FM 6-14: Standard Survival Techniques for Indvidual Sized Units

I guess they're all guilty of it...

2006-02-14T18:43:00.000-05:00

CHENEY VICTIM HAS HEART ATTACK

"... David Blanchard, director of emergency services at the hospital, said Whittington, 78, suffered a "silent heart attack," meaning he did not exhibit any signs of a heart attack, the sweating, shoulder pain or crushing chest pain, but an EKG showed that he suffered an atrial fibrillation. The event occurred around 6:30 a.m. CST, the doctor said, and Whittington was immediately moved to the cardiac catheterization lab in the intensive care unit..."

Ok, so this was published on Fox News dot com. There are so many things wrong with this. Why do they have to refer to the guy as "Cheney Victim?" I've never heard of anyone else being a victim of this mysterious and horrible act of "Cheney." The funniest thing is, the guy basically didn't even have a heart attack. But, sensationalism makes news, and even Fox is guilty of that.

Airborne Creed

2006-01-18T16:01:00.000-05:00

I am an Airborne trooper, A paratrooper! I Jump by parachute from any plane in flight. I volunteered to do it, knowing well the hazards off my choice. I serve in a mighty airborne force, famed in deeds in war and renowned for readiness in peace. I pledge to uphold its honor and prestige in all I am and all I do. I am an elite trooper, a sky trooper, a shock trooper, a spearhead trooper. I blaze the way to far flung goals behind, before, above the foe's front line. I know that I have to fight without support for days on end. Therefore, I keep mind and body always fit to do my part in any airborne task I am self reliant and unafraid. I shoot true, and march fast and far. I fight hard and execute in every art and artifice of war I never fail a fellow trooper. I cherish as a sacred trust the lives of the men with whom I serve. Leaders have my fullest loyalty, and those I lead never find me lacking. I have pride in the Airborne! I never let it down. In peace, I do not shirk the dullest duty nor protest the toughest training. My weapons and equipment are always combat ready. I am neat of dress, military in courtesy, proper in conduct and behavior. In battle, I fear no foe's ability, nor under estimate his prowess, power and agility. I fight him with all my might and skill ever alert to evade capture or escape a trap. I never surrender, though I may be the last. My goal in peace and war is to succeed in any mission of the day or die if it needs be in the try. I belong to a proud and glorious team, the Airborne, the Army, my Country. I am its chosen pride to fight where others my not go to serve them well until the final victory. I am a trooper from the sky! I am my nations best! In peace and war I never fail. Anywhere, anytime, in anything, I am the Airborne!

Goodbye '05

2006-01-03T16:06:00.000-05:00

The year 2005 was probably the most eventful year of my life.

The beginning of the year coincided with the beginning of my relationship with Meredith, which has constantly affected me, whether she was present or not. 2006 comes with a set of challenges: another semester apart, another summer spent training, and the beginning of our sophomore year all mean more time apart than together. However, with a full year together behind us already, I think that we stand poised to accept the challenge.

I graduated high school in May. My future was still uncertain, and soon an unexpected opportunity sent me in a new direction: the Georgia Military College Early Commissioning Program. I set out to the Leader's Training Course in June and graduated in the top 10 of my class. I reported to GMC at the end of August, and made it my home. I joined the Ranger Challenge team, and earned my black shirt. In December I attended and graduated the Airborne School at Ft. Benning. Now I am set to tackle another quarter, and hopefully increase my GPA. As this summer approaches so does the Leader's Development Advanced Course, and my accession. I also, must begin applying to other colleges this year.

Silver Wings

2005-12-21T16:54:00.000-05:00

I've been back from Airborne for about a week now. I must say that it sucks. Not particularly challenging, it was mostly tedious. Granted, it was tedious for a good reason. Things can get quite dangerous when you are leaping from a low-flying aircraft, but it was tedious none the less.

Ground week went by about as fast as pond water. Day Zero, or In-Processing Day was incredibly boring, consisting of about eight hours of standing and sitting around in miserable weather. The next morning we were up bright and early for an APFT. If you can't pass a PT test, then you're a joke, and probably shouldn't be in the Army anyhow. Despite that, we lost almost eighty people from our class for inability to pass the APFT. Later that day we ran out to the Ground Phase Training area, which is about one half of a mile from the barracks. We learned the basics of how to put on a parachute harness, and rip cord grip awareness. Accidental deployments of a reserve parachute can be very dangerous. In an aircraft, it can drag the soldier out of the paratroop door in a less than safe manner, possibly taking other soldiers with him. On the ground it is just a pain in the ass to gather up and deal with. Then we began learning out Five Points of performance:

1. Proper exit, check body position, and count.
2. Check canopy and gain canopy control.
3. Keep a sharp lookout during entire descent.
4. Prepare to land.
5. Land.

The first few days focused on Points of Performance 1 and 2. By the end of the week we had also learned 4 and 5. 1 and 2 were honed using the "mock door" which is a very basic mockup of the inside of an aircraft with benches, an anchorline cable, and a paratroop door. 4 and 5 were practiced on the LDA or "lateral drift apparatus." The military is full of unneccesary acronyms, but hey, they sound cool. The LDA is basically a small scale zipline, on which you hang until told to release. Your forward momentum simulates lateral drift, and you are forced to do a proper PLF (Parachutist Landing Fall) to have a safe landing. PT during ground week was simple. Aside from one mild smoke session, it was a series of very easy runs, the longest being about 3.2 miles.

The weekend after ground week, I went and visited the Arndts in Atlanta. I was greeted with warm hospitality, only to be expected from a child of the Masons and her husband. Andy was a very gracious host and seemed obsessed with assuring that I was properly hydrated. I had a delicious dinner with them Saturday night and attended mass with them the next morning. From there we went on to Lunch at Chili's and a romp about Michael's as Megan looked for school supplies.

Tower week was slightly more interesting. We practiced exits from the 38 foot mock tower. On an interesting side note, almost any obstacle in the military built to instill fear in the user is about 40 feet high. This is because at some point around World War 2, scientists discovered that the human mind was most scared at this altitude, and that we started to lose depth perception any higher than it. As our height passes 40 feet, we lose our sense of perspective, and thus our fear. The start of the week was spent this way, and as we the week wore on we moved to the SLT or "Swing Land Trainer." This particular diabolical device leaves you swinging on a rope twelve feet above the ground. The other end of the rope is in the hand of Sgt. Airborne, who drops you unexpectedly. You are expected to do a proper PLF. The last day or two of tower week was spent covering malfunctions, and there are a myriad of malfunctions. From high altitude entanglements (we had one on our first jump), water landings, wire landings, tree landings, parachute malfunctions, to being towed by the aircraft, you name it and there is a procedure for it. Our PT was culminated by a five mile run, of which the climax was "cardiac hill." I think my pulse may have increased a little bit, but I certainly wasn't working hard.

Jump week was much more fun. We didn't jump on Monday because of high winds on the drop zone. On Tuesday we actually completed three jumps, which is almost unheard of for the Airborne School. On Wednesday we did our final two.

Jumping out of an airplane is a very unnatural act. You get trained and drilled so thoroughly in the actions to take, that you don't really think about it. As we stood up and hooked into the anchor line cable on Tuesday, I remember feeling like I was in a dream. That is, until the first soldier in my stick exited the aircraft. The shuffle towards that C-130 paratroop door felt like a date with destiny. I refused to allow myself to consider what I was doing. When I reached the jump master safety, I looked him dead in the eye, passed of my static line, performed a quick pivot to the right, looked up into the sky (to avoid looking at the ground), and kicked out of the door. Nothing can really prepare for jumping into a one hundred and forty knot wind. Then you get grabbed and thrown by the prop blast. The whole time you must be locked into a tight body position. If not, the air will catch one of your extremities and spin you, resulting in twisted risers and suspension lines. I was so shocked by the force of the prop blast, that my body position was a little weak on my first jump. It resulted in a few twists in my risers, but nothing that wasn't easily corrected. It only took about a minute for me to descend, and I came down on hard dirt road that ran through the drop zone. I performed a proper PLF, and had a rather comfortable landing. The rest of my jumps went even more smoothly, and by my third or fourth exit, my nervousness was replaced simply with excited anticipation to exit the aircraft.

Graduation sucked. It was pooring the whole morning before hand. And being December, by the time the ceremony was over we all had ice on our BDU's. I bought a few items for Christmas, went out to eat with my mom, and then drove home.

I managed to surprise Mer by returning a day earlier than expected. The look on her face was classic.

2005-12-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

I'm currently sitting in the main branch of the Ft. Benning library. I've succesfully completed ground and tower week of Airborne school, and the only thing left between me and my wings is a series of jumps on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

The last two weeks has gone by surprisingly quick. Thankfully so, because most of our training involves learning how to throw ourselves at the ground without injuring ourselves seriously.

I spent last weekend with the Arndts, which was great. Andy and I enjoyed wreaking havoc in Michael's disguised as gay lovers (a story for another day). This weekend has mainly consisted of spending way too much time on the phone and sleeping. Mainly because we aren't allowed to leave a fifty mile radius outside of post.

With luck I'll be home soon enough, and a then all of the real fun will begin.

Airborne

2005-11-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

I leave later this morning for Airborne school. I doubt that I'll have much computer access for the next three weeks. Wish me luck!

Duces.

Turkey Day: Thug Style

2005-11-24T11:26:00.000-05:00

As I was watching the Macey's Parade earlier this morning, something unexpected and hilarious happened. A dance troop called the "Hip Hop Kidz" performed. That isn't the funny part. What was funny was that after they had completed their performance, Matt Lauer looked at Katie Couric and said, "Those kids were off the chain."

Katie replied, "Fo' Shizzle."

No joke. It really happened.

2005-11-20T13:32:00.000-05:00

I've been home for a little bit now, and I'm quite relieved to be away from GMC for a while. I leave for airborne school exactly one week from today.

