Had the pleasure of going to the hospital for an Ear, Nose, and Throat consult for my sinus issues, yes, I am still having problems. George Washington's Senior Medical Officer is an ENT specialist and diagnosed me with Sinus Polyps and ordered the consult.
Learning about to commence, skip it if you'd like...
"Polyps may simply block the nasal airway, making it difficult to breath through the nose; or they may block the proper drainage of the sinus cavities, leading to stagnant secretions that may become infected.
Polyps are generally thought to occur as a result of an ongoing inflammatory process within the nose and sinuses. Although the inflammatory process might be related to allergies, most cases of polyps occur as a result of non-allergic processes.
Whatever the cause, polyps can make patients miserable. Common symptoms in patients with nasal and sinus polyps include nasal obstruction, decreased sense of smell, recurrent sinus infections and profuse nasal drainage. Many of these patients feel as though they have a cold all of the time.
If polyps are suspected, the patient may undergo an endoscopic examination in the clinic. This procedure uses a small telescope that is placed inside of the nostril to examine the nose and sinuses. Computed tomography (often called CT or CAT scans) may help to delineate the precise location of polyps within these cavities.
After establishing the appropriate diagnosis, multiple medical treatments may be initiated. Medications include anti-inflammatory sprays, decongestants, inflammatory mediator inhibitors, and systemic steroid medications. It is important that the physician and patient recognize that medications are often needed on a long-term basis in order to reduce polyp size and prevent their re-growth.
In some cases, surgical excision of the polyps is required, using the endoscope to visualize the polyps. Following this type of surgery, it is critical to maintain medical treatment and closely observe the nose and sinus cavities to prevent recurrence of any polyps. In many cases, if a proper medical and surgical treatment plan is carefully followed, patients will not require further polyp removal surgery. "
Or you could read about it yourself here, here, or here. Or you could do a Google search. Or you could just continue reading...
So anyways...
The doc sprays a decongestant and some anesthetic in both nasal passages and we chit chat about whatever for a bit of time to allow the medication to do it's work. Then he breaks out this giant spider-leg looking telescope that he intends to shove up both my nostrils. The medication didn't help the utterly icky feeling of having a giant spider-leg looking thing shoved up both my nostrils...
And what it boils down to is I will have surgery on Thursday to have the 4 (found) polyps removed from my nasal passages, as well as correct my deviated septum. Didn't even realize I had a deviated septum...
Maybe this will help with my snoring problem also, my wife will surely be pleased...
I heard they pack the nasal passage with gauze for a week or two after a surgery of this type. if I can't breath now I suppose it won't hurt to not breath for a couple more weeks...
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Long Lost Blog Post...
Coming home, I can't think of anything finer in the world...
Spent all summer, all fall, some of the spring as well, underway, but made it home in time for Thanksgiving.
That should certainly be a good enough reason for me to completely ignore my blog and blow off posting for a few weeks...
Spent all summer, all fall, some of the spring as well, underway, but made it home in time for Thanksgiving.
That should certainly be a good enough reason for me to completely ignore my blog and blow off posting for a few weeks...
Friday, November 14, 2008
Here's Another Thing I Discovered...
Well, I'm sure someone else discovered it first, considering it's been around since 2006.
I'm talking about Twitter.
If you're asking what the heck is Twitter, obviously you didn't click the link, but I'll give you this: Twitter has grown into a real-time short messaging service that works over multiple networks and devices. In countries all around the world, people follow the sources most relevant to them and access information via Twitter as it happens—from breaking world news to updates from friends. You'll just have to visit the link for the rest...
A little background into Navy life and internet connections...
The ability to use the internet onboard a Navy ship is relatively new, well, new to a guy like me who's served for 20+ years. Way back when I joined in 1987, when a ship pulled away from the pier, the only regular communication with family and friends came in the form of letters. Some of you may be asking yourself what that is, I won't explain it, I feel old enough as it is...
In 1996, we had the ability to send e-mail to our loved ones through a system called SALTS, Streamlined Alternative Logistics Transmission System, chosen as the system to expand the Navy's capacity to transmit logistics information and administrative data from deployed units to existing Department of Defense communications networks.
The way this would work, I would type a letter in Notepad, save it to a 3.5" floppy, hand carry it to our Radio room and they would transmit my letter (e-mail), along with everyone else's to the command Ombudsman, who would in turn print them all out, call the families and friends and they would have to come pick them up. Not exactly the best system but it's what we had and we were happy to have something like this to keep in more immediate touch with everyone.
Where it used to take weeks to mail letters back and forth, now took days, depending on how often your loved one could make it to the Ombudsman's house.
1997-1998 I experienced the same system for passing letters back and forth with my wife, but by this time we had a shipboard LAN system available to us. Just another step in the long journey.
2000 found us with LAN systems installed, e-mail clients available (Outlook) and the ability to send e-mails at our leisure. If you planned it right, you could trade e-mails back and forth within minutes, sort of like instant messaging, except without the instant part.
I had the privilege of a few years of shore duty and really didn't think of it until 2004 when I arrived to my next ship. By this time the internet was a part of everyday life for me.
I can back up to 1998 because that's when I created my first Hotmail account. Fast forward again to 2004...
Everyone had a Hotmail account, or Yahoo, or Google, or whatever e-mail client of preference. It became common for Sailors to have access to the internet and the ability to check personal e-mails, staying in touch with whoever they wanted to stay in touch with through the internet.
That is, until 2006, when the Navy decided that personal internet e-mail accounts were a drain on bandwidth for ships at sea and decided to prohibit all internet e-mail, as well as sites such as YouTube, MySpace, Photobucket, and the list goes on.
The uproar was heard fleet-wide, but you can't really argue with the decision because the battlespace is all about bandwidth and have the resources to keep the information flowing. In the days of video teleconferencing and satellite phone calls, every bit of bandwidth counts.
Another reason for this prohibition is computer security. Personal e-mail through a public system does not go through our network filters, creating an opportunity for intrusion through viruses or trojans.
Needless to say, I agree with the principles behind the banning, it just chaps my ass I can't check my Hotmail every now and then...
Alright, got that out of the way. Long and boring, I almost fell asleep typing it, can't see how you made it this far. It's not the whole story, and doesn't paint a completely clear picture, but I think you get my drift of "how it used to be."
Thanks to Out of Mana, I saw this Twitter thing on her blog but never had the inclination to look it up, then I saw that the Lich King had his own twitter account and I decided to finally figure out what I was looking at.
Sign up was a breeze. The best part is the Navy hasn't banned it yet so I can use it at will. I'm following several people now and even have 7 followers myself! Probably because I'm following them...
I'm kicking myself in the butt because I didn't sign up for this long ago, like back in May when I left home. I'll be back home soon though so it's probably too late to get Jeanine and the kids to sign up. Me and my laziness...
I'm talking about Twitter.
If you're asking what the heck is Twitter, obviously you didn't click the link, but I'll give you this: Twitter has grown into a real-time short messaging service that works over multiple networks and devices. In countries all around the world, people follow the sources most relevant to them and access information via Twitter as it happens—from breaking world news to updates from friends. You'll just have to visit the link for the rest...
A little background into Navy life and internet connections...
The ability to use the internet onboard a Navy ship is relatively new, well, new to a guy like me who's served for 20+ years. Way back when I joined in 1987, when a ship pulled away from the pier, the only regular communication with family and friends came in the form of letters. Some of you may be asking yourself what that is, I won't explain it, I feel old enough as it is...
In 1996, we had the ability to send e-mail to our loved ones through a system called SALTS, Streamlined Alternative Logistics Transmission System, chosen as the system to expand the Navy's capacity to transmit logistics information and administrative data from deployed units to existing Department of Defense communications networks.
