week ago. I crossed the quarterdeck improperly given the base was on a heightened security level, to which I apologized. The watch looked at me and goes "hey, shipmate, next time cross the right f%^$ing way." I looked at him, and said point blank "Are you really going to 'shipmate' a petty officer?" His response,"Well, don't expect me to call you petty officer, because I don't give a f^%$ who you are, you're nothing on my quarterdeck." Yeah, needless to say, the NMTI we had on deck that night had fun with the watch. I was warned by a Chief that once I got my third class petty officer status I'd be treated like dirt because I'm what's called a "push-button" E-4, meaning my advancement was guaranteed in my contract before I ever hit U.S. Naval property. But guess what? It doesn't matter how I got my crows, I still have them, and I am therefore above you, so you will respect that. I don't care if you don't like me, or want me dead. You will still respect tradition and honor that or you will face the consequences. Now I'll be the first one to admit, it's weird to hear someone call me petty officer, but I've gotten used to it. I'd rather people just use my last name, and that's fine with me. But if you want to disrespect me, go ahead and see how well that goes for you. I can promise you, it won't end well. So all in all, respect EVERYONE above you. I know there are people you're going to hate and hope they get thrown over the deck of an aircraft carrier, but none the less, to their faces suck it up. Someday you'll be the person everyone hates but has to respect, so deal.

Don't Kill Anyone...

Ok, so there are a few things I've made pretty clear that I cannot stand. Especially not when it comes to military members, and definitely not regarding Navy!! So this next whole rant stems from my graduation from A School, and the return to base following the weekend. Kids, here's what NOT to do....

LOOK LIKE A SHITBAG: This one came from my graduation, which my family will agree, some people in the ceremony just looked like a sack of crap that had been left in the rain. Uniforms all wrinkled, shoes not shined, ropes all out of place and looking awful. So here's the deal folks: YOU'RE MILITARY, ACT LIKE IT! The way you dress, the first impression you make on people, says a HELL of a lot about who you are as a person and as a coworker. If you look like ass, most people will probably believe you aren't worth your weight in burlap, and probably won't work well as an employee. Take pride in the way you look, it makes a difference. I understand some of us have been stuck on this base for a long time, and quite a few of us have had enough of the rules, regulations and general b.s. that we deal with on a daily basis, but this is not an excuse. You still have impressions to make every day you're here. You have no idea who's watching you, deciding if you're really someone they want to associate with or not. Above all, when you graduate and you're celebrating finishing A school, look sharp!! Iron your uniform, shine your shoes, make sure your ribbons are correct and clean, your cover is white, and your neck-kerchief is tied properly and looks good. Remember, you not only represent the United States Navy, you also represent yourself and your family. And trust me, other people's family members and your fellow sailors will see you, and wonder what the f@#% is wrong with you. Again, I get it, we've all been here too bloody long, but still, take some pride in your appearance. Be proud to be a Sailor, and a graduate of your respective school. This goes for ALL personnel!! The senior chief at my graduation looked worse than some of the graduates. It was as if he had actually picked his uniform off the bedroom floor and put it on, then drove to base. Really? Is this the image you want to put out there? Thanks, but I'll keep my boots and dress shoes shined, and my uniforms pressed. Call me what you will, but it's who I am, and dammit, I'm proud to be a sailor.

