First off let me say this deployment hasn't been too bad. I'm actually not having tons of fun and I miss my family but it's not been nearly as bad as last year.
So I'll give you a run down of my typical day (at least as it's been the last two weeks)
0600: Wake up go for a run, then shower and get dressed (usually in PT gear)
0730: Ride bike to breakfast
0830: Ride bike to work
0915: Change clothes into flight uniform and start work
1730-1830: Depending on the work day ride bike to dinner about this time
1800/1900 or so: ride back to room
2000: Go to crossfit workout (absolutely insanely difficult workouts) then shower
2100-0000 Free time, usually go to the internet cafe and text/call wife and kids, check email, etc.
So there you have it, if I'm not sleeping working or eating I'm probably working out. Though I've been at this for over a week and a half now (I did take a couple days off working out) I've only lost 1 pound. I've been cutting back on how much I eat too, I'm assuming that I've been building muscle (which weighs more than fat) so I'm in better shape just not any lighter.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Third Thing...
Well, to be totally honest I totally forgot what I was going to talk about last time I blogged and said I had three things to talk about. Oh well, the main thing now is my current deployment.
I just deployed overseas again, same as last year only to a different location. Well, fortunately for me EVERYTHING (almost) is way better! Really, the only thing that isn't as nice as last year is the housing situation. And, even that isn't really that bad I have great roommates that aren't noisy and don't turn on lights needlessly. The only thing remotely bad about this location is the bathrooms are separate from the bed room buildings. So if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night you have to get fully dressed with sandals, and reflective belt, and walk (about 100yds) to the bathroom. I guess if I had to find something else wrong it's the large number of people here that are nit picky about rules like the reflective belt along with other uniform rules. Oh and one of those other things... the Vibram toe shoes are completely prohibited here. It'd be nice if I could get that changed but I doubt it. Oh, I guess technically I'd like to be able to get internet in my room (I might I haven't really tried). Other than those slight negative things, pretty much everything else here is so much better. I like the unit here much better. The squadron is full of people that like to hang out together. There's a nice morale-room in the squadron with different game systems and thousands of movies and other videos, and people like to hang out in there. It makes for a MUCH better environment around the squadron which basically means this deployment by and large will be much better than last year's.
I just deployed overseas again, same as last year only to a different location. Well, fortunately for me EVERYTHING (almost) is way better! Really, the only thing that isn't as nice as last year is the housing situation. And, even that isn't really that bad I have great roommates that aren't noisy and don't turn on lights needlessly. The only thing remotely bad about this location is the bathrooms are separate from the bed room buildings. So if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night you have to get fully dressed with sandals, and reflective belt, and walk (about 100yds) to the bathroom. I guess if I had to find something else wrong it's the large number of people here that are nit picky about rules like the reflective belt along with other uniform rules. Oh and one of those other things... the Vibram toe shoes are completely prohibited here. It'd be nice if I could get that changed but I doubt it. Oh, I guess technically I'd like to be able to get internet in my room (I might I haven't really tried). Other than those slight negative things, pretty much everything else here is so much better. I like the unit here much better. The squadron is full of people that like to hang out together. There's a nice morale-room in the squadron with different game systems and thousands of movies and other videos, and people like to hang out in there. It makes for a MUCH better environment around the squadron which basically means this deployment by and large will be much better than last year's.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Two Thoughts... Well really three but I'll save the third for later
I know I generally dislike discussing politics but I read an interesting article and watched an interesting argument on Fox News that I want to mention it here...
There's a huge debate brewing in congress about raising the debt ceiling on the US government spending. Now, in general I am a Republican in the idea that I believe the government should be smaller. Ideally the government should only be in charge of regulation of taxes and inter-state commerce and international trade, and of course national defense. So, that being said the raising the debt ceiling will only serve to increase the amount the government borrows each year and will continue to balloon the national debt. Don't get me wrong I'm not all doom and gloom about the national debt, however, it doesn't make any sense to increase the spending limit on an already insanely huge debt. Just think about this monetarily; if you have a credit card with a bank and you constantly have the card limit maxed out and are only able to make minimum payments and never actually pay the debt off does it make sense to RAISE that credit limit? Now, technically in one sense it DOES make sense to raise the limit... because that means you can spend more and therefore owe the bank MORE money and they can charge more interest. However, there's a danger in that, because the bank is constantly in danger of the indebted person claiming bankruptcy then the bank gets little to nothing back from the debt. In the case of the government (I can't imagine what declaring bankruptcy would entail) to whom do they owe this money? I've been watching some youtube videos about this by Learn Liberty. It's difficult to imagine these amounts of money, and to whom, or where did it all go?