The way this would work, I would type a letter in Notepad, save it to a 3.5" floppy, hand carry it to our Radio room and they would transmit my letter (e-mail), along with everyone else's to the command Ombudsman, who would in turn print them all out, call the families and friends and they would have to come pick them up. Not exactly the best system but it's what we had and we were happy to have something like this to keep in more immediate touch with everyone.
Where it used to take weeks to mail letters back and forth, now took days, depending on how often your loved one could make it to the Ombudsman's house.
1997-1998 I experienced the same system for passing letters back and forth with my wife, but by this time we had a shipboard LAN system available to us. Just another step in the long journey.
2000 found us with LAN systems installed, e-mail clients available (Outlook) and the ability to send e-mails at our leisure. If you planned it right, you could trade e-mails back and forth within minutes, sort of like instant messaging, except without the instant part.
I had the privilege of a few years of shore duty and really didn't think of it until 2004 when I arrived to my next ship. By this time the internet was a part of everyday life for me.
I can back up to 1998 because that's when I created my first Hotmail account. Fast forward again to 2004...
Everyone had a Hotmail account, or Yahoo, or Google, or whatever e-mail client of preference. It became common for Sailors to have access to the internet and the ability to check personal e-mails, staying in touch with whoever they wanted to stay in touch with through the internet.
That is, until 2006, when the Navy decided that personal internet e-mail accounts were a drain on bandwidth for ships at sea and decided to prohibit all internet e-mail, as well as sites such as YouTube, MySpace, Photobucket, and the list goes on.
The uproar was heard fleet-wide, but you can't really argue with the decision because the battlespace is all about bandwidth and have the resources to keep the information flowing. In the days of video teleconferencing and satellite phone calls, every bit of bandwidth counts.
Another reason for this prohibition is computer security. Personal e-mail through a public system does not go through our network filters, creating an opportunity for intrusion through viruses or trojans.
Needless to say, I agree with the principles behind the banning, it just chaps my ass I can't check my Hotmail every now and then...
Alright, got that out of the way. Long and boring, I almost fell asleep typing it, can't see how you made it this far. It's not the whole story, and doesn't paint a completely clear picture, but I think you get my drift of "how it used to be."
Thanks to Out of Mana, I saw this Twitter thing on her blog but never had the inclination to look it up, then I saw that the Lich King had his own twitter account and I decided to finally figure out what I was looking at.
Sign up was a breeze. The best part is the Navy hasn't banned it yet so I can use it at will. I'm following several people now and even have 7 followers myself! Probably because I'm following them...
I'm kicking myself in the butt because I didn't sign up for this long ago, like back in May when I left home. I'll be back home soon though so it's probably too late to get Jeanine and the kids to sign up. Me and my laziness...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Drawback of...
Google Reader.
Blogs are wonderful things. I started reading political blogs years ago, I enjoy reading opinions that match my own in regards to my conservative views on the world. I delved into other topics from links given in various blog posts and built quite the favorites list.
While researching some talent specs for my warlock in World of Warcraft I stumbled across Yet Another Warlock Nerf blog and realized I found a treasure-trove of warlock information to help me better my game. From that blog, I started exploring more and a whole new world of blog-reading opened it's doors for me.
A few more I found turned out to become regular reading, whether for the PVP aspect, learning other classes, or exploring roleplaying and humor, my blog count continued to rise and there was no way to get to all of them efficiently.
That's where Google Reader comes in. One stop shopping for blog reading. It's easy to set up a reader account and start subscribing to sites that support RSS feeds.
"RSS solves a problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows you to easily stay informed by retrieving the latest content from the sites you are interested in. You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure your privacy, by not needing to join each site's email newsletter. The number of sites offering RSS feeds is growing rapidly and includes big names like Yahoo News."
I chose Google Reader for ease of use.
Here's the reason for the post subject; I now have 137 sites with several different topics that I follow. World of Warcraft, Mountain Biking, Computer News, Politics, and various and sundry other topics that no one is interested in reading.
I took a hiatus from web-surfing to concentrate on leveling my priest and neglected my Google Reader for 4 days. I came back to 479 posts to read. I've knocked them down to less than 200 but there are at least 50 new posts per day, and with the new expansion coming out in less than 2 days, sometimes more than 100 per day.
I've actually knocked down a few of the blogs I follow:
Computers?
Only one, now that I'm an exclusive Mac user at home.
Politics?
My current favorite
Mountain Biking?
Maintenance and other subjects
Because I can relate
For all the news
But the blogs I read most are about World of Warcraft. Because there's too many to list, I will say that I read all types of WoW blogs, about all different classes and subjects. Out of the 137 blogs I subscribe to, at least 100 are WoW blogs. I plan to import my subscriptions from Google Reader to my Blog Roll, so check there for any WoW Blogs you might find interesting.
And the list continues to grow... I'm never going get all of these read...
Blogs are wonderful things. I started reading political blogs years ago, I enjoy reading opinions that match my own in regards to my conservative views on the world. I delved into other topics from links given in various blog posts and built quite the favorites list.
While researching some talent specs for my warlock in World of Warcraft I stumbled across Yet Another Warlock Nerf blog and realized I found a treasure-trove of warlock information to help me better my game. From that blog, I started exploring more and a whole new world of blog-reading opened it's doors for me.
A few more I found turned out to become regular reading, whether for the PVP aspect, learning other classes, or exploring roleplaying and humor, my blog count continued to rise and there was no way to get to all of them efficiently.
That's where Google Reader comes in. One stop shopping for blog reading. It's easy to set up a reader account and start subscribing to sites that support RSS feeds.
"RSS solves a problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows you to easily stay informed by retrieving the latest content from the sites you are interested in. You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure your privacy, by not needing to join each site's email newsletter. The number of sites offering RSS feeds is growing rapidly and includes big names like Yahoo News."
I chose Google Reader for ease of use.
Here's the reason for the post subject; I now have 137 sites with several different topics that I follow. World of Warcraft, Mountain Biking, Computer News, Politics, and various and sundry other topics that no one is interested in reading.
I took a hiatus from web-surfing to concentrate on leveling my priest and neglected my Google Reader for 4 days. I came back to 479 posts to read. I've knocked them down to less than 200 but there are at least 50 new posts per day, and with the new expansion coming out in less than 2 days, sometimes more than 100 per day.
I've actually knocked down a few of the blogs I follow:
Computers?
Only one, now that I'm an exclusive Mac user at home.
Politics?
My current favorite
Mountain Biking?
Maintenance and other subjects
Because I can relate
For all the news
But the blogs I read most are about World of Warcraft. Because there's too many to list, I will say that I read all types of WoW blogs, about all different classes and subjects. Out of the 137 blogs I subscribe to, at least 100 are WoW blogs. I plan to import my subscriptions from Google Reader to my Blog Roll, so check there for any WoW Blogs you might find interesting.
And the list continues to grow... I'm never going get all of these read...
Monday, November 10, 2008
So, Here I Am...
Thinking about Wrath of the Lich King, the new expansion for World of Warcraft, and really annoyed that I live overseas. I won't be able to purchase the expansion as soon as it hits the stores, I have to order it online and wait for it to get to me. Amazon, please ship fast!
I feel bad for my boy though, he's in an awesome guild, running end-game content, and he's going to have to wait about a week before he can get the expansion installed and start leveling again. I wonder how far along the rest of his guild will be and how long it will take him to catch up to them? He's going to play and watch everyone around him leaving him behind, and there's nothing we can do about it.
I hope both copies arrive quickly because it would be nice to be able to play when I get home. Jeanine probably hopes it never arrives. I know I play too much Honey but it's the bestest game ever!