My father confiscated my cell phone (mainly because of huge overages caused by conversations with one Texas resident who shall not be named) so I had to go buy my own. I went up to Nextel because all of my friends have it, so my bill would be a little cheaper. It turns out that Harley started working at Nextel the day that I went in, so I was his first sale. I bought the i305 phone, which I have been assured is virtually indestructable. Harley made some comment about throwing one through a sheet of drywall and one of his buddy's survived a drop in a swimming pool. It looks and feels like a digital brick. Luckily, I'm not concerned with the fashion of my phone. I have, however, received several comments on how cool it is.

Honestly, life has been boring as of late. I spend most of my time hanging out with Josh or having ridiculously long phone conversations. It must be the lull before the storm. Airborne is going to be busy, if not intense, and upon my return Mer will be home and my family may begin trickling in for Christmas. Commence craziness.

On a side note, Wendy's has an awesome promotional offer going. If I collect 32 medium or biggie size drink cups, I receive a free one way ticket to anywhere that Airtran flies and if I collect 64, I receive a free roundtrip ticket. I only need 62 more cups to be on my way to Texas sometime this spring!

2005-11-15T09:44:00.000-05:00

Alas, I have fallen behind in my blogging. Perhaps it was my intense and hectic schedule, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I didn't feel like I had anything to say. I'm very much looking forward to heading home today, after a long first quarter at GMC. My report date to airborne school is the 28th, so I'll have a good week and a half to relax before I ship out. Mer will be home by the time I return from Ft. Benning, and I couldn't be more ecstatic (on a side note: my plotting to sneak out to Aggieland and surprise her never reached fruition).

My exams so far have been incredibly easy, which is a blessing because I didn't study at all.

My Mom's retirement went well. I got to see much of my family and Candy James. I also got to spend time with my friends from back home, which was a blast.

My trip to the Mason's went well as usual. I set myself upon their food stores and had a nice bit of conversation with Mer's parents. Much to my dismay, Megan's gingerbread men from last year had dissapeared from the cupboard. I was very much looking forward to throwing them at small children from my car window. Those things could do some damage.

Unfortunately, I must be off to my English exam. I'll try to post again soon.

2005-10-27T12:15:00.000-04:00

The sun's rising over black creek again,
and I'm crossing the bridge to our island,
I know your waiting.

The dawn splashes warm across my face,
it greets me as I near your embrace,
it leaves me smiling.

All the light are off,
except in your room,
the house smells like coffee,
I breathe in the brew,
it always makes you happy.

I sneak up the stairs to your room,
Muse is playing and it's freezing to,
I crawl 'neath your covers.

You hear and cross the room towards me,
lean in close and kiss good morning,
dear God I love you.

I now can face the day,
I know you see the flame,
burning deep within my chest,
I breathe in all of you,
It always makes me happy.

Apocalypse Now... or Later?

2005-10-26T11:22:00.000-04:00

What is wrong with the world today? Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, wildfires. What's the deal? Chris swears to God that the world is going to end in 2012. He says it's in the bible code. I, however, make no such attempts at reading the future. What I can tell you, is that I think that the world seems to becoming an increasingly unstable place. Pax Americana couldn't last forever. I just thank God that I'm on the path to be well positioned to make a difference.

I haven't had time to really read any novels lately, but I've been poking around on the web for some new poetry to get into, but have yet to find anything interesting. Any suggestions?

Winter break is rapidly approaching, and I couldn't be more excited. I'll be getting my orders to Ft. Benning should be coming in soon, so my dates at jump school will be fixed. Then, with my $1600 bonus, I'm going to start planning an interesting vacation.

I have no idea what to get ANYONE for Christmas.

2005-10-24T15:23:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted recently because I've had a rough week or so and I don't like to constantly post negative things.

GMC seems to be high school all over again, but worse. When I was in high school, I could go home and sit in my room free from interruption, or go to Mer's house and have a cup of tea and relax. In the barracks people are constantly in and out of our room, partly because they don't know how to respect other's privacy and partly because my roommate doesn't value his alone time as much as I do. I just need time to stop and regroup, and I rarely get that around here.

I'm also receiving a lot of pressure from many different angles. Major Hunt seems to have taken it upon himself to turn me into some sort of super soldier. When he handed Chris his midterm score today he said, "Good job, Walters." When he handed me mine he said, "You can do better, Burns." Chris made a 91. I made a 103. I missed one question. Shoot me now. Chris told me not to worry because I wasn't Jesus. Also, my buddies have been trying to pressure me into not taking any of the training seriously. They even went so far as to answer the phone when Mer called and explain to her that while I would be awesome in the real Army, that we weren't in the Army yet (In their defense I wasn't in the room at the time, and that wasn't the entire conversation). Mer casually pointed out that we were. That's my girl.

Saturday I volunteered for the most hellacious ruckmarch I've been on yet. 6 hours with a 100 hundred pound ruck around the football field and up the stadium. Chris quit after 4 hours, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. He got angry when he realized I wasn't going to walk off the field with him. I suppose he expected me to throw in the towel whenever he did.

I haven't been able to register for classes yet, and Friday is the last day.

Life isn't all bad though. I'm headed to airborne school in a month, and after this weekend we will be officially crested cadets. I look forward to coming home for winter break and seeing everyone. I'm on the final sprint until the end of the quarter. It also looks like I have straight A's, which means I'll have no study hall next quarter.

2005-10-20T09:37:00.000-04:00

Well, Ranger Challenge has been cancelled because of Hurricane Wilma. The storm will be preventing many schools from Florida and the Carribean from making it to the competition. So basically, this past 7 weeks of crazy training has been for nothing. At least I got a good work out from it all.

Unfortunately, many of my friends have decided to give up on GMC. It seems like the cool thing around here right now is to not care. None of my buddies seem even remotely interested in doing the right thing anymore. Being the only person that is standing up and doing what they should is a lonely feeling.

I was in the front lean and rest (push-up position) last night while several of the 400s spent a good 20-30 minutes telling me why they don't like me. Apparently I have once again failed to win the popularity contest, probably because I never set out to win it in the first place. They did mention something about possible Ranger Commander next year though.

I got a parking ticket because someone scraped the decal off of my rear window.

I can't register for classes because I have some issue with my book voucher and I owe the school almost 300 dollars. I also still have to pay that speeding ticket.

I now have to leave for the most boring class ever. See how much I complain? What a soldier huh?

At ease...

2005-10-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

This morning is gorgeous. I don't think that I ever appreciated the fall because I've spent most of my life in Florida. Back home it just gets cold and starts to rain a little more. Here in Georgia it cools down to a refreshing 65 or 70 degrees, the skies are blue, the birds are singing, and a crisp breeze blows right through you and makes you feel alive. The campus has been all dressed up for alumni weekend with flowers, hay bales, lanterns, and a bit of jazz drifting on the breeze for ambiance. The atmosphere outside this morning is the perfect antidote for a stressful week.

Yesterday went well. It started out with dissapointment, I improved my APFT score, but not to the point that I would have liked. However, as the day progressed, things started to look up. The weather was beautiful, just like today's, so when the regiment formed up for the parade there was a magical air about it all. The parade went well. I didn't miss a word. Also, Sergeant Major Stoner is posting a paragraph from an essay of mine on the GMC website. The essay was about the effects the GMC core values have had on me (They are also the Army core values: Duty, Honor Country). I'll post a link as soon as it is up. Later in the evening, we had Ranger practice. It was a wicked smoke session including a water hose and some mud, but we finally earned our right to be called GMC Rangers. Ruzek said our black shirts should be in by Monday. After our little PT session, we went inside and watched Gladiator and ate pizza. I retired to my room for the evening, and drifted off peacefully after a happy call from Meredith. I know she had been anticipating her Mom's arrival very intensely. Hearing her having such a great time made me fell content, and I slept deep and dreamlessly.

Today is the groundbreaking ceremony for the new barracks, and I'm the only cadet besides the Regimental Commander who has been invited to attend. I'm expected to talk to reporters about how I feel about the construction of a new barracks. Sweet, we'll have A/C and internet.

Pictures from the GMC

2005-10-07T09:38:00.000-04:00

GI Party!

My almost inspection ready rack.
My desk.
Crappy picture of our Class Bravo uniform
A typical Ranger practice uniform

In the Early Morning Rain...

2005-10-06T08:47:00.000-04:00

In the early morning rain,
out the door time to train,
in the early morning rain,
out the door time to train...

See the Ranger on the hill,
one shot one kill,
see the Ranger on the hill,
one shot one kill...

Used to drive a Caddilac,
with all my homies in the back,
Used to drive a Caddilac,
with all my homies in the back...

Used to date a beauty queen,
now I got my M-16,
Used to date a beauty queen,
now I got my M-16...

I awoke this morning feeling refreshed. It rained all night last night, and a cool breeze was blowing through our window (we keep it open because we have no A/C). Apparently there was a thunderstorm last night, but I slept through it like a baby. The only time I awoke was when one of our ceiling tiles fell to the floor. I don't know what was up with that, because the things are kind of hard to dislodge, so I would be surprised if it was just a breeze responsible. Anyhow, I rolled off my bunk, strapped up, buckled up, and shuffled to the door. We jogged through the rain to the Military Science Department, where the rest of the Ranger Team was waiting. It started to rain harder. We grounded our rucks underneath an awning, and formed up in our normal running formation. Soon enough we were off and truckin'. The rain picked up some more, and started to get in my eyes. We picked up the pace to about a 7 minute mile. We must have looked crazy, a formation of 12 guys running through red lights with only shiny reflector belts on, in the dark, in the rain. We ran really far, ran back, and then ran back out really far again. Far and fast. Chris and Brett fell out, but the rest of us kept going. It was an intense experience. I always run at the front of the formation because it helps keep me motivated. I just think about all of the guys behind me, and how they would all have to run by me if I were to fall out. I maintained the pace. It's been awhile since I've felt this refreshed and energized, even if it is the kind of day only Meredith Mason could appreciate outside.