Second thought for my blog centers around a disturbing article I read in USA Today about girls hitting puberty sooner than ever. The article doesn't directly impact my life, I don't have any daughters (yet). However, it does bring up an over-arching point that I've struggled with as a father for a long time. Namely, the idea of kids being able to be kids! I hope that Michelle and I can provide the kind of safe family environment that our kids can be kids. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I hadn't had the opportunities I had as a child to run and play. I was at an advantage since I grew up on a farm in the country side, but that doesn't give me any excuses on how I raise my kids. It just makes it a little harder to get them outdoors. On top of not living on a farm or in the country, I struggle with helping my kids be kids because I've been deployed (now two summers in a row). I know it's my duty as a military member, but I can't wait until I'm done with my commitment to go wherever they tell me whenever they tell me. Unfortunately, since I'm planning on making a career of this, I'll be working in the Air Force until long after my boys are all grown up. This just means that I'll have to make good use of the time I have with them and use that time the best I can. On that note I can't wait to move to Japan, because I get to take my family, and while I'm there it's highly unlikely I'll deploy any for any length of time. So I should have three years with my family in "the Hawaii of Japan."
There's a huge debate brewing in congress about raising the debt ceiling on the US government spending. Now, in general I am a Republican in the idea that I believe the government should be smaller. Ideally the government should only be in charge of regulation of taxes and inter-state commerce and international trade, and of course national defense. So, that being said the raising the debt ceiling will only serve to increase the amount the government borrows each year and will continue to balloon the national debt. Don't get me wrong I'm not all doom and gloom about the national debt, however, it doesn't make any sense to increase the spending limit on an already insanely huge debt. Just think about this monetarily; if you have a credit card with a bank and you constantly have the card limit maxed out and are only able to make minimum payments and never actually pay the debt off does it make sense to RAISE that credit limit? Now, technically in one sense it DOES make sense to raise the limit... because that means you can spend more and therefore owe the bank MORE money and they can charge more interest. However, there's a danger in that, because the bank is constantly in danger of the indebted person claiming bankruptcy then the bank gets little to nothing back from the debt. In the case of the government (I can't imagine what declaring bankruptcy would entail) to whom do they owe this money? I've been watching some youtube videos about this by Learn Liberty. It's difficult to imagine these amounts of money, and to whom, or where did it all go?
Second thought for my blog centers around a disturbing article I read in USA Today about girls hitting puberty sooner than ever. The article doesn't directly impact my life, I don't have any daughters (yet). However, it does bring up an over-arching point that I've struggled with as a father for a long time. Namely, the idea of kids being able to be kids! I hope that Michelle and I can provide the kind of safe family environment that our kids can be kids. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I hadn't had the opportunities I had as a child to run and play. I was at an advantage since I grew up on a farm in the country side, but that doesn't give me any excuses on how I raise my kids. It just makes it a little harder to get them outdoors. On top of not living on a farm or in the country, I struggle with helping my kids be kids because I've been deployed (now two summers in a row). I know it's my duty as a military member, but I can't wait until I'm done with my commitment to go wherever they tell me whenever they tell me. Unfortunately, since I'm planning on making a career of this, I'll be working in the Air Force until long after my boys are all grown up. This just means that I'll have to make good use of the time I have with them and use that time the best I can. On that note I can't wait to move to Japan, because I get to take my family, and while I'm there it's highly unlikely I'll deploy any for any length of time. So I should have three years with my family in "the Hawaii of Japan."
Friday, April 8, 2011
Negativity
If anyone actually reads this blog... sorry I've been so negative lately. Life hasn't really been what I want lately and it's been coming out in my attitude and in my blogging.
I'm still stuck in Meridian Mississippi working on the last parts of my training. Hopefully be done here soon.
I'm still stuck in Meridian Mississippi working on the last parts of my training. Hopefully be done here soon.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Pop Culture
I think I've decided... I hate pop culture. Among other things but I really detest American pop culture. I have been blessed with being able to sit around and do things I really enjoy the last few days and this morning I sat and read the paper over lunch. Well, a couple things really hit me: first, I hate politics. I love the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and I've often wondered if one could do something like that these days. It drives me crazy, also because so many people are so passionate about their political views. I really don't care about politics in general and it bothers me how much politicians can change the nation when in reality they're just people, and we all know that all people are flawed.