Side note, I'm concentrating on my priest first in order to experience some of that raid stuff myself. My warlock will be my PVP toon, as well as farmer, but will not be neglected in the least. Seems everyone is looking for a priest to group with but no one wants a lock...
I feel bad for my boy though, he's in an awesome guild, running end-game content, and he's going to have to wait about a week before he can get the expansion installed and start leveling again. I wonder how far along the rest of his guild will be and how long it will take him to catch up to them? He's going to play and watch everyone around him leaving him behind, and there's nothing we can do about it.
I hope both copies arrive quickly because it would be nice to be able to play when I get home. Jeanine probably hopes it never arrives. I know I play too much Honey but it's the bestest game ever!
Side note, I'm concentrating on my priest first in order to experience some of that raid stuff myself. My warlock will be my PVP toon, as well as farmer, but will not be neglected in the least. Seems everyone is looking for a priest to group with but no one wants a lock...
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Another day at the office...
Just arrived to Guam, again, for the 6th time since being stationed in Japan...
Last three times were great mountain bike trips...
This time I'm laying up in a hotel room for 4 days and not doing a dang thing...
Wish me luck...
Last three times were great mountain bike trips...
This time I'm laying up in a hotel room for 4 days and not doing a dang thing...
Wish me luck...
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Things to do...
My MacBook Pro is running like a champ, although I'm kind of miffed about the new one on the market (certainly a better video card). My only consolation is that it's only been released in the 15" version, although I'm sure the 17" will come along soon enough.
I've added some music to my iTunes, some photos to my iPhoto, installed a few video requirements such as VLC and Perian. Still have a little ways to go to get it where I need it to be.
I've always been a Windows guy so I'm still learning the ins and outs of Mac. It helps that I am now a complete Mac user, I got rid of all my Windows machines. Well, I still have my Toshiba laptop but it's more of a paperweight now. I still have some stuff I have to get transferred over to my external hard drive, otherwise it would sit in a closet somewhere and collect dust.
The hard part in all of this is trying to figure out which computer will be the main. I now have a 24" iMac for the house, my daughter has a 15" MacBook Pro, and my son has a 20" iMac. Now that I have my laptop I'll use that more than anything else but I need to consolidate all my music and photos into one library. I think that's a job that I will never finish.
But the hardest part in all of this is un-learning everything I've learned using Windows. There are distinct differences with a Mac and it's only a matter of getting used to those differences. The good part is that it has been much easier to learn the Mac than it ever was for Windows.
All in all, making the switch was easy.
I've added some music to my iTunes, some photos to my iPhoto, installed a few video requirements such as VLC and Perian. Still have a little ways to go to get it where I need it to be.
I've always been a Windows guy so I'm still learning the ins and outs of Mac. It helps that I am now a complete Mac user, I got rid of all my Windows machines. Well, I still have my Toshiba laptop but it's more of a paperweight now. I still have some stuff I have to get transferred over to my external hard drive, otherwise it would sit in a closet somewhere and collect dust.
The hard part in all of this is trying to figure out which computer will be the main. I now have a 24" iMac for the house, my daughter has a 15" MacBook Pro, and my son has a 20" iMac. Now that I have my laptop I'll use that more than anything else but I need to consolidate all my music and photos into one library. I think that's a job that I will never finish.
But the hardest part in all of this is un-learning everything I've learned using Windows. There are distinct differences with a Mac and it's only a matter of getting used to those differences. The good part is that it has been much easier to learn the Mac than it ever was for Windows.
All in all, making the switch was easy.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sick Again...
I tell ya, I just don't know what's wrong with me. Sinus congestion big time, I can't breath, I can't sleep at night, just eating makes me feel like I'm running a marathon.
This thing started way back at the beginning of summer. About mid-June I came down with what I thought was a cold. I self-medicated big time since I always have a supply of NyQuil, DayQuil, Sudafed, and Afrin when I'm deployed. It was horrible. No amount of medication would clear me up.
Now, try mountain biking in Hawaii and Guam with a serious head cold, think hot and humid. I might as well have strapped myself to a stretcher and had my boys haul me around, I was slacking so much. God bless these guys because they never once thought about leaving me behind, even going so far as calling me a big poon for even thinking about not going riding. I felt like I was holding them back (which I was) but they wouldn't hear of me not riding and we truly had some epic rides, especially the face plant part in Hawaii, but I don't want to talk about it... let's just say I'm glad we had a Doc as part of our mountain biking group.
This lasted until mid-August when I finally decided to take my Doc buddy up on his offer for some allergy medicine. He finally broke me down and I told him my sob story about how long this had been going on. He didn't know I had been dealing with this since June. He gave me Flo-Nase and Claritin to clear it up.
After about 10 days, I cleared up. It helped being ashore in San Diego for so long as well, having the opportunity to walk around outside frequently and work it out of my system. Being outside probably wasn't the best for allergies but I figured the medicine was working, as well as the frequent exercise. I stopped taking the allergy medicine figuring it was over.
That lasted for about 3 weeks.
About 3 days before coming home for a short 6 day visit I was sick again. I had stopped taking the Claritan and Flo-Nase and figured that was my problem so I started that back up again. And it cleared up after 7 days. At least I had 2 days of relief while home, although the wife wasn't too impressed with my sickness for the first 4 days.
That lasted about a week.
Now I've been sick again for 10 days. And it's worse than before. Every breath is a chore. My head hurts all the time. I'm run down tired no matter how much sleep I get.
I finally broke down and went for real treatment. Now I'm medicating with Amoxycillin and Mucinex for a Sinus Infection. Oh, and Tylenol to help with the headaches.
I hate to think what's next if this doesn't work... if they just had a drill to bore two holes in my head so I can breath...
This thing started way back at the beginning of summer. About mid-June I came down with what I thought was a cold. I self-medicated big time since I always have a supply of NyQuil, DayQuil, Sudafed, and Afrin when I'm deployed. It was horrible. No amount of medication would clear me up.
Now, try mountain biking in Hawaii and Guam with a serious head cold, think hot and humid. I might as well have strapped myself to a stretcher and had my boys haul me around, I was slacking so much. God bless these guys because they never once thought about leaving me behind, even going so far as calling me a big poon for even thinking about not going riding. I felt like I was holding them back (which I was) but they wouldn't hear of me not riding and we truly had some epic rides, especially the face plant part in Hawaii, but I don't want to talk about it... let's just say I'm glad we had a Doc as part of our mountain biking group.
This lasted until mid-August when I finally decided to take my Doc buddy up on his offer for some allergy medicine. He finally broke me down and I told him my sob story about how long this had been going on. He didn't know I had been dealing with this since June. He gave me Flo-Nase and Claritin to clear it up.
After about 10 days, I cleared up. It helped being ashore in San Diego for so long as well, having the opportunity to walk around outside frequently and work it out of my system. Being outside probably wasn't the best for allergies but I figured the medicine was working, as well as the frequent exercise. I stopped taking the allergy medicine figuring it was over.
That lasted for about 3 weeks.
About 3 days before coming home for a short 6 day visit I was sick again. I had stopped taking the Claritan and Flo-Nase and figured that was my problem so I started that back up again. And it cleared up after 7 days. At least I had 2 days of relief while home, although the wife wasn't too impressed with my sickness for the first 4 days.
That lasted about a week.
Now I've been sick again for 10 days. And it's worse than before. Every breath is a chore. My head hurts all the time. I'm run down tired no matter how much sleep I get.
I finally broke down and went for real treatment. Now I'm medicating with Amoxycillin and Mucinex for a Sinus Infection. Oh, and Tylenol to help with the headaches.
I hate to think what's next if this doesn't work... if they just had a drill to bore two holes in my head so I can breath...