Time to Start Leading...

2005-10-04T09:11:00.000-04:00

I was late for Ranger practice this morning. Needless to say I'm incredibly sore. My elbows are all skinned up from doing the high crawl through gravel, and my quads are about to fail from doing iron mikes for about 100 yards. However, they did inform me that I'm currently on the starting team. That was a little motivation to keep pushing through my little smoke session.

We've started wearing uniforms today. I haven't decided whether I like wearing mine or not. It is a bit large, so my little stick arms are conspicious. Maybe I'm being over critical.

Parade practice went great this morning. It's starting to cool off and the leaves should be changing soon. I'm sure that Milledgeville is gorgeous in the fall.

I had an APO meeting last night. We all got to dress in civilian clothes, eat pizza, and watch football.

I need to stay motivated with my school work. I'm not really having to apply myself this quarter, and I feel myself slipping back into old habits. I decided this morning that no matter how ate up the rest of this regiment is, I'm going to do things right. I'm going to look good in my uniform, and I'm going to keep my grades up. I'm going to do the right thing, even when everyone else is doing something else. I'm here to be trained to lead soldiers in the worlds finest army, it's about time I started leading.

Pictures...

2005-10-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

I am now the proud owner of a digital camera. I got it from Wal-Mart for $60, because it was the cheapest one they had with a LCD screen to preview the pictures.

I used the flash while I was backlit for a cool effect.

The hallway on which I live.

The view from where I stand in formation each morning. The sun always rises between those two buildings, just as the National Colors are being lifted.

Never fall asleep while I'm bored and playing with a camera. Clint is still looking for his nose.

"A" is for Airborne!

2005-09-29T20:39:00.000-04:00

Lt. Col. Haager has been developing a running OML (order of merit list) for our military science department. I've been at the top ever since I graduated in the top 10 of our Leader's Training Course class. Anyhow, Major Hunt approached me yesterday with an amazing opporunity. He secured at least 3 spots to go to Ft. Benning for airborne school, between 28 Nov. and 18 Dec. He offered the first slot to me, since I top the OML. What this awesome opportunity means, is that I'll have my airborne wings all throughout college and I have many new opportunities this summer. These opportunities include air assault school, CTLT in Korea or Europe, and some other things I can't remember right now. Oh well, library's about to close, I'll post later.

Land-Nav FTX

2005-09-25T19:02:00.000-04:00

This weekend exemplified the reason that I love what I do.

Thursday, at ECP formation, I was selected to be the Company Commander for the upcoming field excercise this weekend. This means I was responsible for the patrolling and land navigation training of the entire ECP company.

On Friday, we assembled in front of the MSD building to load up and head out for Baldwin Forest. Everything ran beautifully. I delegated commands to my 1st Sgt., who passed them down the chain-of-command and made things happen. Everyone was prepped for our FTX, and I was gnawing at the bit to get out there and show them what I could do. I had the Company marched to chow, and then we saddled up for the short ride to Baldwin forest. We were all packed into 12 passenger vans with our rucks and full battle rattle. Then we were on our way.

Immediately upon arrival at the TOC (tactical operations center), we prepared and initiated a tactical road march to the ORP. I was given a quick brief by my trainer and evaluator, Mr. Ruzek, and then I called in my subordinate leaders. I made a sandtable on the dirt road we were about to march down, and briefed my section leaders for the patrol. We had the company line up into two files along the road, and the 1st Sgt. staggered them in road march formation as we moved out. Throughout the march I was walking up and down the column, passing information to my section leaders, and maintaining tactical awareness. If you've ever seen an entire company in a tactical road march formation, you'd know that the column is very long. Suddenly, from somewhere behind the formation a came a whistling sound. "INCOMING!" I shouted. The entire company hit the ground and a cloud of dust rose over the road. "12 O'Clock 50 meters!" The entire company jumped to their feet and sprinted 50 meters and dove back to the ground. I gathered an ACE report (Ammo, Casualties, Equipment) from my Section Leaders and quickly reestablished the column. We headed to the area designated for our ORP and fanned out into 360 degree security. I was in the middle of that circle with all of my troops around me, listening eagerly for my next command. They knew I'd take care of them.

We reassembled for Company Formation shortly after. We all filed past the TOC and received our night land-nav score cards and a map. My night land-nav partner was Viteri, a Ranger buddy of mine whose only problem is a slight drinking incident earlier this quarter. I laid down on the ground and plotted all of the grids, while Viteri held the flashlight. Then, after I filled up my canteens, we got up and headed out onto the course. The night was absolutely gorgeous. I slight mist was rolling off of the lake next to the TOC, and the sky was as clear as could be. It seemed like I could see every star in the universe. As we ran down the road from the TOC and onto the course, we could hear crickets and birds, and a cool breeze was blowing, which is quite a comfort in full BDU's and an LBE. We procceeded through the course, running every chance we had (because I'm just crazy like that) . As we passed a checkpoint on our way back to the TOC, one of the 400s said, "You better hurry, I hear somebody is already on their way back." We trotted the last two klicks back to the TOC. We were the first team in by 45 minutes, and also had the highest score. Apparently I can find my way around with a map, even in the dark.

Later, we all went back to the ORP and set up 360 degree security. We wrote a 33 percent alert schedule and packed it in for a little sleep. Becuase 1 third of the company had to be awake at any given time, we only received about an hour and a half of sleep.

The next morning we awoke, and formed up. Before the sun had risen, we had already taken a timed, written land-nav test. Plotting coordinates and azimuths on a map in the dark and on the ground is somewhat difficult. As the sun was rising we were setting out on the day course. It was not nearly as enjoyable as the night course, mainly because it was about twice as long, twice as hot, and I managed to find myself entangled in briar hell. After I emerged from the forest 5 hours later, smoked (wore out and hurting) and dehydrated I sat down for a little barbecue Major Eaton had coordinated. I receieved a decent score, but am still not quite satisfied.

We saddled up and came back to the school, where we were immediately shuttled off to a kickball game with the rest of the 4th battalion plebes. Kick ball? Please. Why couldn't we play something at least slightly competitive like soccer? Of course we were all irritable because we had only received 1.5 hours of sleep the night before. When we crashed last night, I was elated. They gave us until 1 O'Clock this afternoon to go to church, with the stipulation that we were our Class Delta uniforms (red polo, black pants). Chris, Juice, and I suited up and went to worship the waffle gods at a waffle house about 15 minutes outside of town. We didn't want to get caught eating at a restaraunt. Today was a waste of time, without any significant training being accomplished. Welcome to the cadet corps. I have an ECP formation when study hall is over. A change-of-command is going to take place, and I'll be receiving my formal evaluation.

Commandant's Inspection

2005-09-22T18:51:00.000-04:00

The past few days have been a bit hectic, particularly yesterday and today. I'm quite sleep deprived, but not my normal "I'm just a bit loopy" sleep deprived, it's more like a "close to the point of narcolepsy" sleep deprived. Then again, this is where I kick in and get serious. It's my time to perform when everyone else can't handle the stress. (at least in principle anyway)

This morning was the Commandant's inspection. Chris and I were up to well past 1:30 cleaning. The exact time isn't clear, because things seem to get fuzzy after that. Considering that I started cleaning at around 7:30, that is quite a chunk of time. This all night GI party is the main cause for today's drowsiness.

Then I awoke at about 5:30 and went for a 5:30 ruck run with the Ranger Team. We ran about 2.5-3 miles with probably a 30 pound ruck. It was a moderate pace though because I have an APFT tomorrow.

Commandant's inspection went OK. Pretty much the only thing that I did wrong was to shout "Character Above All, sir!" in his ear when he went into the room. Apparently we had been instructed not to sound off, but I didn't hear. I just thought the majority of my hall was unmotivated, which is a reasonable assumption if you saw the people I live with. (though I must admit we are much better off than Bravo company and ::shudder:: the football battalion") Our company scraped by.

I had a test in history, which didn't seem to bad. My grade is just going to come down to how detailed Mr. Sherwood wanted the essays, so I'm content to wait.

Military Science Lab wasn't too bad today. We have a pre-combat inspection tonight for all of our gear before we head into the field tomorrow afternoon.

Hurricane Rita is pretty big.

It's amazing how one thought can pervade every conscious moment.

Home is Where the Heart Is...

2005-09-20T13:13:00.000-04:00

If home is where the heart is,
then mine has long brown hair,
and big pretty eyes,
that beckon with a stare.

I could roam this entire glorious sphere,
but return to the same fire e'ry night,
and still sleep within my fold,
because she is within my sight.

What is this feeling heavy and cold,
that drowns me where I stand?
For when she is distant remote I become,
even when surrounded by my own land.

So now I confront the struggle of life,
and still stationary do I roam,
and pray for the day she does return,
so I can sleep at home.

Lazy Weekend...

2005-09-18T18:55:00.000-04:00

I caught a ride with Aaron Romano back to Florida this weekend. I hung out at home and slept the majority of the time. I did get to see Alyssa, who is still incredibly cute, if not evidenced by the pictures in my previous post.

Jay Thurman called me as I sat outside of the barber shop. I talked with him for about 45 minutes about college. He seems to be really enjoying Annapolis, and I'm happy for him.

My dad wasn't home this weekend. My mom decided not to tell me that he was in New York with my uncle. He developed another set of inoperable brain tumors. They don't give him too long.

Well, I'm back at school again. I need to go do a practice Pre-calc exam, so I'm signing off.

-Out

Alyssa Grace

2005-09-17T21:42:00.000-04:00

Back by popular demand, and maybe because I'm a proud uncle...

Alyssa Grace!