Secondly, I hate pop culture. There was a mini-article about Maria Carey posing nude while 9 months pregnant with twins. WHAT!? Are you serious!? Who would do this? She's quoted in the article saying something about being nervous about doing this but wanted to share this important time in her life with her "true fans." First off, it's sad that nudity and sexual perversion has become so commonplace that the fact that she's naked doesn't seem to bother people. Then, it's scary how fans get so enamored with these "stars" that they start to think they have some real connection with these uber-rich-often-aloof-self-centered entertainers. It's particularly scary that some of these stars seem to drink up that attention and revel in it so much that they seem to fall victim to the same problem, thinking they have some real connection to these fan(atics).
I know this isn't really feasible and it's not what I should do (either as a Christian or responsible member of society), but I really want to become a hermit or at least live a hermit-like life. I know I shouldn't bury my head in the sand and ignore the changes in the world but I definitely don't want to welcome these things with open arms. So, I have this delicate balancing act to try to walk where I can be among this messed up society but not be tainted by it. Though the scary thing about that is in the old analogy my dad used to say all the time... "The gloves get muddy, the mud doesn't get 'glovey.'"
Secondly, I hate pop culture. There was a mini-article about Maria Carey posing nude while 9 months pregnant with twins. WHAT!? Are you serious!? Who would do this? She's quoted in the article saying something about being nervous about doing this but wanted to share this important time in her life with her "true fans." First off, it's sad that nudity and sexual perversion has become so commonplace that the fact that she's naked doesn't seem to bother people. Then, it's scary how fans get so enamored with these "stars" that they start to think they have some real connection with these uber-rich-often-aloof-self-centered entertainers. It's particularly scary that some of these stars seem to drink up that attention and revel in it so much that they seem to fall victim to the same problem, thinking they have some real connection to these fan(atics).
I know this isn't really feasible and it's not what I should do (either as a Christian or responsible member of society), but I really want to become a hermit or at least live a hermit-like life. I know I shouldn't bury my head in the sand and ignore the changes in the world but I definitely don't want to welcome these things with open arms. So, I have this delicate balancing act to try to walk where I can be among this messed up society but not be tainted by it. Though the scary thing about that is in the old analogy my dad used to say all the time... "The gloves get muddy, the mud doesn't get 'glovey.'"
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
On a roll
Well, for the first time ever, I'm on a roll when it comes to blogging. I think the trick is to have Blogger set as one of my homepage tabs so every time I open up the internet Blogger is there and I have the opportunity to write something.
Well, I don't really have a whole lot to talk about other than the storm last night. It was crazy windy and rainy, and apparently caused some damage in Alabama and Georgia.
I predict that today is a boring day... I need to go sit and read to fill up my time! Unfortunately because all my friends are actually working I'll most likely be alone all day.
I know I complained a lot in my last post and made it sound like my life sucks, well that's not entirely the case. My family is doing well, they went through the last deployment without any serious problems and we were as strong as ever as a family when I got back. This time seems to be much the same, my family seems to adapt well to deployment. I've been reading a lot (keeping up with reading through the Bible in a year, and many other good books) and I've been doing fine keeping up with my college courses.
And, to be honest, as much as I don't like eating out for virtually every meal, it's nice having someone else clean my room every other day or so.
Well, I don't really have a whole lot to talk about other than the storm last night. It was crazy windy and rainy, and apparently caused some damage in Alabama and Georgia.
I predict that today is a boring day... I need to go sit and read to fill up my time! Unfortunately because all my friends are actually working I'll most likely be alone all day.
I know I complained a lot in my last post and made it sound like my life sucks, well that's not entirely the case. My family is doing well, they went through the last deployment without any serious problems and we were as strong as ever as a family when I got back. This time seems to be much the same, my family seems to adapt well to deployment. I've been reading a lot (keeping up with reading through the Bible in a year, and many other good books) and I've been doing fine keeping up with my college courses.
And, to be honest, as much as I don't like eating out for virtually every meal, it's nice having someone else clean my room every other day or so.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wow almost a year between posts!
Apparently I'm not very good at this blogging thing...