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Is Global Warming Really a Problem?
If you are all about Global Warming and believe it is a serious problem needing addressed now, before it's too late, you might not want to read Michael Crichton's take on it...
On the other hand, if you truly enjoy controversial points made through effective argument, then this is for you...
Complexity Theory and Environmental Management
On the other hand, if you truly enjoy controversial points made through effective argument, then this is for you...
Complexity Theory and Environmental Management
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Greatest Wife in the World!
Does my wife love me or what?
Brand new 17" MacBook Pro! And it rocks! And my wife let me buy it as an early Christmas present! She's the bestest wife in the whole wide world!
Not that it will make me post more...
Brand new 17" MacBook Pro! And it rocks! And my wife let me buy it as an early Christmas present! She's the bestest wife in the whole wide world!
Not that it will make me post more...
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Snowbirds...
What I hope you see is my kids playing in the snow last winter in Naeba, a wonderful little resort town with outstanding skiing and snowboarding...
What you're probably seeing is two typed lines with no picture...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Failure...
I said it before, I'll say it again, a successful blog is about the posts...
Or should I say, it's about posting...
Cause you have to post regularly in order to have a blog, otherwise it's just another failed endeavor in your life...
I refuse for this blog to be another one of my unfinished projects...
But what do I write about when I have nothing to write about?
I write about nothing...
This should suffice...
Or should I say, it's about posting...
Cause you have to post regularly in order to have a blog, otherwise it's just another failed endeavor in your life...
I refuse for this blog to be another one of my unfinished projects...
But what do I write about when I have nothing to write about?
I write about nothing...
This should suffice...
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Happy Birthday!
Alright, so this isn't exactly a Happy Birthday to any one person in particular...
We all know that someone who has a brain that was designed to keep track of dates and names and special occasions and clothing sizes of other people and what someone's favorite fad is currently, etc... that ain't me.
Every New Year I tell myself I'm going to be better in tune with everyone and try to push back into people's lives. That's normal for me because I'm usually kicking myself in the ass after mailing out my Christmas cards 2 days before Christmas.
Shortly after the New Year it's my brother's birthday. The following month is mine. Come summer, Dad's birthday is in July, my daughter's in August, Grandpa's in September, Mom in October, and wrapping up the year is my wife and son in November.
So far this year I am 2-4. I remembered mine and my daughters.
With all that being said, Happy Birthday Jake! Happy Birthday Dad!
I hope I can up my percentage through the rest of the year....
We all know that someone who has a brain that was designed to keep track of dates and names and special occasions and clothing sizes of other people and what someone's favorite fad is currently, etc... that ain't me.
Every New Year I tell myself I'm going to be better in tune with everyone and try to push back into people's lives. That's normal for me because I'm usually kicking myself in the ass after mailing out my Christmas cards 2 days before Christmas.
Shortly after the New Year it's my brother's birthday. The following month is mine. Come summer, Dad's birthday is in July, my daughter's in August, Grandpa's in September, Mom in October, and wrapping up the year is my wife and son in November.
So far this year I am 2-4. I remembered mine and my daughters.
With all that being said, Happy Birthday Jake! Happy Birthday Dad!
I hope I can up my percentage through the rest of the year....
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Oh, The Drudgery!
I can sum up every day at sea the same way: same stuff, different day.
Repetition is the key to survival out here. Routine is the lifes blood of a Sailor. Every day you have the same tasks (with a few differences here and there, it doesn't change the routine), the same sleep times, the same eating times, the same watch times, the same daily work, etc...
My routine? I start my day around 8pm. I shower, shave, get dressed, come into the office. I check my e-mail, look for any extra taskers on top of my normal workload, check the message traffic for anything from other ships or units that may need something from me and, in general, let everyone know I'm up and around. I answer my e-mails, set up my priority list for my workload, and check the watch floor in case there's anything that did not come to my inbox. I eat chow around 11pm, give or take 30 or so minutes. I return from chow, start on my taskers, and then around 1:30am I start preparing for taking over the watch at 2:15am. I stand my watch until 7am, get relieved, take 30 minutes to myself to wind down and then hit breakfast. I'm normally back in the office by 8am and start back in on my taskers. I either finish them or I don't because they're not going anywhere and I'll get them taken care of eventually. I'm not overly tasked though and can get done around lunchtime, 11am-12am, at which time I take some more time for myself, either hitting the gym, surfing the internet, chilling in my room, or whatever has captured my attention on that particular day. On a rare day I can get together with the boys and play a bit of guitar. I hit the rack about 1pm and it starts all over again. Everyday I'm underway. Of course, the times may change depending on when I stand watch but it runs exactly the same way.
Why the routine? When I'm underway, I'm technically at the office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because there's no where else to go. I have a routine to make the days go by faster. It's not about the hours in the day, it's about the actual days because the faster the deployment is over, the sooner I'm home with my loved ones.
And every Sailor will tell you it's all about getting home.
On a side note... whenever I re-read my posts, I realize I need to bone up on my writing skills...
Repetition is the key to survival out here. Routine is the lifes blood of a Sailor. Every day you have the same tasks (with a few differences here and there, it doesn't change the routine), the same sleep times, the same eating times, the same watch times, the same daily work, etc...
My routine? I start my day around 8pm. I shower, shave, get dressed, come into the office. I check my e-mail, look for any extra taskers on top of my normal workload, check the message traffic for anything from other ships or units that may need something from me and, in general, let everyone know I'm up and around. I answer my e-mails, set up my priority list for my workload, and check the watch floor in case there's anything that did not come to my inbox. I eat chow around 11pm, give or take 30 or so minutes. I return from chow, start on my taskers, and then around 1:30am I start preparing for taking over the watch at 2:15am. I stand my watch until 7am, get relieved, take 30 minutes to myself to wind down and then hit breakfast. I'm normally back in the office by 8am and start back in on my taskers. I either finish them or I don't because they're not going anywhere and I'll get them taken care of eventually. I'm not overly tasked though and can get done around lunchtime, 11am-12am, at which time I take some more time for myself, either hitting the gym, surfing the internet, chilling in my room, or whatever has captured my attention on that particular day. On a rare day I can get together with the boys and play a bit of guitar. I hit the rack about 1pm and it starts all over again. Everyday I'm underway. Of course, the times may change depending on when I stand watch but it runs exactly the same way.
Why the routine? When I'm underway, I'm technically at the office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because there's no where else to go. I have a routine to make the days go by faster. It's not about the hours in the day, it's about the actual days because the faster the deployment is over, the sooner I'm home with my loved ones.
And every Sailor will tell you it's all about getting home.
On a side note... whenever I re-read my posts, I realize I need to bone up on my writing skills...
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Well now...
Seems access to Blogger is spotty at best. I'll have to continue to work on that.
Well, I sort of have my stuff squared away. I still have a few items to find a home for but all in all, I'm doing pretty good on my time line, especially with the hours I've been putting in. When you're underway every hour is a working hour so anytime you can get a moment to yourself you had better put it to good use. I don't think I've seen my laptop for two days now due to being so busy but it will all smooth out soon.
I have time this evening to get together with Jed and Bill and play a little guitar. They're both pretty darn good and I feel like I just picked up playing but I have a good time whenever we play, not to mention I increase my skill level playing with these two. I started playing guitar (self-taught) way back in 1990. I bought a POS guitar out of a pawn shop, borrowed a "how-to" book from my buddy Raymond, and stumbled through it all on my first Navy deployment. My influences were Jimmy Buffett, The Eagles, The Beatles, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, etc... Heck, if Jimmy Buffett can make a living off of three chords...
The biggest reason to learn guitar was to have something to do to waste away the hours while I was underway.