Grumpy Alyssa

Mmmmmm... Cake

Uuuuugh... Cake.

Dad with the Baby

Open Weekend

2005-09-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

My first direct deposit should be in my account right now, but I have no means by which to check my balance. I'll find out when I get home. I am going home because we have an open weekend, despite the fact that 4th battalion failed barracks inspection this morning. I wish the chain of command would stick by their guns sometimes. Next weekend, however, is closed, but that is irrelevant to me because ECP has a field training excercise anyway. While everyone else is cleaning rooms, I'll be ripping through Baldwin forest.

At Ranger PT this morning, we ran five and a half miles at a seven minute mile pace. That is insane. Makes me feel like a man. We are in our Class Delta uniforms (red polo, black slacks) today. This is the first day since we arrive at GMC that we haven't been in our dumb plebe PTs.

Drama in the GMC...

2005-09-15T18:53:00.000-04:00

Today was the Command Retreat Ceremony. As narrator, I was the only plebe allowed to wear BDU's, and I was standing in the shadow of the OCB behind my little podium. Everyone else was getting scorched. I nailed my part. In the sake of humility, it really wasn't that hard. I just had to read from a piece of paper. I was offered the chance to meet the president. General Borlein is an old guy with a shock of white hair and a wicked limp. He parks his Lexus Convertible beside the OCB everyday. He has done amazing things with GMC, including the restoration of the OCB and construction of almost all of the buildings currently in use.

Someone slid a note underneath plebe Fowler's door that said "DIE FOWLER." Rumor has it that all the males in 4th battalion all have 50 hours of bullring. That is insane.

Also, the status of our weekend is still up in the air. I suppose I won't know if I'm going home until tomorrow.

I received a package from my folks today. It contained: 2 knee braces that are too small, 1 pair of infantry combat boots, 1 stick of gel for my knee, 1 letter, and 1 picture of Mer and I at prom.

Apparently dad has taught Alyssa how to make the touchdown sign with both of her arms. Man, I'd kill to see that.

-Out

My Oath

2005-09-14T16:12:00.000-04:00

"I, Clifford Burns, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Oaths...

2005-09-12T19:13:00.000-04:00

Well, just as I predicted in my last post, I signed my papers to contract with the Army. I sealed the deal with my oath of enlistment. Strangely enough, it didn't feel like that big of a step. Perhaps it is because I was already so dedicated to this career path, that any paperwork just seemed like a formality.

I travelled to Nashville this past weekend (actually a suburb called Brentwood), and hung out at Chris's house with his family and girlfriend. We didn't drink much, for all of those out there who doubt me, just a few coronas before bed each night. He has a very cool family, and his girlfriend is a sweet girl. Pretty much the only thing we did was go see "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." Ashton (Chris's girlfriend) brought along a friend for me to hang out with, but I think that the combination of facts that she was a junior in high school, dumb, and just generally annoying didn't weigh to heavily for the odds of even conversation. Of course, conversation often requires synaptic activity, which I wasn't to sure was present.

This morning for Ranger Team PT, we ran about 5 miles in 40 minutes. Then we did some wicked calesthenics, including something called the "inch worm." God I love it.

Later today, after classes but before study hall, the Ranger Commander, Mr. Ruzek, smuggled a truckload of Ranger Plebes off campus and took us to the lake. We spent a few hours just jumping off of a boat house and relaxing.

Tomorrow morning we have another APFT. I'm shooting for above a 300 (max score).

Plebe Period...

2005-09-06T16:13:00.000-04:00

Well, I've commenced my training in the GMC Corps of Cadets. I haven't yet earned the right to be called a cadet, so I'm referred to as a lowly "plebe." Plebe period isn't really that rough so far, and it looks like we're going to have a lot of open weekends.

I passed my qualifying APFT, and so should be signing my soul away in the next few days. My first pay check comes in on the 15th. Also, I should be hooking up with the Georgia National Guard soon for more money.

I made my first Ranger Team meeting today. It involved a lot of push-ups, but seems like it is going to be great fun. But then again, I have a reputation for being a little crazy when it comes to PT. What can I say... I'm motivated.

Sin City is one of the coolest movies ever.

I truly think that I'm doing what I was born to do. How many people can say that?

Departure

2005-08-29T14:59:00.000-04:00

In about 2 hours, I will be rushing headlong towards my future and destiny. Everything is packed, and my car is loaded. I'll be spending the night in a hotel, and head to the GMC campus tomorrow. I've got a 5 hour drive ahead of me, so it's bound to be a long evening. I'm not sure how long it will be before I can post, because our rooms don't have internet access.

I've been waiting for my chance for a long time. Here I go.

2005-08-28T23:53:00.000-04:00

" It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at his best knows in the end the high achievement of triumph and who at worst, if he fails while daring greatly, knows his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory or defeat."

-Theodore Roosevelt.

I never do these, but this was too good.

2005-08-24T01:19:00.000-04:00

Take the quiz: "Which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle are You?"

Leonardo
You're mature and get the job done. You are a natural born leader, and normally want to be the better of the group. You take your job seriously. You must! It may NOT be a game. When you select a sport, or something you want to do, you train continueously, constantly trying to perfect it. You're always prepared for a challenge, and are normally found one step ahead of your enemies. Loving family more than life itself, you are a good friend, and can be depended on at all times.

Poetic Justice...

2005-08-23T09:21:00.000-04:00

Last night was pure poetry.

When we were almost home from the Casbah, Josh started talking about Marcy. His eyes clouded over and he blurted,"Man. I miss that girl." I've seen through those eyes before, and I knew that he wasn't in that car with us. As soon as the words fell from his mouth, my CD player clicked over to Staind, "It's Been Awhile." Josh, Andy, and I sat in my car in front of Josh's house and just sang at the top of our lungs, because we all missed somebody. As the last chord died, Marcy called Josh's phone. He got out to talk to her, and Andy and I climbed out onto Josh's roof to watch the crazy heat lightning storm that was lighting up the sky. I had a cigar and thought about the girl I missed. I wondered what she was doing and if she was thinking about me. Then I thought how lucky I am to be loved so much. It hurt of course, but knowing how much she would have loved to be out there beneath the lightning with me put me at peace. Josh joined us on the roof a little while later, and we just laid on our backs and watched the elements at play. After the last flashes faded from the sky, we climbed back through his window and went to bed.

Here's lookin' at you kid.

2005-08-20T15:35:00.000-04:00

Meredith left today. I came over last night after dinner and we hung out until the wee hours of the morning. It was incredibly depressing at first, but the more we were around each other, the happier we became. By the time it came to part we both had smiles on our faces. That's how it is supposed to be. I despise sad goodbyes. We had so much fun together over the past 8 months, and each found someone so special, how could we not end with a smile? Not even really a goodbye, it was more of an "until next time." Then I drove off into the sunset.

Actually, my car wouldn't start. I called Josh to come pick me up. Unfortunately, he never made it. He lost control of his vehicle coming into Mer's neighborhood and ended up bottoming his car out in a dirt lot near the entrance to the neighborhood. Mer gave me a ride up to the lot and we said our last goodbye. Then I spent a little bit trying to free Josh's car. After several failed attempts, I suggested we leave it until morning when we can get a truck. Josh was determined to free his car however, and Andy Bragg dropped Cory and I off at my car and then took Clay and Josh to get Clay's truck. Cory spent about 45 minutes trying to get my car to start and waiting for Josh to return. Josh came back, and we used Clay's truck to pull Josh's car out. I got to sleep around 4. That wasn't exactly how I planned my night. I was orginally planning on being home by 1 so that I could get a decent amount of sleep and go to my cousin's soccer game today, but that didn't work out.

This morning, I woke up around 9 and went to my car, which was still in front of Mer's house. I called for a tow and dropped it off at a shop in OP. They just called and said that I need a new alternator and catalytic converter. The alternator repair is going to cost about $260. I can just remove the catalytic converter. ::sigh::

Good luck Mer. I love you.

Cotton, Fruit, and Welfare Checks

2005-08-16T12:47:00.000-04:00

Recently, a rather significant black leader responded to comments made by the Mexican President on the socio-economic status of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. The comments made by both men inflamed minority criticism and both are cases of leaders commenting on areas that are outside of their sphere of relevance. (read an article here)

I'm curious as to why the Mexican President thought that he even had the right to comment on the status of Mexican immigrants to the U.S. For all necessary purposes, these immigrants are now Americans and no longer constituents to the Mexican political system. Also, they help support the Mexican economy by sending massive amounts of money home. Most immigrants find jobs here in America in way better conditions than back in Mexico. Life is better for them here than at home. That's why they come. Finally, this man is a TOTAL idiot for making a derogatory comment about an entire race of people in America. What kind of response did he expect?

Nation of Islam leader Loius Farrakhan responded by saying that blacks don't want to pick fruit because they picked enough cotton. You would think that grown men would be above this kind of childish bickering and finger pointing. It strikes me that I don't personally know ANY black people that picked cotton (and I live in the deep south), and the majority of blacks in America today weren't even adults until after the civil rights era was over. I'm sure Mr. Farrakhan never spent any time on a plantation. The economic status of mainstream black America today is purely one of culture. Encourage your kids to read, don't get divorced, get a job. It is noone else's responsibility to pull you out of the hole. We've already tossed you the rope, now climb out.

Dwindling time...

2005-08-16T11:50:00.000-04:00

School is rapidly approaching, and my parent's sanity is rapidly diminishing. They insist upon exhibiting the worst kind of seperation anxiety, and frankly, it's driving me nuts. At least they care... I guess.