WHEN IN PUBLIC, WATCH YOUR MOUTH!!!! This one really had me pissed off, and if you know my mother or my brother, you can ask them exactly how peeved I was. So after my amazing graduation weekend with family, I had to get my butt back to base. Train to Chicago: quiet and on time. Train from Chicago to base: I wanted blood. I tried to stay away from them, I really did, but I swear some people just attract irritating idiots (like I do.) As I'm sitting on the train, this group of sailors sits across from me on the upper deck. I tried to ignore them, but no dice. The one girl had a voice that equates to nails on a chalkboard, and she was LOUD. Now, keep in mind, I'm also loud and I know it, but I understand what the words "propriety," "security risk," and "force protection" mean. This girl was pissing me off to no end. First the group went off about how they have to keep their uniforms neat, and pressed, and their boots shined. For the rant on this, see previous paragraph.... What really pissed me off though, was how this girl decided it was okay to tell her "boyfriend" about where a particular ship was (and yes, she said EXACTLY which ship, and EXACTLY which port), the fact that half this ship's crew was on leave, and how parts of her armaments were disabled due to repairs. Well, princess, I'm glad you know EVERYONE on this train, and have background checks on all of them, and are therefore comfortable letting THE ENTIRE CAR KNOW ALL OF THIS!!!! We have a phrase in the navy, "Loose lips sink ships," and a more modern version "Loose Tweets sink Fleets." These are NOT idle phrases!!!! If you are in the military, and I don't care which branch, WATCH YOUR MOUTH! You never know who's around to hear your conversation, and what information those same people can pull from that conversation. Especially in this day and age. We must always stay vigilant, and be extremely careful what you say in public. Your best bet? Leave the conversations to restricted areas, with restricted personnel. NEVER talk about ship's movement, or ship's company details. Keep fellow sailors safe!!! If you don't want to be here, then leave. But don't potentially threaten the lives of hundreds if not thousands of fellow sailors and their families. Take a higher route, not a treacherous one.

One More Thing...

Oh yeah, just an addition to the previous rant... FEMALES: if you do decide to get married, CHANGE THE NAME ON YOUR DAMN UNIFORMS. You are out of regs if you don't, and you can be held accountable by the UCMJ. Just so you know.

New Year, New Vents.

Ok, so I know it's almost Valentine's Day, and I finally got off my ass and remembered this blog. Sorry, Hil!!! Haha. Anyway, so a LOT has happened in the last few months... so I'll start with a few "What Not to Do's"...

1) DO NOT GET MARRIED/ENGAGED TO SOMEONE YOU MET TWO MONTHS AGO. I am a prime example of this. You don't know that person, even if you think you do. It's a bad idea, and you never know, it could be a situation that would end up costing you your life. Or the person is just an asshole who wants nothing more than a nursemaid, cook and house orderly for his kids. You never know. Long story short, have fun, be safe, but DON'T GET TOO EXCITED TOO QUICK. Now, I'm not saying don't date, or don't have fun with anyone, just don't be stupid. Fortunately, I woke the hell up and got out of my situation before it got out of hand. Ladies and Gentlemen, don't let anyone control you for any reason. I'm in the Navy, I have enough people I have to answer to, I don't need a master with a short leash on a choke chain, too. F*$@ that! So there's that...

2) WELCOME TO THE MILITARY. REGULATIONS ARE NOT AN OPTION. This one could get pretty long... here goes. Uniform Regulations: maintain them. If you look like a bag of ass, I'm going to say something. You chose to sign the dotted line and wear these uniforms, do so with some semblance of pride. If you don't care what you look like, that says a lot about who you are. And to be honest, I don't want you on my crew. If you take pride in how you look, and you make that obvious, then nine times out of ten you're a hard worker that doesn't take things for granted. Personally, and my roommates can attest to this, I fuss like crazy over uniforms. Especially what we call our Peanut Butters, since those are inspected most often. If you know your ribbons are supposed to be 6 1/4" from the shoulder seam, then 3" is not going to cut it, dumbass. Get a ruler, they're cheap and the NEX has plenty. Use an iron, honestly, it won't kill you... well, some people it might. Don't over-starch your blouse, it will show up. But the slacks, have at those. You can actually use enough starch on those to make them stand up on their own, I've done it. Collar devices: again, GET A RULER. There is a specific place those go, get there. And for the love of God and all that is holy, shine your bloody shoes!!! It's a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference. If you don't have pride in how you look, how do you expect a First Class or a Chief to take you seriously? Think about that one!
FEMALES: Omg, seriously? FIX YOUR DAMN HAIR. I have a LOT of hair, but I manage to make it look inspection ready all the time. If you don't know, ask someone. A particular FC1 on dayshift is a great resource, and she's pretty cool. Ask other females, if you see one who's hair looks good, ask her how she does it. If someone offers you advice, i.e. "hey, you might want to pick up some straight pins, or some bobby pins" TAKE THE ADVICE AND DON'T BE A WENCH ABOUT IT. We're already facing enough to overcome, we don't need to add little things to it. Make-up: by all means, wear it, but do so appropriately. Bright blue or green eyeshadow is inappropriate for a professional setting. If you can see a clear make-up line at your jaw, here's a hint: your make-up is the wrong color, change it. And if you look like a two-dollar hooker and a petty officer says something to you, don't take an attitude with him/her. They're telling you because you're out of regs, get over it, and roger up.
BOTH SEXES: For the love of God, SHOWER, use DEODORANT, remember that you may not be able to smell your raunchy ass, but the rest of us can. And after living in Europe during the summer for two months, I'm a freak about this kind of stuff. Oh, and brush your damn teeth. If you have halitosis and you know it, bring a toothbrush to school with you. It may be awkward, and people may say something, but oh well. You'll live. I keep those Wisp things on me, and brush my teeth after chow every night. It's not a big deal. Remember, this may just be school right now, but it is your job. You are being paid to learn until someone can ship your tail to the fleet and make you work. Please be professional at all times, especially with hygiene and appearance!!!

3) DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL WAS REPEALED, BUT DON'T POKE A BEAR WITH A STICK. Ok, so here's a vent I just have to throw out there, and please don't get mad at me. You have the right to be attracted to whomever you chose, and that's all well and good. But do not let your actions affect other people, especially in a barracks that has seen more than her fair share of sexual assault/harassment issues!!! Example: the rogue roommate who has decided to have a new gf, and sleep in that room instead of her own, even though our 1MC taps announcement is as follows: "TAPS, TAPS, LIGHTS OUT. ALL HANDS TURN IN TO YOUR OWN RACKS. MAINTAIN SILENCE ABOUT THE DECKS. NOW TAPS." Therefore, sleep in your own bed!!!! If you mess this up for other people, they tend to get angry, angry people do crazy things. P.S. We all know where the blind spots on the cameras are, just sayin'.

4) CLEAN! Ok, so we may be at a training facility right now, but this isn't going to change in the fleet. I currently live in a four person dorm style room. The four of us share a kitchen and a bathroom, and we each have a foot locker, rack, desk, and closet. If you see the same people cleaning all the time, DO SOMETHING. Don't just sit there and read, or do whatever. You live here, too. I shouldn't have to clean your mess all the bloody time. Get off your ass and pick up a sponge, a broom, whatever. Just help out!!! And don't be rude and leave your stuff everywhere, to the point where others can't get to their stuff. Contain your disaster...

Well, for now I think that's all I've got. I need to finish up here, then get my tail to class. Big exam today, though it hopefully isn't too bad. I'll try to get on here more often :)

September: The leaves begin to change...

So apparently this is turning into a monthly blog... the beauty of not being connected to the interwebs as much as I once was. To be honest, right now not much has changed. I'm on the verge of finishing one school and starting another, but that's about it. We were made to stand witness to a Captain's Mast session, which is kind of like court, but not. It's much less formal and less severe than a court martial. Long story short, more than a few sailors were stupid and had a hotel party after they were strictly told not to, and got caught. Judgement day was today for seven of them. So that was mildly entertaining. I found out yesterday I have a PRT (fitness test) in two weeks... joy. And above and beyond that, there's not much to tell. I got away from people that drag others down, and found better friends here. I've been through a lot of stress lately, but that's all working itself out. It's starting to feel like fall here, which makes me happy. I love fall, it's my favorite time of year. Fall means haunted houses, pumpkins, costumes, and college football (GO GREEN!! GO WHITE!! GO SPARTANS!!) So right now I'm just waiting whatever is next in my life. We'll see what the universe brings me :)

Round Two

Ok, so it's been a little over a month since my last post. Sorry for the delay, Hilary!! hahah... Anyway, so I've realized a few things in the last few weeks, and I'll explain each in turn. 1) Chipping paint isn't the worst idea I've heard of.. yet too many people seem to think I'm too smart for that. 2) Some people just shouldn't be part of the military. 3) This place can feel like prison, and yet, it's not that bad.

Ok so begin explanations, now: 1) Chipping paint. This little phrase is something most of us on this base tend to link to the undesignated people. If you're undesignated, you have no set job when you hit the fleet, you're at the mercy of every superior you come into contact with. More often than not, you're given the worst jobs, chipping paint, cleaning things no one else wants to, etc. I got extremely frustrated about a week ago and told my instructor to just send me to chip paint, I'd survive! He disagreed, and told me to try again. Needless to say, I eventually figured out what I was doing wrong, but still wanted to go chip paint. Let me state this here, however. I will be in some from of school for the first nearly two years of my naval career, which, after nearly six years of college, is a little daunting. So the fleet will remain a mystery for the next year and a half or so, much to my dismay. Eventually, I'll get to do my job instead of sitting in front of a computer screen teaching myself about electronics, so there is still hope.