The biggest reason WHY I learned to play was my Dad.
This is a man who can hear a song once, and figure out how to play it. Personally, my favorite guitar player of all time. Anyway, he learned to play in his early teens and fell in love with the music. His school didn't offer guitar as a music choice so he would skip classes to go home and work on his playing. He eventually moved to Florida and became a carpenter, but he still plays today, better than he ever did.
So I've been playing off and on for 18 years but never had the drive like my Dad. I never learned how to pick or solo and am content with being able to strum a song. Jed and I've been working on Redemption Song, a wonderful song by Bob Marley, very easy to play, once you know the chords. I never would've figured it out on my own. On the other hand, I showed Jed how to play Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi so I figure it's an even trade. We haven't been able to get together and play since beginning of July so I wonder what they have in store for me tonight...
Well, I sort of have my stuff squared away. I still have a few items to find a home for but all in all, I'm doing pretty good on my time line, especially with the hours I've been putting in. When you're underway every hour is a working hour so anytime you can get a moment to yourself you had better put it to good use. I don't think I've seen my laptop for two days now due to being so busy but it will all smooth out soon.
I have time this evening to get together with Jed and Bill and play a little guitar. They're both pretty darn good and I feel like I just picked up playing but I have a good time whenever we play, not to mention I increase my skill level playing with these two. I started playing guitar (self-taught) way back in 1990. I bought a POS guitar out of a pawn shop, borrowed a "how-to" book from my buddy Raymond, and stumbled through it all on my first Navy deployment. My influences were Jimmy Buffett, The Eagles, The Beatles, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, etc... Heck, if Jimmy Buffett can make a living off of three chords...
The biggest reason to learn guitar was to have something to do to waste away the hours while I was underway.
The biggest reason WHY I learned to play was my Dad.
This is a man who can hear a song once, and figure out how to play it. Personally, my favorite guitar player of all time. Anyway, he learned to play in his early teens and fell in love with the music. His school didn't offer guitar as a music choice so he would skip classes to go home and work on his playing. He eventually moved to Florida and became a carpenter, but he still plays today, better than he ever did.
So I've been playing off and on for 18 years but never had the drive like my Dad. I never learned how to pick or solo and am content with being able to strum a song. Jed and I've been working on Redemption Song, a wonderful song by Bob Marley, very easy to play, once you know the chords. I never would've figured it out on my own. On the other hand, I showed Jed how to play Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi so I figure it's an even trade. We haven't been able to get together and play since beginning of July so I wonder what they have in store for me tonight...
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Can I get on Blogger please?
Wow! Never did I think I wouldn't be able to make a blog post when I decided to put my thoughts on this thing.
I spent the past 2 weeks moving all my "stuff" over to the USS George Washington from USS Kitty Hawk. We arrived San Diego on the 7th (8th? 9th?) for the big move. It's not news that USS Kitty Hawk came back to the States to de-commission after 47 years of honorable service. She was homeported in Yokosuka, Japan for 10 years as the Navy's only forward deployed aircraft carrier and is being replaced by USS George Washington. That means I had to move my stuff.
You would think being a Sailor, and leaving family and friends all the time, that I would have this down to a science by now. All the movies and stories show/tell the story of a Sailor walking aboard his ship for deployment with a seabag on his shoulder, all his worldly possessions in that bag, everything he will need while he's gone. Such is not the case.
All said and done I made 4 trips between the two ships, carrying my uniforms, my "going out in town" clothes, my DVDs, my movies, my XBOX, my books, my mountain bike, my guitar, and all the other stupid crap I won't need for the next couple of weeks while we transit back to Japan.
My Dad, long ago, called me a "gimmick-man." What he meant was I like my "stuff." I have so much crap, even after 2 Navy moves and the tons of "things" that I've tossed in the trash, things I thought I should keep around because "I might use it someday." And even after moving to Japan and living in my small home I have still accrued more junk that I will throw away in preparation for the move back to the States next year.
But to the point of the post...
It took several days to get ourselves set up with computer access and e-mail but those techs worked their asses off and to make the transition as seamless as possible. It took us all of 4 days to get transferred over and get our operation up and running. What a surprise for me to know I now had a regular computer all to myself, not sharing with 8 other guys. Unlimited internet access at my fingertips! Anytime of day or night! My first thought was "I have to make a Blog post about this!"
What do you mean Blogger is blocked out? Are you kidding me?
That's right. Blogger was blocked aboard my new ship! I immediately e-mailed our IT guys and asked about it. They replied they will look into it. And now I have Blogger access once again! I don't know what they did but I'm not going to ask about it again. I have access, I got what I wanted, I ain't gonna mess it up!
I guess I should've made a post before leaving the Kitty...
I spent the past 2 weeks moving all my "stuff" over to the USS George Washington from USS Kitty Hawk. We arrived San Diego on the 7th (8th? 9th?) for the big move. It's not news that USS Kitty Hawk came back to the States to de-commission after 47 years of honorable service. She was homeported in Yokosuka, Japan for 10 years as the Navy's only forward deployed aircraft carrier and is being replaced by USS George Washington. That means I had to move my stuff.
You would think being a Sailor, and leaving family and friends all the time, that I would have this down to a science by now. All the movies and stories show/tell the story of a Sailor walking aboard his ship for deployment with a seabag on his shoulder, all his worldly possessions in that bag, everything he will need while he's gone. Such is not the case.
All said and done I made 4 trips between the two ships, carrying my uniforms, my "going out in town" clothes, my DVDs, my movies, my XBOX, my books, my mountain bike, my guitar, and all the other stupid crap I won't need for the next couple of weeks while we transit back to Japan.
My Dad, long ago, called me a "gimmick-man." What he meant was I like my "stuff." I have so much crap, even after 2 Navy moves and the tons of "things" that I've tossed in the trash, things I thought I should keep around because "I might use it someday." And even after moving to Japan and living in my small home I have still accrued more junk that I will throw away in preparation for the move back to the States next year.
But to the point of the post...
It took several days to get ourselves set up with computer access and e-mail but those techs worked their asses off and to make the transition as seamless as possible. It took us all of 4 days to get transferred over and get our operation up and running. What a surprise for me to know I now had a regular computer all to myself, not sharing with 8 other guys. Unlimited internet access at my fingertips! Anytime of day or night! My first thought was "I have to make a Blog post about this!"
What do you mean Blogger is blocked out? Are you kidding me?
That's right. Blogger was blocked aboard my new ship! I immediately e-mailed our IT guys and asked about it. They replied they will look into it. And now I have Blogger access once again! I don't know what they did but I'm not going to ask about it again. I have access, I got what I wanted, I ain't gonna mess it up!
I guess I should've made a post before leaving the Kitty...
Saturday, August 2, 2008
RIMPAC...
I spent the entire month of July off the coast of Hawaii, and a little bit of it actually in Hawaii, participating in RIMPAC, or Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2008 if you like the long version. It is the longest, most involved exercise I have ever had the privilege of being a part. It is amazing you can bring together so many ships, subs, and aircraft together from so many different countries and have them work together as a team, to accomplish a single goal.
On the flip side, it's a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be where I am today if I wasn't a hard-working, motivated, type-A personality, goal driven, mission accomplishment-oriented type of guy, but after this past month, if you told me I never had to participate in another RIMPAC Exercise ever again, it would be too soon for me.
I was heavily involved in behind the scenes issues, so heavily I almost missed out on some hard-earned liberty time. I was ready to get away from it all and called the Navy Lodge to see if they had a room available, really a shot in the dark since every BQ and hotel room was taken due to all the military personnel in town. As luck would have it, and this never happens to me, they just had a cancellation and there was a room. I immediately booked it for two nights and arrived around 8pm. And wouldn't you know it, the Navy Lodge is located on Ford Island, where you can visit the Arizona Memorial.