Mer and I took a nice trip to St. Augustine a few days ago. We spent the day wandering about downtown like we always do, peeking into shops and enjoying each other's company. We made a trip to the light house, which neither of us had done before. (Mer had never been there during the day) We just casually strolled in through the back gate (which I didn't know was the back gate). Mer neglected to tell me that we were supposed to pay to go inside, so we just paraded right up the tower and hung out for a while. When we came back down we were stopped by a lady who asked us about arm bands or something. Meredith started laughing. I decided to be a good sport and go pay anyway. Then we were off to Fusion Point, where we stuffed our faces with sushi. Mer decided that I wasn't allowed to have anything cooked, and tried to order the most bizarre things on the menu she could find. All in all, it wasn't too bad though. After I dropped Mer off at Lesley's, I went and hung out at Brendan O'Brien's for a while, and spent the night at Josh's house.

There is some guy remodling the garage right now, so I spent last night at Josh's. I can't wait until he is finished so that I can have my bed back.

I am looking forward to school with much excitement. I can't wait to go and make a name for myself.

Mer leaves soon, as do many of my friends, so the remainder of the week is going to be spent finding time to say goodbye to everybody.

Random Pics...

2005-08-14T19:23:00.000-04:00

Avenged Sevenfold at Warped Tour.

Rock on at Brendan O'Brien's. Needless to say I was in a good mood.

On Love and War...

2005-08-12T23:13:00.000-04:00

Love and war are two sides of the same coin. All are encountered on some level or the other by all individuals, and all have certain rules and axioms necessary to be succesful.

Sun Tzu said that,"All warfare is based on deception." As he continued on this theme, he explained that everything that is done in battle must be made to appear as something else. A displined army must appear to be chaotic, a weak point strong, a strong point weak. In this way you entice your enemy to form his plans based on deceptive information. When he attacks points that he thinks will fall easily, he is met with strength.

On the other side of the coin, I say that true love is based upon the truth. Truth between each other develops trust and comfort. Just as important however, is being true to one's self and emotions. Acknowledging how you feel and acting upon it opens the path for true love and amazing experiences. Trying to deceive yourself about how you feel about someone, will only lead to heartbreak when you are eventually confronted with the truth. I believe that confrontation with the truth is inevitable.

Machiavelli stated: "...men ought to be either well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge." In other words, when you conquer, conquer completely. Leave no room for doubt.

I am of the same mind with love. When you love someone, love them completely. Don't hold back part of yourself for fear of injury, because then, injury is guaranteed. Those who pull back from their lovers because they fear that something may break their hearts, are merely initiating a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you pull away, you are limiting the things that you let yourself feel, and the amount of love that you receive from your partner. This barrier can easily be detected by your love, and since true love knows no barriers, it plants seeds of doubt in your love's heart.

Those who approach battle with fear in their hearts are bound to fall when faced with a fearless foe, but those who approach battle without fear, will conquer. In the same way, those who approach love afraid of injury to their heart will only falter when things become difficult, but those who approach love unafraid have the opportunity to take full advantage of all of the gifts it can give. But how do men approach battle without fear in their heart? They do it by knowing that they are fighting for something greater than themselves. Some fight for freedom, others their homes, but the fearless are fighting for something. In the same way, those who approach love without fear in their hearts are able to do it because they are in it for a reason, the most noble reason of all: the sake of the one that they love. These people can face any challenge.

*Many of these concepts began to become concrete to me while I was at LTC facing many challenges, but events as of late really drove home their truth to me. I've always been a bit of a philosopher but I rarely present my ideas in as organized a fashion as this.

Growing Pains (My Wallet Hurts)...

2005-08-12T16:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I recently acquired my Visa Check Card. BAD IDEA. The power of plastic is overwhelming. I've spent so much money this past week and I don't feel guilty about it at all. Books, video games, DVDs, Meredith: Nothing is immune to my financial wrath.

Mer and I are taking a day trip to St. Augustine tomorrow. That should be great fun.

I know that this is a short post but I need to get back to my movie: DAWN OF THE DEAD.

Arrivals...

2005-08-10T10:59:00.000-04:00

I deliberately slept in yesterday to pass the time. I pulled myself out of bed at around 11am and began working on the things that needed to get done before I could go pick up Mer from the airport. I ran a load of laundry that included the clothes I wanted to wear and I straightened up my room. Then I moved all of my stuff out of the guest room and back into my room so that Jess will have somewhere to stay until my room is fully converted into an apartment. Last, I moved the crib into the guest room for Alyssa. I managed to spread all of this out over a few hours, interspersed with watching episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I was planning on leaving for the airport around 4:30 because Mer was arriving around 6, but my father arrived home at around 4 and freaked out because I hadn't left yet and I was going to get caught in rush hour traffic. You have to know my dad. So I left at about 10 after 4 and arrived a good hour early. I brought along some roses and a teddy bear. I bought a paper at the airport and sat around and waited.

Mer's flight arrived exactly on time. We hopped in my car and drove through the rain all the way home. Her folks had cooked up some pretty good stuff on the grill, so I ate dinner with them and talked a little finance with her dad. Then we went up to her room and spent the rest of the night walking through her guided photo tour of Japan and Alabama. I was jealous. It seemed like she had such an adventure this summer. She was getting tired and rightfully so, so I decided to let her go to bed at about 11.

I came home, slid into bed and went right to sleep.

Jessica is getting in this evening. We're going to have a full house. 5 adults and a baby in only 1300 square feet. But you know what? It's going to be alright.

Pensacola...

2005-08-08T17:16:00.000-04:00

I arrived home about an hour ago. The drive wasn't bad at all, but my car isn't exactly a luxury car, so my butt is a little sore. I had a great time. I hung out with Ross Friday night and met his girlfriend. She was very sweet and pleasently sarcastic. I told Ross that he must've missed my smartass comments so he found a smartass girlfriend. Saturday I sat around while Ross was at work most of the day. That evening I met Angel up at a show at a little lounge called Sluggo's. After the only decent band we went to Whataburger and grabbed a bite. The rest of her plans for the night involved going to a friends house and smoking out, so I got irritated and went home. When I got back to Ross's, our old buddy Kyle called, and we had to go pick him up and take him home. We stopped by Whataburger again (it was 3am), and it was absolutely packed. People in Pensacola don't sleep. Then I hung out with Ross and Vincent on Sunday. I woke up this morning and got on the road home.
All in all it wasn't a bad trip. I hadn't realized how stressed out my folks were making me, as well as all of the stuff that was running through my head until I arrived at the Downing's and I stopped thinking about all of it. I was a new man. I slept like a baby all three nights. As soon as I stepped into my door today, my parents started pouring the stress back on. I can't wait to leave for college and escape all of these issues. I'm tentatively picking up Mer from the airport tomorrow, so we'll see. I'm praying that her getting back will make life easier for a few weeks. Anyhow, I don't have much to say right now, so I think I'll take a nap.

I'm Leaving

2005-08-05T09:42:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Pensacola this weekend, so I probably won't get a chance to post until Monday. My current schedule is:

Depart sometime this afternoon.
Arrive after 5pm.
Hang out with Ross the remainder of today.
Hang out with Angel tomorrow (Ross is working all day)
Hang out with Ross all day Sunday.
Drive back on Monday.

I have a nationwide cellular plan, so I can still receive phone calls while I'm out and about.

Warped Tour...

2005-08-04T23:08:00.000-04:00

Today was warped tour. I had a great time, and saw several of my favorite bands. Some of them include: Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, Dropkick Murphies, Story of the Year, Matchbook Romance, Bleeding Through, Zao, My Chemical Romance (who sucked by the way), Senses Fail... and many more that I can't recall right now. The pits were insane, which is a huge surprise for warped tour. My buddies from Fleming Island were shocked when they saw a real hardcore dancing pit. I think that I gained some respect.

I'm leaving for Pensacola tomorrow. Unfortunately, Mer has been unable to call me, so unless I receive some communication tomorrow, I'm going to have to spend Saturday hanging out with other friends of mine. I look forward to seeing Ross again and how much he has changed. Ryan recently received his comission and starts flight school at Pensacola NAS this week. More power to him.

I've been bummed out as of late, and I've had trouble sleeping. Like now, It's 11:30 and I'm physically exhausted, but I can't manage to shut off my brain and sleep.

Jessica is arriving Wednesday.

I've recently been having discussions with my two libertarian friends Nick and Scott on the finer and perhaps messier points of libertarianism. While I share most of the libertarian base beliefs, namely that a man should be able to define his own life on his own terms. Where I become confused, is when an individual's right to choose infringes on another individual's natural rights. Also, being a member of the armed forces causes me to look at the government from a military perspective, and the libertarian utopia presents some very interesting problems for national defense.

Swiss seats suck...

2005-08-04T01:54:00.000-04:00

I had been hanging upside down for about five minutes at this point, when they finally managed to rig the casualty so he wouldn't fall. But of course I had to be hooah and volunteer to carry the guy anyway right? My trousers are rolled up because we were in heat condition 5.

Locked, cocked, and ready to rock...

2005-08-04T01:34:00.000-04:00

I know. It's only paintball. But I was stoked to get out on the urban squad tactics exercise. This picture was taken during the "weapon familiarization process." Basically, we were shooting at cardboard cutouts of Iraqis.

Episode 1

2005-08-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

I received a 5 on my AP Environmental Science Exam.

I will now begin an account of my training with as much detail as is reasonable.

When Aaron and I arrived at the airport I discovered that my flight had actually left two hours earlier than his. My mistake was assuming that the government would put two people from the same town going to the same place at the same time on the same flight. I will never again make the mistake of thinking that the government has common sense. In my defense there was confusion between the times 1500 and 5pm, resulting in my late arrival. Fortunately, there was a later flight leaving for the same destination. It actually saved the government $45. However, it also resulted in my late arrival to GMC.

When I arrived I was issued a bunch of crap, the list of which is unimportant. Then I went up to my room and crashed. I was in a room by myself. We woke up early and went through some in-processing. The rest of the days at GMC involved: an assesment physical fitness test, land nav training, rope bridge construction training, squad tactics training (very brief), laser tag, rappeling, Combat Water Survival Test, PT, barbecues, Wal-Mart, class scheduling, briefs from the national guard, and probably several things that I'm forgetting.