It's humorous to me that I suck so bad at blogging because I read so many people's blogs regularly.
I keep up with Ross Training Blog, MovNat, InvisibleShoe.com, Will Haas Blog, Trail Hacker, In Search of Solid Ground, THOR, Jason Robillard's Teaching: Let's Roll Up Our Sleeves, Shoeless Shel Bell, and last and possibly least The Science of Sport. On top of all those I regularly read Fox News headlines, I'm taking online classes at Bellevue University, and I keep up with friends and family on Facebook. But, for no apparent reason, I cannot make time to sit and type or write up (I just opened my written journal the other day and it was just as outdated as this blog) what I think or feel at any one time.
Just an update on life...
I last wrote while I was overseas deployed, well that time passed more or less uneventfully. I had a terrible time, but the problems were centered around the fact that I wasn't doing what I've been trained to do. And when I tried to change things for the better I only encountered resistance. Well, that time came and went, then I went home (right now I'm writing while back in Mississippi for re-training) and had a great 5 months, or so, among family and friends. The only downside to my time back home was my attempt at applying for the Airmen Education and Commissioning Program (Air Force program to go to school full time and graduate/get a commission) failed; partly because of bureaucratic red tape and partly because Ohio State University wasn't able to process my application fast enough.
After that failed I volunteered to deploy early (I was told I had to deploy again with this program) in order to get back home before the end of summer. Last year I didn't get home until mid-October and I missed all of the fun summer months, so I wanted to go earlier so that I'd get home sooner. Well, while I was going around doing paperwork for leaving I talked with out unit's language program manager and he said there was an advanced language class this fall out at the language institute in Monterey, CA. Well, since that's what I want to do any ways and the class didn't start until Nov and I thought I'd be back in late September, I signed up for it. Well, long story short I found out later that my deployment this time is LONGER than last time and I won't be back till late October. Regardless, I put in the application knowing that if I was accepted into the class they would cut my deployment short so I could get back in time for the class.
So here I am in Mississippi, my application for that language course was denied, but I am supposed to move to Japan as soon as this deployment and more training is done. There are so many things not working out the way I want them and it makes life kind of... suck, for lack of a more all-encompassing word. I am excited about the prospect of moving to Japan. So much so that I'm trying learn Japanese, studying the area and doing everything I can to be well prepared to move there. Unfortunately, this deployment is still looming over my head and I have to complete this stage of life before I can move on.
Of course it's not that simple... I can't move on to the deployment without completing this retraining. Which, by the way, I am not doing very well. I didn't like this program while I was deployed last year and many of the people who were hard to deal with last year are now training the new people and people like me going back out. So, there are personality conflicts as well as people trying to "climb the corporate ladder" (it's slightly different in the military but it still exists) and those people aren't afraid to kick those below them off. So it seems like I'm getting blackballed a little (perhaps not on purpose). On top of getting treated differently (at least it feels like I'm treated differently), I'm inexperienced in much of how we're supposed to do this job. Like I said before my problem with my previous deployment was that we didn't do the job we were trained for... Well, if I didn't do the job while I was out there (deployed), and last year when I went through this training it was totally new training, and the program wasn't very well established and the training wasn't very good; obviously I'm NOT as experienced as I should be.
So here I am failing at life *again, and every day I'm delayed here tacks another day on to the end of my deployment. So, even though I volunteered to go early to get back early it's going to end up that I left only a week earlier and I'm going to get back two weeks later than last year. The ONLY thing (other than God) that's going to get me through this deployment is the looking forward to moving to Japan!
It's humorous to me that I suck so bad at blogging because I read so many people's blogs regularly.
I keep up with Ross Training Blog, MovNat, InvisibleShoe.com, Will Haas Blog, Trail Hacker, In Search of Solid Ground, THOR, Jason Robillard's Teaching: Let's Roll Up Our Sleeves, Shoeless Shel Bell, and last and possibly least The Science of Sport. On top of all those I regularly read Fox News headlines, I'm taking online classes at Bellevue University, and I keep up with friends and family on Facebook. But, for no apparent reason, I cannot make time to sit and type or write up (I just opened my written journal the other day and it was just as outdated as this blog) what I think or feel at any one time.
Just an update on life...