The big thing for me was just getting away from the ship. I was just plain worn out and didn't want to be around anyone. So I get checked in to the Lodge and find out the cable is out. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise as my mind was free for other things. I brought my laptop with me and hooked up to the internet and spent some quality time with my son on WoW and talking to him in Ventrilo. That's where part of my problem was because my wife called me shortly thereafter and I was so involved with the game and my son I was pretty much ignoring her. I think she's upset with me because she didn't call me back. I tried to call her but couldn't get through. At first I thought I was dialing wrong but it turned out that wasn't the case. I just couldn't get a line into Japan. So I had to call her later from a reliable phone. Needless to say, I'm going to call her everyday for a couple of days to make up for it.
I've been working the night shift while underway so it was easy for me to stay up all night and well into late morning. I saw the sun come up and decided to take a walk around the island. I can't put into words the beauty of the place. The best part of all, I forgot my camera...
On the flip side, it's a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be where I am today if I wasn't a hard-working, motivated, type-A personality, goal driven, mission accomplishment-oriented type of guy, but after this past month, if you told me I never had to participate in another RIMPAC Exercise ever again, it would be too soon for me.
I was heavily involved in behind the scenes issues, so heavily I almost missed out on some hard-earned liberty time. I was ready to get away from it all and called the Navy Lodge to see if they had a room available, really a shot in the dark since every BQ and hotel room was taken due to all the military personnel in town. As luck would have it, and this never happens to me, they just had a cancellation and there was a room. I immediately booked it for two nights and arrived around 8pm. And wouldn't you know it, the Navy Lodge is located on Ford Island, where you can visit the Arizona Memorial.
The big thing for me was just getting away from the ship. I was just plain worn out and didn't want to be around anyone. So I get checked in to the Lodge and find out the cable is out. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise as my mind was free for other things. I brought my laptop with me and hooked up to the internet and spent some quality time with my son on WoW and talking to him in Ventrilo. That's where part of my problem was because my wife called me shortly thereafter and I was so involved with the game and my son I was pretty much ignoring her. I think she's upset with me because she didn't call me back. I tried to call her but couldn't get through. At first I thought I was dialing wrong but it turned out that wasn't the case. I just couldn't get a line into Japan. So I had to call her later from a reliable phone. Needless to say, I'm going to call her everyday for a couple of days to make up for it.
I've been working the night shift while underway so it was easy for me to stay up all night and well into late morning. I saw the sun come up and decided to take a walk around the island. I can't put into words the beauty of the place. The best part of all, I forgot my camera...
Monday, July 28, 2008
My Goals for WoW
I am Nihon, all-powerful Undead Warlock! Except no one wants me...
I worked up to level 70, PVP'd til my fingers bled, practiced until I fell asleep at the keyboard, and tried my darnedest to be a productive member of the instancing/raiding/arena community, but no one wants me. I'm not spec'd right, I'm not gem'd right, I don't have many enchantments on my gear, my stats aren't up to speed in regards to damage/hit rating/resilience/etc...
I think I'm going to take a break...
I am now Nihonga! Level 58 Blood Elf Priest! I am Holy, calling down prayers from the heavens, saving my team mates from certain death in times of crisis! They will fall to their knees, begging for me to join their group!
But not yet, I have a plan in work...
I am going to re-spec Shadow. I will return to the old world to level to 60 in Western/Eastern Plaguelands. I will tackle Hellfire Peninsula and complete all the quests. I will gather healing gear, saving it for level 63, and re-spec Holy. From then on I will be THE healing priest of all healing priests! I will level through instance runs all the way to 70, saving most quests for later. The experience I garner will make me a viable commodity for the future raiding I am going to do.
And when I reach 70, I'm going to finish up all those quests I didn't do before. I'll make 100g per hour just questing and reaping the gold reward instead of experience! I'll be rich! I'll buy epic flying mounts for me and Nihon! I'll buy epic flying mounts for all my friends!
Now all I have to do is get home before Wrath of the Lich King is released...
I worked up to level 70, PVP'd til my fingers bled, practiced until I fell asleep at the keyboard, and tried my darnedest to be a productive member of the instancing/raiding/arena community, but no one wants me. I'm not spec'd right, I'm not gem'd right, I don't have many enchantments on my gear, my stats aren't up to speed in regards to damage/hit rating/resilience/etc...
I think I'm going to take a break...
I am now Nihonga! Level 58 Blood Elf Priest! I am Holy, calling down prayers from the heavens, saving my team mates from certain death in times of crisis! They will fall to their knees, begging for me to join their group!
But not yet, I have a plan in work...
I am going to re-spec Shadow. I will return to the old world to level to 60 in Western/Eastern Plaguelands. I will tackle Hellfire Peninsula and complete all the quests. I will gather healing gear, saving it for level 63, and re-spec Holy. From then on I will be THE healing priest of all healing priests! I will level through instance runs all the way to 70, saving most quests for later. The experience I garner will make me a viable commodity for the future raiding I am going to do.
And when I reach 70, I'm going to finish up all those quests I didn't do before. I'll make 100g per hour just questing and reaping the gold reward instead of experience! I'll be rich! I'll buy epic flying mounts for me and Nihon! I'll buy epic flying mounts for all my friends!
Now all I have to do is get home before Wrath of the Lich King is released...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Healthy Lifestyle...
I like to consider myself somewhat of an athlete. Relatively healthy, 39 years old, 6 feet tall, 205lbs, I'm not doing too shabby for myself. Well, actually...
I am a slobby fat body. That's all there is to it. I've evaluated my current state of health and I don't like what I see. I eat horribly, I don't have a normal, daily routine, and I never exercise. It's not that I don't think about eating healthy, or hitting the rack at a reasonable time, or exercising, it's just that I don't do it.
I should start with my eating habits. I eat anything I like. If I have a choice between vegetables or potato chips, I take the potato chips. If there's oven-baked chicken and fried chicken on the menu, I pick the fried chicken. And don't even get me started on french fries. Truly food of the Gods! Not to mention that when I eat, I intend on filling my freakin' belly! I eat until I can't eat any more!
I'm never well-rested. I go to bed late, I wake up early. It's a crappy way to be. I never want to hit the rack cause there's always something else to do. I wake up early cause my job requires it. I average 6 hours of sleep a night which I don't think is enough for anyone. I know some people live on 4-6 hours of sleep every night of their lives. That's me, until I can't stand it anymore and finally crash. Then I get about 14 hours of sleep. I wake up feeling like crap and I'm groggy all through the day. Even getting my regular 6 hours, I never have any energy and I feel tired all the time.
And I don't think I've exercised in 2 months. I like to think that I'm in pretty good shape though. I mountain bike whenever I get the chance, which is about 3-4 days every month, all in one shot. Other than that I don't exercise at all. We have treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical trainers, and stationary bikes all through the ship but I never get the gumption to climb on one of those. All that work and I never get anywhere. And I can always find a nice, flat spot to pump out some push-ups or sit-ups. I just don't want to do it. Ever!
I hate to think that just 5 short years ago I was in the best shape of my life as a Rescue Swimmer Instructor. The job required me to maintain top-notch physical condition in order to train up-and-coming rescue swimmers. I would PT all morning, swim all afternoon, play some beach volleyball during lunch, or train on some additional exercises I may have been weak on. Now that I'm no longer in that job, I have reduced myself to nothingness.
I hope to change all that once I'm back on dry land for an extended period of time.