The flight to LTC was uneventful. When we arrived in Louisville, they issued us government food vouchers, so we got to eat wherever we wanted in the airport, as long as it was within the 30 minute time window we had. Then we all piled onto busses and shipped out to Knox.

When we arrived, we all threw our bags onto a bunch of pallets under a tent and went inside for some in-processing. We got to send a postcard home and a copy of the LTC newspaper. There was also various other paperwork. Then we went back outside and I headed up a team of about 3 other cadets that loaded up a 5 ton truck with all of our bags. Then we walked over to the real in-processing building where we spent much of the day going through stations. Here I was issued my I.D., made tentative return travel plans, had my medical qualification reviewed, and made a phone call home among other things. Finally, we exited that building and loaded up on busses.

When we arrived at the barracks, there was a huge pile of random bags sitting next to the bus. We all had to grab some bags and run to stand in formation in what was going to become our company formation area. It was an amusing fiasco to see this huge group of civilians try and figure out what a formation was, and then get into it, with all of these huge bags. There were some extra bags left by the bus, so I ran back with a few other cadets and grabbed those and brought them back to the formation. Then we all had to find our own bags. After all of that was over, we grounded our gear and headed into DFAC (the old dining facility connected to our barracks), where we were assigned to our platoons and squads. The rest of that day is kind of a blur, I remember that we were up until about 0200 filling out paperwork in the squad bay before we had lights out. Our squad bay was the designated female bay, so all of the males from our platoon were dispersed throughout the barracks in side rooms with 4 bunks each. Alas... reveille was at 0500.

Here we go again...

2005-08-03T00:59:00.000-04:00

Well, apparently my big sister is moving back in... again. This time, since my aunt is living here also, my parents are going to turn the garage into a small apartment for her and the baby. The problem is... I live in the garage. My dad told me I had to have all of my stuff packed and ready to move out before I went to Pensacola this weekend. Since Warped Tour is Thursday, and I want to leave on Friday, that leaves tomorrow and Friday morning. I can tell what I'm going to be doing all day tomorrow.

Self Improvement...

2005-07-31T17:59:00.000-04:00

After an almost 2 week break, I decided that it is time for me to get back to work. Classes begin on 30 August, so I'm shipping out on the 29th. I have roughly a month to improve myself as much as possible before the beginning of my plebe period. During my plebe period, the vast majority of my time will be very restricted, leaving little room for personal side projects.

I recently found a book that I acquired during a YLJ religious tolerance session. It's entitled The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam. I've decided that it would be wise to better understand a religion that is having such a significant impact on world affairs. Especially so, because in many countries the religion is integrated into the government, the traditions, and the thought patterns of the people. By increasing my level of understanding (not neccesarily agreeing or even empathizing) I will be better able to understand events that may directly affect me in the future, militarily or personally.
What I've found so far, shows that not only do most Christians misunderstand Islam, but even the most high profile Muslims seem to grossly midunderstand Christianity. I've found some interesting fallacies in this broadly distributed publication. One, is that the author believes that the concept of the Holy Trinity shows God as split into three seperate beings to help the "father God" being do his work, and further that Catholicism places Mary on level with God. However, the concept of the Holy Trinity is actually much more complicated than that, with all parts of the trinity being God, but also with God being one unified being. Nowhere in Catholicism is Mary placed on the same plane as God, or even remotely so. Another has to do with the crucifixion of Jesus:

"The Qur'an records that fierce opposition to Jesus came from the leaders of the Jewish community. The called him an impostor and contrived a plot against him. After they succeeded in having him arrested, they tried to get him executed. Here is where the story gets interesting: The Qur'an claims that Jesus was not killed or crucified, but it was made to appear so to them. Certainly early Christian sects also believe Jesus escaped death. Islam is uncompromising on this issue. God saved Jesus and took him to be in Paradise until the hour would come to complete his mission in the end-times." (pg. 207)

Wow... you can't get much more misunderstood than that. The book even goes on to claim that it could have been someone that looked like Jesus, or possibly even Judas who was crucified. I'm not an expert on biblical history, but I'm pretty sure that there is more than one source recording the crucifixion of Jesus. I'm also sure that I've never heard of any evidence that early Christianity believed that Jesus wasn't crucified. I think that I'll look into these possibilities later.

I've alson been doing some reading into the Chinese military situation and have come to the conclusion that they are currently not an offensive threat. Many experts actually agree that China doesn't even have the prowess to capture Taiwan for another 15 or 20 years. Much of this has to do with China's ability to transport troops across the 100 miles of sea to Taiwan, and China's ability to maintain air superiority over that same body of water. I've found the Center for Defense Information to be a very useful source. You can read an entire transcript of a video program on the subject here.

At some point before I leave, I would like to obtain some materials that would help me to learn to speak Arabic.

I am going to max my PT Assesment at GMC.

I also watched the first two Matrix movies today and helped my Aunt move in. Man, I'm a busy guy, but I was also very bored.

Mer will be back sometime around the 10th for about 9 or 10 days before she has to leave for school.

Warped Tour is Thursday. (sweet)

I should be headed to Pensacola next weekend. Maybe if we're all willing to do a little driving, I'll be able to meet Anna. Apparently her approval is very important ;)

-Out

Fun for the maniacly bored...

2005-07-30T21:11:00.000-04:00

I just discovered something called the "Interactive Buddy" at Ebaum's World. You basically torture this little humanoid made out of 6 circles. The more damage you do... the more money you earn. You can buy things like a Michael Moore skin and new weapons. SO... I basically spent an hour chasing Michael Moore around with a taser and watching him scream about F-ing conservatives. It was delicious.

Lookin' for Hos...

2005-07-30T11:28:00.000-04:00

Well, Nick and I have decided to begin an online pimp service. This is to supplement our incomes as I enter college and he nears a mid-life crisis. The concept is quite simple. We bitch slap some hos into listenin to us, and then when we get an e-mail with an adress and a credit card number... we send our hos on their way. See? I'm surprised nobody thought of it before.

Back in business...

2005-07-27T20:35:00.000-04:00

The American space program is now back in business. Tentatively. So much is riding on this mission. Our space program is a litmus test of the American spirit. During early cold war Americana the space program excelled and was seen as a symbol of American greatness. As the cold war simmered down, however, so did the US space program. I think that America needs something to inspire her. I long for that feeling of national pride when we conquered the moon. 9/11 reminded many of us how wonderful it is to live in America, but new victories in space would show the world that we're still on top. What happened to that wonderful idealism that once imbued the country about being American? Why don't we find the glory of discovery and exploration appealing any more? We've become so weighed down by tedious internal issues that we've forgotten how to dream, and a life without dreams is one not worth living.

Perspectives...

2005-07-27T19:15:00.000-04:00

As the upcoming school year approaches, I've been thinking about my goals. As soon as I step onto the GMC campus, I'm going to be expected to exceed all of my peers in almost every aspect. This due to the fact that I dominated the standings at LTC (when compared to my fellow GMC cadets) in every category as well as received a stellar eval from my Squad Tactical Officer. Several of my buddies already told me that they are depending on me to get rank, because then I can use some of the priveleges to make their lives a little easier or a little more fun. Never one to back down from a challenge, I've decided to try and lead the GMC Order of Merit List (OML) in every category, as well as achieve the highest staff position I can in my first year. I don't just want to be the best at one thing. I want to be the best at everything. I want people to look at me when I walk around campus and think, "Now that's a freakin' soldier." But I don't want to stop at the numbers. I want to win the respect of all of my peers. I've always led from the front... and I'm not going to stop now. I want to graduate as CO, valedictorian, and whatever else they give out. I'm not going to quit until I'm the best at everything. Some people hear me say that and think that it's about me trying to beat everyone else, but it really has nothing to do with me being better than other people. It's about beating myself. Breaking out of my comfort zone and charging head first to the top. OML and GPA and all of those quantified things are just ways that I measure how far I'm pushing myself. I've also decided that in situations where I'm not the designated leader that I want to be more quiet and lead by example instead of trying to force the situation my way. I think I'll win more respect and piss off less people that way. All these things merely translate into the premise of my time at GMC: to become the best leader of soldiers in the US Army.

God Bless America

2005-07-23T12:15:00.000-04:00

Apparently, every large drink purchased at Hardee's has a picture of a swimsuit model printed on the side. As a matter of fact, they actually asked me if I wanted a blonde or a brunette. Even better, when I put a cold beverage in the cup... condensation took over and she started to "sweat." Isn't America great. For a limited time receive a sweaty supermodel with every large combo!

Returned...

2005-07-19T08:35:00.000-04:00

I arrived last night around midnight. Or is it 2400? I was greeted with a hug from my mother and the bark of Churchill. (I volunteered to watch the Mason's dog while they are gone) I promptly went to my room and crashed...

This morning I woke around 7. It seems I'm incapable of sleeping more than 7 hours these days. I sat up in my bed and looked around completely at a loss for what action to take next. I've been completely indoctrinated to the Army lifestyle, and what a beautiful life it is. By this time in the morning I would have already woken up, performed personal hygeine, cleaned my room, ran a few miles, done some calesthenics, eaten chow, and begun the days training cycle.

I have things to do today, including a trip to the bank. It'll take several posts to impart what I may of the experience I had at Fort Knox, so just hang tight.

Farewell For Now...