I last wrote while I was overseas deployed, well that time passed more or less uneventfully. I had a terrible time, but the problems were centered around the fact that I wasn't doing what I've been trained to do. And when I tried to change things for the better I only encountered resistance. Well, that time came and went, then I went home (right now I'm writing while back in Mississippi for re-training) and had a great 5 months, or so, among family and friends. The only downside to my time back home was my attempt at applying for the Airmen Education and Commissioning Program (Air Force program to go to school full time and graduate/get a commission) failed; partly because of bureaucratic red tape and partly because Ohio State University wasn't able to process my application fast enough.
After that failed I volunteered to deploy early (I was told I had to deploy again with this program) in order to get back home before the end of summer. Last year I didn't get home until mid-October and I missed all of the fun summer months, so I wanted to go earlier so that I'd get home sooner. Well, while I was going around doing paperwork for leaving I talked with out unit's language program manager and he said there was an advanced language class this fall out at the language institute in Monterey, CA. Well, since that's what I want to do any ways and the class didn't start until Nov and I thought I'd be back in late September, I signed up for it. Well, long story short I found out later that my deployment this time is LONGER than last time and I won't be back till late October. Regardless, I put in the application knowing that if I was accepted into the class they would cut my deployment short so I could get back in time for the class.
So here I am in Mississippi, my application for that language course was denied, but I am supposed to move to Japan as soon as this deployment and more training is done. There are so many things not working out the way I want them and it makes life kind of... suck, for lack of a more all-encompassing word. I am excited about the prospect of moving to Japan. So much so that I'm trying learn Japanese, studying the area and doing everything I can to be well prepared to move there. Unfortunately, this deployment is still looming over my head and I have to complete this stage of life before I can move on.
Of course it's not that simple... I can't move on to the deployment without completing this retraining. Which, by the way, I am not doing very well. I didn't like this program while I was deployed last year and many of the people who were hard to deal with last year are now training the new people and people like me going back out. So, there are personality conflicts as well as people trying to "climb the corporate ladder" (it's slightly different in the military but it still exists) and those people aren't afraid to kick those below them off. So it seems like I'm getting blackballed a little (perhaps not on purpose). On top of getting treated differently (at least it feels like I'm treated differently), I'm inexperienced in much of how we're supposed to do this job. Like I said before my problem with my previous deployment was that we didn't do the job we were trained for... Well, if I didn't do the job while I was out there (deployed), and last year when I went through this training it was totally new training, and the program wasn't very well established and the training wasn't very good; obviously I'm NOT as experienced as I should be.
So here I am failing at life *again, and every day I'm delayed here tacks another day on to the end of my deployment. So, even though I volunteered to go early to get back early it's going to end up that I left only a week earlier and I'm going to get back two weeks later than last year. The ONLY thing (other than God) that's going to get me through this deployment is the looking forward to moving to Japan!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Overseas SUCK
Well, I guess saying this sucks is a bit over the top. It is dusty dry and the accomodations could be better but it really isn't that bad. I am keeping busy working which makes time pass much faster than it would if I were completely bored. It still isn't fun.
Anyways, that's really all I have to say but hopefully I'll be able to come post more often.
Anyways, that's really all I have to say but hopefully I'll be able to come post more often.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Journal = I suck at it...
So, it has been over 2 YEARS since I last Blogged here! So much has happened that I don't have time to go through it all. Basic plot is that I finally finished all the AF training for a linguist then got "selected" (I sort of volunteered) for the AF's Liberty program. It is very interesting.
I am currently in Mississippi taking the final training courses for doing the Liberty program. I am almost done with the academics portion of training but the flight portions keep getting delayed by bad weather. So I have no idea how long I will be here. It really sucks, but right now the program is set up so that we have to do 2-3 months of training right before getting deployed for 6 months. So I will be here until done with training then go to the Middle East for 6 months. Not happy with being separated from my wonderful family, but I am glad to finally be doing a real job for the AF. Hopefully I will be able to keep up my journal here.
I am currently in Mississippi taking the final training courses for doing the Liberty program. I am almost done with the academics portion of training but the flight portions keep getting delayed by bad weather. So I have no idea how long I will be here. It really sucks, but right now the program is set up so that we have to do 2-3 months of training right before getting deployed for 6 months. So I will be here until done with training then go to the Middle East for 6 months. Not happy with being separated from my wonderful family, but I am glad to finally be doing a real job for the AF. Hopefully I will be able to keep up my journal here.
Friday, January 1, 2010
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