2) Some people shouldn't be in the military. Ok, so this one just pisses me off. You signed the damn contract, you knew they were going to control your life, get the hell over it and stop trying to bring me down with you!!!! So this one person I know, who shall remain nameless, has decided the "navy" has ruined her life. She didn't get what she wanted, she hates her job, she doesn't want to be here blah blah blah. First of all, you knew what the job was when you signed the contract, ADVANCED ELECTRONICS. So don't give me that crap about you hate electronics, you've never liked them. So why did you sign in the first place?! Secondly, of course they tell you what to do, and when to do it. It's the Navy... a branch of the military... uh, yeah. Furthermore, if you want out that badly, I'm sure there are ways to get out. Granted, none of them will look good on you for the rest of your life, but still. So if you don't like being told what to do all the time, following simple directions, or accepting things you cannot change: DON'T JOIN THE MILITARY. Thanks.

3) Base is like prison, even though it's not quite that bad. Honestly, this all stems from being cooped up on base for too long. It really isn't that bad, but between double duty days and lots of school, I've been stuck here for far too long. There's everything I need here, food, entertainment, places to run, etc. But there's still a damn fence, haha. I just want to be on the other side of the fence for awhile!!!

Otherwise, not much is going on around this place. Classes are going relatively smoothly, I'm well on schedule to graduate on time. I've recently discovered that A school is a lot easier than ATT, so that makes me happy. It will all work out in time, hopefully. Well, that's all I've got for now, later!!

The Beginning

So at first, I thought to myself this may not have been a good idea. But then I blinked and boot camp was over and done with. I was walking around with my parents and my brother's girlfriend in my dress white uniform, exhausted but proud to have made it through. My family seems to be proud of me, I'm part of something amazing, a brotherhood of sorts. While I'm not yet a real asset to the fleet, I'm still here, I've still started a journey that will aid in the defense of this country. Most days, I feel like I'm back in college. I live in 'dorms', I eat in a galley with everyone else on base, and I go to class Monday through Friday. The biggest differences are the uniforms I wear, and the regulations I follow. But while I know these are sacrifices, I'm happy with them. I'm following a family tradition of national service, and I'm proud of that. Most days I don't notice it, I just feel normal. I miss my family and my friends, and there are days I don't think I can take much more. But there are days I look at that flag and I remember what those colors stand for, and how much American blood has been spilled to keep her flying. The best I've felt is when someone walks up and says thank you, and they mean it. I don't mean when big name bands come, give concerts and say thank you, I mean when the random lady in a wheel chair comes up to you in the mall because you're wearing a uniform and shakes your hand while she says thank you with tears in her eyes. It hits hard, and then you realize that some people really do appreciate what we do.

I really notice it when the anthem is playing, for some strange reason. This past 4th of July was my first on a military base period, let alone my first as a Sailor in the US Navy. Every time I heard the anthem that weekend I felt overwhelmed, explain that!! Normally I just stand up straight, sing along, respect the anthem and the flag, but that's about it. I don't know if it was standing at attention among approximately 75,000 civilians, clearly being military despite being in jeans and a tank top or what, but I felt that surge of pride again. It's strange. Though I have to admit, right now I'm anxious to get out to the fleet. It's going to be a very long time before I get there, which, like so many others, is making me feel like the fleet is a mythical creature along the lines of unicorns and centaurs, but I'm assured it does exist. What I look forward to the most, aside from the travel, is the mix of purely military evolutions and the humanitarian works of the Navy. The line is always drawn to distinguish the enemy from victims of tragedy or senseless, violent governments. But for now, I'm in school learning my rate. Or rather, in a pre-requisite school to my 'A' School. But I'm excited, motivated, and ready to be here. I'll try to stay on here once a week or so, at least until I hit the fleet, then God only knows where I'll be at any given moment. But until then, I'll keep going here!!!! :-)