2005-06-16T20:50:00.000-04:00

Well, for all intensive purposes I'm on my way to an illustrious career with the United States Army. I haven't taken off my St. George in a few weeks. I figure that it can't hurt. My duffel bag is packed and sitting by the front door, and I'm just sitting around burning the hours I have left at home. I don't really get excited about things like this. I just tend to get really focused. I'll be thinking about everybody while I'm gone. I hope I can make you guys proud. I'll be out of reach, but I promise to write all of you. I won't have a return address until I arrive in Fort Knox, so I'll send out letters to notify everyone of how to contact me. I might stop by the Mason residence tomorrow morning and drop off some stuff for Mer, and say good-bye to everyone. Megan and Andy are in town so I will get to see them. Then I need to go get a nice short hair cut, and after that I'll just go home and rest. Wish me luck everyone, I promise you guys that I will give it everything I've got.

Mer,

I love you more than anything in the world. During this time we've had apart I've never been able to get you off of my mind. Don't worry about me, I'll be OK. When I return, I'll be 5 weeks closer to seeing you again, and that in and of itself makes the trip worth it. You are the most beautiful and genuine person I've ever met. I know that you won't be home to get the letters, but I'm going to write you anyway. Expect a pile of mail. If there is only one person I need behind me, it's you, and I know that you are. As long as I have your love I can do anything. Don't forget your American Soldier, because I know that I won't forget you. I love you.

Cliff

Shopping Fiend

2005-06-16T15:30:00.000-04:00

Well, I must say that I'm exhausted. I've spent the entire day so far shopping for things to take to Kentucky with me. It ended up costing me in the neighborhood of 200 dollars. ::sigh:: I was running all over the Navy Exchange for several hours looking for everything. I did get to buy some cool stuff though, including a pair of brand-new all-terrain cross training shoes. I also picked up Mer a present today...

Well, I'm going to take a quick power nap before I go test out my new running shoes. I'll probably post later this evening. I've been posting frantically since I'm leaving tomorrow!

Happy 6 Month Anniversary

2005-06-16T08:38:00.000-04:00

Well everyone, Mer and I have managed to make it 6 months without killing each other.

Happy half of a year babe! I love you and always will. I hope to talk to you soon and can't wait for you to come home!

Birthday Festivities

2005-06-15T19:29:00.000-04:00

Well, my birthday festivities drew to a close this evening. We went to Sushi Rock and ate at a Japanese grill table. (Mer, twasn't my idea. It was my mom's) My father thoroughly enjoyed the food. He thought he was going to hate it. I received my gifts today. I am getting my dad's laptop, with a new printer and mouse. I received three movies: U-571 (I love this movie), Timeline (Mer said that it's great), and Dreamcatcher (I think my mom wanted to see this one). I also got some money and a few disposable cameras. Considering I'm getting a new computer, this year wasn't a bad haul.

Today I went to the mall and bought a collection of Tennyson for my trip, but I've already read half of it! I also wrote a little, like I always do when I read a lot of poetry.

Sentinels of Your Heart

(I couldn't think of a better name)

Depart, depart, I must depart,
to struggle on the sleeping field,
go I must to learn the art,
but to you my heart I yield.

And when the vapors fall among the boles,
when they smother, choke like smoke,
and when I feel my valor cold,
it is your name I shall invoke.

And no struggle, no flying dart,
can harrass me when I rest,
among the sentinels of your heart,
that I keep locked in my chest.

No pestilence, no tragedies, no deadly snare,
no enemy can bring harm to me,
while my heart is in your care.

A Tradition of Honorable Service...

2005-06-14T19:21:00.000-04:00

This is my nuclear family from left to right: Mom, Dad, Lj (little sister), Me, Bj big sister), and David (brother-in-law)

People often ask me why I want to join the military. I usually give them all kinds of reasons: great medical coverage, good financial security, exciting jobs, travel, patriotism. But what it comes down to is all of these things and none of these things. I view the service as a calling. A calling in my family that goes as far back as we have historical records. When people tell me how much they appreciate my willingness to serve, or that of my parents, it always catches me off guard. That noble profession that we all seem to have undertaken just seems like life to us. My parents get up, put on their business suits and go to work. They come home and have a family. I think that sometimes I take what they have dedicated their lives to for granted.

My father retired from the Navy in 2001. He served all over the world, including the First Gulf War and two tours in Antarctica.

My mother will retire from the Navy next year. She also served two tours in Antarctica.

My sister served for several years in the U.S. Air Force, but got out to raise her family.

Her husband is still in the Air Force and is currently stationed at Lackland AFB, Texas.

My mother's brother was a gunner on an Army armored vehicle during the First Gulf War.

My father's brother was in the Navy for 10 years.

My maternal grandfather was an Air Force officer.

My paternal grandfather was an Air Force military policeman. He served in Vietnam.

My mother's uncle was a bataan death march survivor.

My father's uncle was among the first wave on the beaches of Normandy.

They had to throw my maternal great grandfather out of the recruiting depot kicking and screaming because the would not let farmers serve in World War II. He stayed home and contributed on the home front, but he regretted it for the rest of his life.

My father's cousin served in Korea.

My cousin recently returned from his first tour in Iraq with the Air National Guard, and has volunteered for a second.

The majority of my male ancestors alive in the 1860s served as confederate soldiers in the war between the states.

A brother of one of my distant grandfathers served in the War of 1812.

Several of my distant grandfathers served in the U.S. Revolution.

There is a monument on the US Naval Academy campus to one of my distant grandfathers who went down with his ship, William Herndon.

You see? The males in my family that have served in the military comprise the majority. They all joined for different reasons, but they all found that they were called to duty. In no way did I feel pressured by my heritage to join the military, but with all of the red, white, and blue blood coursing through my veins... it was inevitable. It's the lifestyle I know and love. I genuinely believe it is what I was born to do.

Happy Birthday to Me

2005-06-14T12:57:00.000-04:00

Well, I turn 18 today. I'm currently sitting alone in my house at the computer. I hung out with Josh last night. I was finally afforded the opportunity to see Team America. It was hilarious.

I also talked to Mer's folks yesterday. I was extended the offer to accompany them to Minnesota. I'll have to run the dates past my mom. I met her grandparents (maternal). They're great people. I can see why her mom is the way she is. Talking to Mer's grandma was like meeting her mom all over again. Her grandpa pretty much just laid on the couch and snored the whole time, but he wasn't feeling very well. It was great to see the girls again. Mary Kate was being very sweet. She drew a mutant tomato with 6 legs, two eyes, 4 rows of teeth, braces, and crazy hair. I thought it looked like Michael Moore... but that's just me. Her father and I were able to talk for a good hour or so about college and things. It's funny how unusually comfortable I am in their house. It's like I walk in and all of a sudden all the stress dissapates.

I went for a run today. It's around 93 and 100% humidity outside, so I figure if I can pound out three miles in that no problem, I should be fine in Kentucky. It was similar to running submerged in warm bathwater. I love Florida.

I'm getting more and more psyched about LTC. I want to leave now and get it over with.

Cinderella Man

2005-06-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

Cinderella Man was an amazing movie. Russell Crowe has cemented his place as one of my favorite actors. He may actually be THE favorite. Renee Zelwegger vastly improved my opinion of her as an actress. She was amazing in the supporting role. Kenny Chesney is a lucky man.

Lonely...

2005-06-12T15:22:00.000-04:00

I don't think I've ever spent this much time alone. I just go to work in the morning, and then spend the afternoons reading, writing, watching movies, or playing video games. I've also been running about 3 miles a day to get ready for LTC. I don't really feel the desire to hang out with any of the guys from high school... maybe it's seperation anxiety or something. In the light of recent events though, it just seems that they're stuck in high school mode and I'm moving on to bigger things. It's a sad thought. With Mer gone, the only person to hang out with is myself! My dad met his best friend in bootcamp, maybe I'll forge some meaningful friendships at LTC or GMC. I've been writing a little bit. It's a sci-fi short story, conceived from boredom. I've also taken to Clive Cussler novels, chewing them up and spitting them out at the rate of one every 2 or 3 days. My Mom and I are getting ready to go out to a movie. She and I always go see one for my birthday. She won't be here Tuesday night, and my dad is still up at Leadership Academy, so it looks like I'll be spending my birthday alone. LTC seems like it is going to be totally awesome, but for some reason I'm not eagerly anticipating it. It kind of represents me leaving the house and the end of childhood... anyway, my Mom is yelling so I have to wind it up. Off to see Cinderella Man.

Shipping Out Soon...

2005-06-08T21:00:00.000-04:00

A week from tomorrow, I leave for Georgia Military College. I will be there for 4 days of basic training exercises before I head off to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to complete LTC, or the Leadership Training Course. LTC consists of 4 weeks of intense field exercises and classroom work to prepare and qualify Army ROTC students for the Advanced Program, or in my case the Early Commissioning Program.

I'm actually excited about the ECP, because it allows me to earn my commission in 2 years instead of the usual 4. I will be a 2nd Lieutenant at 19 as opposed to 21 or 22. That means when my buddies are graduating from college as 2nd Lt.s I'll already be a 1st Lt. up for advancement to Captain. Now this early commission is conditional on me completing my 4 year degree. So not only do I get to earn my commission early, but I also get to attend my last 2 years of college wherever I want without participating in a restrictive ROTC program. The only hook is that I will be a drilling reservist (the whole 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year deal). After I earn my 4 year degree I will become an active duty O-2 in the U.S. Army.

Now I know what you're thinking... Army? What? Cliff? I though he wanted to be a Marine. Honestly, when you break it down the Army and the Marines are virtually the same in most aspects. This early commissioning program is a great deal, and I'll be able to do everything I wanted and get paid for it. I'll just be wearing a different uniform. Did I mention that they're paying me $800 dollars to go to LTC?

After I get back toward the beginning of August I plan on doing a little bit of travelling. Possibly taking a road trip out to Pensacola, that way I could give Mer a ride out to Alabama and still get a chance to hang out with her before we go to school. Then a want to head up to see my uncle in NY, because he isn't doing too well.

I'm pretty sure I'm getting a laptop for my birthday... sweet.

Evolution?