I am a slobby fat body. That's all there is to it. I've evaluated my current state of health and I don't like what I see. I eat horribly, I don't have a normal, daily routine, and I never exercise. It's not that I don't think about eating healthy, or hitting the rack at a reasonable time, or exercising, it's just that I don't do it.
I should start with my eating habits. I eat anything I like. If I have a choice between vegetables or potato chips, I take the potato chips. If there's oven-baked chicken and fried chicken on the menu, I pick the fried chicken. And don't even get me started on french fries. Truly food of the Gods! Not to mention that when I eat, I intend on filling my freakin' belly! I eat until I can't eat any more!
I'm never well-rested. I go to bed late, I wake up early. It's a crappy way to be. I never want to hit the rack cause there's always something else to do. I wake up early cause my job requires it. I average 6 hours of sleep a night which I don't think is enough for anyone. I know some people live on 4-6 hours of sleep every night of their lives. That's me, until I can't stand it anymore and finally crash. Then I get about 14 hours of sleep. I wake up feeling like crap and I'm groggy all through the day. Even getting my regular 6 hours, I never have any energy and I feel tired all the time.
And I don't think I've exercised in 2 months. I like to think that I'm in pretty good shape though. I mountain bike whenever I get the chance, which is about 3-4 days every month, all in one shot. Other than that I don't exercise at all. We have treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical trainers, and stationary bikes all through the ship but I never get the gumption to climb on one of those. All that work and I never get anywhere. And I can always find a nice, flat spot to pump out some push-ups or sit-ups. I just don't want to do it. Ever!
I hate to think that just 5 short years ago I was in the best shape of my life as a Rescue Swimmer Instructor. The job required me to maintain top-notch physical condition in order to train up-and-coming rescue swimmers. I would PT all morning, swim all afternoon, play some beach volleyball during lunch, or train on some additional exercises I may have been weak on. Now that I'm no longer in that job, I have reduced myself to nothingness.
I hope to change all that once I'm back on dry land for an extended period of time.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Peanut Butter and Jelly...
I'm up late, again, just like every night aboard ship. I wake up and go through my daily routine and always wind up hitting the rack around 2-3am. Alright, I don't wake up at the crack of dawn but that's only because my watch is late evening so I adjust my work day to accommodate. When I'm done with watch I still have lots of work to finish up before going to bed. But I always make time for myself...
I'll grab a book, maybe surf the net, or walk around and see who else is up late. Tonight was a little different though. I suddenly became hungry but the mess was closed. Kind of a bummer but I know they always leave a little something out...
Loaf of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly. Believe you me, there is nothing like a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at one in the morning to truly hit the spot! Now if I can just get started on that work again...
I'll grab a book, maybe surf the net, or walk around and see who else is up late. Tonight was a little different though. I suddenly became hungry but the mess was closed. Kind of a bummer but I know they always leave a little something out...
Loaf of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly. Believe you me, there is nothing like a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at one in the morning to truly hit the spot! Now if I can just get started on that work again...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
God of War...
Ship life can, sometimes, get boring. A Sailor always looks for something to fill his time, whether it's work, hanging out with shipmates, or losing himself in a hobby. Hobbies can be practically anything; hitting the gym, reading a book, playing video games, etc...
Me, I like video games. Always have. It's probably due to being a member of the video game generation. I was 12 when PacMan first hit the scene and I've been hooked ever since. Atari was cool, at first, but the stand up games were the ones I loved.
Remember Joust? Asteroids? Centipede? Donkey Kong? Ms. PacMan? There were so many others I'm sure I couldn't name them all.
I started in computer games with a Commodore 64. I didn't own one but all my friends did. I couldn't get enough Ultima. But I was always looking for something better.
I didn't own my first computer until 1996, a hand me down 486 a buddy gave me when he upgraded to a PII 450. Upgraded that into a P75. later into a P133, later into a P233, and then my buddy gave me his PII 450 when he upgraded to his new PIV.
But as that went on I started getting into gaming consoles as well. My first was a Sega Genesis. Me and my brother-in-law spent too many hours playing Street Fighter II with that system.
One thing about success in life is that you can afford toys that you weren't able to have when you were younger. And I'm a toy type of guy. Now my house is full of computers and gaming systems and I always upgrade when the new toys hit the street. And having kids makes it real easy to keep spending all that money.
I can't even tell you how many hand-held gaming systems we have in the house but I can say we have every version made.
My current passion with my computer based video games is World of Warcraft. I just don't want to play anything else on the computer. Since it's an on-line game I am unable to play while deployed. No big deal though, I always find another game to play on the side. Except this time. I tried a few but they don't hold my attention. Being a video game junkie I don't know why I can't find a decent game to play. I'm sure it has everything to do with my POS laptop though. It's 3 years old and I don't have the inclination to upgrade at the moment.
So I thought about getting a hand held system. I had a PSP but my daughter commandeered it and I haven't seen it since. I talked to my very loving wife in passing about getting one and she told me to just buy a new one while I was in Hawaii. Bless her heart, I don't know what I did to deserve this woman.
I didn't know they made a God of War version of PSP. I haven't played the game before but I've seen it and thought about trying it out. Wow, am I glad I found this! Best game I've played in a long time!
Now all I have to figure out is which version to buy for my game system at home, the PS3 or XBOX 360!
Me, I like video games. Always have. It's probably due to being a member of the video game generation. I was 12 when PacMan first hit the scene and I've been hooked ever since. Atari was cool, at first, but the stand up games were the ones I loved.
Remember Joust? Asteroids? Centipede? Donkey Kong? Ms. PacMan? There were so many others I'm sure I couldn't name them all.
I started in computer games with a Commodore 64. I didn't own one but all my friends did. I couldn't get enough Ultima. But I was always looking for something better.
I didn't own my first computer until 1996, a hand me down 486 a buddy gave me when he upgraded to a PII 450. Upgraded that into a P75. later into a P133, later into a P233, and then my buddy gave me his PII 450 when he upgraded to his new PIV.
But as that went on I started getting into gaming consoles as well. My first was a Sega Genesis. Me and my brother-in-law spent too many hours playing Street Fighter II with that system.
One thing about success in life is that you can afford toys that you weren't able to have when you were younger. And I'm a toy type of guy. Now my house is full of computers and gaming systems and I always upgrade when the new toys hit the street. And having kids makes it real easy to keep spending all that money.
I can't even tell you how many hand-held gaming systems we have in the house but I can say we have every version made.
My current passion with my computer based video games is World of Warcraft. I just don't want to play anything else on the computer. Since it's an on-line game I am unable to play while deployed. No big deal though, I always find another game to play on the side. Except this time. I tried a few but they don't hold my attention. Being a video game junkie I don't know why I can't find a decent game to play. I'm sure it has everything to do with my POS laptop though. It's 3 years old and I don't have the inclination to upgrade at the moment.
So I thought about getting a hand held system. I had a PSP but my daughter commandeered it and I haven't seen it since. I talked to my very loving wife in passing about getting one and she told me to just buy a new one while I was in Hawaii. Bless her heart, I don't know what I did to deserve this woman.
I didn't know they made a God of War version of PSP. I haven't played the game before but I've seen it and thought about trying it out. Wow, am I glad I found this! Best game I've played in a long time!
Now all I have to figure out is which version to buy for my game system at home, the PS3 or XBOX 360!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Boots...
Stupid, right? A post about boots? But you just don't understand what a good pair of boots can mean to a man...
I started my Navy career as a helicopter aircrewman. A few weeks after my initial training I received a goody bag, compliments of US Navy, my flight kit bag...
Let's see what's in here: couple of flight boots, flight jacket, flight gloves, flight long johns, flight sunglasses... ooh! Nice flight boots! Full leather, steel toe, re-inforced sole, I'll just try these on right now. Yeah, these were made for me! Fits just right! I'll never wear another type of boot ever again!