2005-06-03T09:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, as my mother mused over the x-rays of my head hanging on the wall in my dentists office, she expressed the opinion that my missing wisdom tooth was evolution eliminating an unneccesary vestigial part of the body. This statement raised questions for me about evolution that have been bothering me for a while.

First, all of my conclusions in this post are based upon the assumption that evolution is purely the result of darwinian natural selection, and that nature doesn't take a more proactive approach at altering DNA. Also, this post is totally excluding religion as an explanation, because devout as I am, I don't think we can deny the existence of dinosaurs or other past species. If "evolution" fits into a grander scheme of things, that is a topic for another discussion.

There is no logical way evolution can explain the trends that are occuring to certain species and how fast they are at work. I'm mainly going to discuss the human species, becuase through modern society we have pretty much eleminated the factor of natural selection. However, certain changes are still taking place among our species. For example, in medieval times King Arthur was said to be 6 feet tall, and they considered him a giant. Today 6 feet tall is closer to average. No one can tell me that that is because the tall guys got laid more. Also, if you look at the records of olympic athletes, humans have been getting more and more athletic over the past 150 years (since the games were reinstated, I'm unsure of the exact year). I think that it is highly unlikely that natural selection alone could be responsible for these athletic changes. Because, like I said before, humans have no natural predators and virtually no competition among each other for mating rights, so any changes could not be explained by the darwinian principles of evolution. To bring this post full circle, I doubt the number of wisdom teeth people have prevents them from scoring, yet it seems that they are being phased out of our bodies. Things like this can only point towards a more proactive approach our bodies take towards evolution. Is there someway that our bodies can detect necessary changes and pass those along to our children?

I'm Alive! Sort of...

2005-06-02T13:23:00.000-04:00

Well, I found out why I only had three wisdom teeth. It's because my lower left tooth was a big enough pain in the ass to account for not only the missing tooth but the other two as well. Apparently it was very impacted and shifted laterally to all of my other teeth. Basically it was pointed inward at my tongue. Of course I opted for no gas, aso I was fully conscious for the entire operation, which was quite fascinating. That's also what the doctor kept saying. "This is fascinating, I can't see a thing" ::drill:: ::drill:: Now I'm at home spitting blood in a cup and waiting for mom to return with some loritabs... sweet.

Impending Doom

2005-06-02T09:25:00.000-04:00

I leave in about half an hour to have my wisdom teeth removed. Ironically, I only have 3. I think that my bottom right tooth is really just hiding somewhere in the region of my tonsils in a desperate attempt to avoid extraction. Anyway, I opted to not undergo anesthesia, so I will be fully conscious as they rip part of my life force out of my head. Not only is that freaking sweet, but I am going to be soooooo buzzed for the next three days on the crazy pain killers they give me, AND I get to eat nothing but go-gurts! Freaking sweet! I wish I could get my wisdom teeth removed every year!

Darwin stops by Hardee's...

2005-06-01T21:26:00.000-04:00

First of all, to give a little background: I recently became employed at a Hardee's fast food restaurant in Green Cove Springs. Green Cove is a primarily low income area of the county and is about 30 minutes from my house in Middleburg. I work what I term a "mid-day shift" from about 8 to about 4. I am lunch cook, among other duties, so during the breakfast hours I prepare the store for lunch.

Now, the women that work the morning shift are all black and over 25. This is obviously a very different demographic than the ones I tend to interact with. Well, as they cook in the mornings I am running around performing various duties. Most of these duties are out of sight of these women, so they are completely unaware of the things I do. Every time I see them I smile courteously and continue about my business. Well recently, everytime I smile at one of them they would laugh. I was at a complete loss to figure out why. Eventually I started catching snatches of conversation, while they were standing around and doing nothing, about how they are of the opinion that I stand around and do nothing. I was pretty shocked at first because I have always prided myself on being a hard worker. Anyway, as the day wore on today it got worse. Eventually it erupted into outright criticisms of the things I was doing, despite them having no clue what my job entails. I was so amused at this outright hypocrisy, because most of their time is spent figuring out ways to do as little work as possible. When they have to move about the store they waddle as slowly as possible. I was so amused by them that when I took my break, I shouted back into the kitchen, "Look! I'm taking a break from taking a break!" Of course they found this very amusing and erupted into laughter. I went and sat in my car, after I ate, and thought about my situation chuckling to myself. Then I went back into the store and waited until both of the culprits were standing near each other. This is what I said:
"You know what you're going to be doing this August? You're going to be coming back to Hardee's to work for minimum wage. You know what I'm going to be doing this August? I'm going to college because there is know way in hell I'm going to be working at a fast food joint for minimum wage when I'm your age!"
Of course they were stunned and apalled. I was so pleased with myself that I just went back about my business and smiled for the rest of the day. The true laugh came when I got my check today, and found that I was getting paid a full dollar an hour more than them. Social darwinism is my comfort in a world full of ingorant people trying to avoid an honest days work.

Abstinence 101

2005-05-31T17:45:00.000-04:00

Since I have just recently graduated high school, I obviously have friends that are having sex. Actually, ALL of my friends are having sex at this point. And none of them are in committed relationships. They're just flitting about promiscously copulating with whoever they wish. This recent development in my life is particularly disturbing. It's like within one week of graduating high school, everyone I know has become a whore.

Now, I'm beggining to wonder where things went wrong. Why is everyone I know joyously degrading themselves? I have come to the conclusion that sex must feel really good. They all give me different excuses: What is the likelihood my husband/wife will be a virgin? I wear condoms so I can't possibly get pregnant/impregnate someone. Condoms also protect me from venereal diseases. I've just found that special person... and they go on.

I think that it all comes down to my friends trying to rationalize doing what they want. All of these arguments can be easily defeated by someone who has a firm moral grasp and a decent level of intelligence.

1. What is the likelihood my husband/wife will be a virgin?
-Well, you obviously can't answer this question, but since there are virgins out there alive somewhere, I'm pretty sure that that choice is up to you.

2. I wear condoms so blah blah blah...
- Condoms are not an infallible method of contraception. They can tear, break, etc. Is it worth the risk? Also, since most viruses are smaller than the pores in the latex, condoms are not an effective defense against VDs.

3. I've found that special person.
- This one is my favorite. If they are that special person, then why can't you wait? If they are truly as special as you think they are, they will be with you for the rest of your life. What's a couple of more years?

So many things can go wrong... is it really worth the risk? I'm really having touble handling it, but I guess it's going to be something I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life. Also, I think Fleming Island and my particular circle of friends are also particularly bad. Anyway, I'm going to get off my virginal loser soapbox. I mean, obviously no straight male would write something like this... Or maybe I'm just bitter because I can't get laid... Nick needs to tell his sister to start putting out and fast.

My ears are still ringing...

2005-05-28T17:47:00.000-04:00

This is definitely the way I wanted to start off my summer. The only way things could be cooler right now is if David Hasselhoff spantaneously appeared at my house and let me drive the Knight Rider car. I love pontiacs. I would also love to hang out with those awesome robots from Battle Star Galactica. Besides that though, everything is great. Except that Mer's out of town, and to distract myself from that I have launched myself into a dizzying schedule of work and awesomeness.

I am very itchy right now because the sunburn I earned as my surfing badge of honor is starting to heal up. Yes I believe that it is the produt of a good 5 or 6 hour surfing session a few days ago. I bought Kyle's board, which is a pretty sweet 5'10". Yes I know, it is insane for a 6'1" monster like me to be surfing on a 5'10" shortboard, but I'm just that good OK? Actually I suck right now, but I can just blame it on my board being too short!

Then yesterday we (Harley, Will, and I) headed up to Thee Imperial to see Brian's show. They also changed their name from Beyond Blood to Kill With Honor, which is much sweeter. I might head out to the Island tonight if there are any sweet parties, but I'm currently planning on recovering from this week in my room.

Movie Review: Mindhunters

2005-05-14T17:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I went to see the thriller Mindhunters. The basic concept is this: There is an elite group of FBI agents all competing to earn the title of "profiler" under the tutelage of a highly controversial professor (Val Kilmer). As the final exercise in their training, they are sent to an island off the coast of North Carolina that is usually used by the Navy SEALs for urban combat training, but has been temporarily reserved for FBI use. Upon arrival, the candidates are abandoned and left to solve a string of "murders." However, immediately upon arrival things start to go wrong and the candidates themselves start dying. Soon they come to the conclusion that it is one of their companions that is killing the others, and the plot thickens...

This movie started off fairly strong, but lost momentum after the plot was established. The opening sequence is creepy, and the first few murders are downright crafty (although the special effects are cheesy), but once the pattern of killings is established, it gets a little tedious. The climax has one pretty cool fight scene that involves a white guy beating the shit out of LL Cool J, and one not so cool fight scene that involves the use of firearms underwater and poorly delivered femmenazi propoganda. You got me on that one. The conclusion is pretty predictable, but not unsatisfying. AKA: The empowered female shoots the white chauvanist male in the neck and proves that women too can be in stupid movies. Then she boards a spontaneously apparating (yes, that was Harry Potter terminology) aircraft with the other opressed minority figure: the token black guy.

The characters are all your typical horror movie cliches. Including the femenist heroin who is filled with self doubt, the token black guy (LL Cool J; who by the way, everyone refuses to listen to even though he was right throughout the movie, I guess he showed whitie), the slut, the dude who is sleeping with the slut, the paranoid crackhead spazz who declares "we're all going to die!", the sensitive hero, and the omnipresent hispanic cripple with a firearm fixation.

All in all, it isn't particularly impressive, but it isn't disappointing either. The plot concept is a cool idea, and you'll be left wondering about the cool possibilities that probably should have gone into the movie rather than the actual coolness of it. If you've already seen Kingdom of Heaven and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and you absolutely must see a movie, then go for it. Otherwise, wait for it to come to your local blockbuster, because it isn't worth the money for the DVD.