20+ pairs of flight boots later and I'm no longer an aircrewman. Sure, I'm in a flying billet, but it doesn't involve flying. What do you mean I don't get issued flight gear anymore? What happens when my boots wear out? What do you mean I have to buy my own? Ah, crap, there goes my boots...
Let's see what they have at the Navy Exchange. Chuka boots... leather low tops... dress shoes... Bates work boots... alright, I'll try the Bates work boots... no full leather? Why wouldn't they have full leather? Alright, I'll try the web sided type then... these slip on easy... something's not right... is it supposed to fit like that? Better try another size... nope, that didn't do it... is there anything else? No? Crap... fine...I need boots, I'll just get a pair of these... I feel like I'm walking on the side of my foot... this is the best you got?
Lord, what did I do to deserve such treatment? Did I do something wrong? Did I kick a puppy with my flight boots? Did I step on too many bugs walking across the tarmac? Do you not like me anymore?
Oh, hey dude, what's going on? What? No, I don't like my boots. What do you mean I can still get flight boots? But they said I couldn't. You're saying I can? I'll believe it when I see it, I'm a size 11 btw...
Oh, hey again! What? You got my boots? Already? Really? Yeah, I'll come get them! Be there in 2 seconds!
Let's get these laced up... different than when I was flying... guess they got a new manufacturer... they look nice though... wow, these slip on REAL easy! Man, are these comfortable! When did they decide to put actual padding in these? These feel real good! I'm alive again! I feel like I'm walking on air! What did I ever do to deserve these? Thank you Lord for smiling down upon me once again!
Anyone need a slightly used pair of Bates work boots?
I started my Navy career as a helicopter aircrewman. A few weeks after my initial training I received a goody bag, compliments of US Navy, my flight kit bag...
Let's see what's in here: couple of flight boots, flight jacket, flight gloves, flight long johns, flight sunglasses... ooh! Nice flight boots! Full leather, steel toe, re-inforced sole, I'll just try these on right now. Yeah, these were made for me! Fits just right! I'll never wear another type of boot ever again!
20+ pairs of flight boots later and I'm no longer an aircrewman. Sure, I'm in a flying billet, but it doesn't involve flying. What do you mean I don't get issued flight gear anymore? What happens when my boots wear out? What do you mean I have to buy my own? Ah, crap, there goes my boots...
Let's see what they have at the Navy Exchange. Chuka boots... leather low tops... dress shoes... Bates work boots... alright, I'll try the Bates work boots... no full leather? Why wouldn't they have full leather? Alright, I'll try the web sided type then... these slip on easy... something's not right... is it supposed to fit like that? Better try another size... nope, that didn't do it... is there anything else? No? Crap... fine...I need boots, I'll just get a pair of these... I feel like I'm walking on the side of my foot... this is the best you got?
Lord, what did I do to deserve such treatment? Did I do something wrong? Did I kick a puppy with my flight boots? Did I step on too many bugs walking across the tarmac? Do you not like me anymore?
Oh, hey dude, what's going on? What? No, I don't like my boots. What do you mean I can still get flight boots? But they said I couldn't. You're saying I can? I'll believe it when I see it, I'm a size 11 btw...
Oh, hey again! What? You got my boots? Already? Really? Yeah, I'll come get them! Be there in 2 seconds!
Let's get these laced up... different than when I was flying... guess they got a new manufacturer... they look nice though... wow, these slip on REAL easy! Man, are these comfortable! When did they decide to put actual padding in these? These feel real good! I'm alive again! I feel like I'm walking on air! What did I ever do to deserve these? Thank you Lord for smiling down upon me once again!
Anyone need a slightly used pair of Bates work boots?
Friday, July 11, 2008
Maintaining A Proper Blog
Alright, let me tell you a little secret about maintaining a proper blog. It's all about posts. If you don't post frequently no one is going to look at your blog. Keeping fresh content available for readers keep them coming back for more. They never know what's coming next but at least they know there's always something new, whether they agree or disagree, like or dislike, what you post is up in the air but at least you're doing your part by keeping the posts coming in.
Actually, the real truth to maintaining a proper blog is about internet connection. Back home I can jump on here and post away, fast and furious. Click the "publish post" button and it's automatic and dang near instantaneous. Post is on the blog, I'm back reading or surfing other web pages, I'm done for the day. I started my blog when I wasn't home...
Being a Navy Man, I have spent a better part of the past four years underway. Let me tell you a little something about the internet connection on Navy boats; it's practically non-existent. It's all about the bandwidth and we don't have much for personal pursuits such as surfing the internet or maintaining blogs. It's all about information flow for the battle space. Almost all bandwidth is used to bring in information that will help with maintaining a proper battle picture and being able to fight the ship. Maintaining a proper battle picture to know where everything and everyone is, that's the key to making sure that when the day is done your still floating and putting weapons down range.
But every now and then, when it's quiet and things have slowed down a bit, I get to squeak a post in...
Actually, the real truth to maintaining a proper blog is about internet connection. Back home I can jump on here and post away, fast and furious. Click the "publish post" button and it's automatic and dang near instantaneous. Post is on the blog, I'm back reading or surfing other web pages, I'm done for the day. I started my blog when I wasn't home...
Being a Navy Man, I have spent a better part of the past four years underway. Let me tell you a little something about the internet connection on Navy boats; it's practically non-existent. It's all about the bandwidth and we don't have much for personal pursuits such as surfing the internet or maintaining blogs. It's all about information flow for the battle space. Almost all bandwidth is used to bring in information that will help with maintaining a proper battle picture and being able to fight the ship. Maintaining a proper battle picture to know where everything and everyone is, that's the key to making sure that when the day is done your still floating and putting weapons down range.
But every now and then, when it's quiet and things have slowed down a bit, I get to squeak a post in...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Hawaii...
So anyways, I walk off the ship for the first time in Hawaii, late mind you, due to not getting there til 3pm, and this is what I saw...
Certainly awe-inspiring but the picture does not do it justice. I never claim to be a photographer, although I have enough cameras to open my own portrait studio.
Now don't get me wrong, Hawaii is beautiful, but there was something about this visit that just didn't sit right for me. I've traveled the world over and have seen a lot of places and things but my heart wasn't in this one. I don't know what was wrong with me. Maybe it had something to do with not celebrating the 4th of July with my family.
I did go to Waikiki Beach. All the locals will say never to go there because it's a tourist trap. Luckily for me I was in tourist mode. Caught a few shopping areas, bought some tourist gifts for the kids and just took in the sights. I think I prefer a secluded beach with no hotels in sight to the standard tourist place, although the beach was nice.
On a brighter note I did go mountain biking. Dave, Hank, Tony and I went to Saint Louis Heights, a nice downhill run as long as you have some sort of shuttle service to the top. It would've been a killer to climb it. Luckily there's a city bus that runs every hour from the bottom to the top, but we didn't need it. That's what a rental car is for! Everyone took turns driving back down to the bottom and truthfully, after one run, you're worn out anyways. We did a total of 6 runs, I drove for 3, but only because of the bad spill I took on my 3rd run. Face plant FTL! I got a picture here somewhere of the after effects but I doubt I'll ever post it...
Now don't get me wrong, Hawaii is beautiful, but there was something about this visit that just didn't sit right for me. I've traveled the world over and have seen a lot of places and things but my heart wasn't in this one. I don't know what was wrong with me. Maybe it had something to do with not celebrating the 4th of July with my family.
I did go to Waikiki Beach. All the locals will say never to go there because it's a tourist trap. Luckily for me I was in tourist mode. Caught a few shopping areas, bought some tourist gifts for the kids and just took in the sights. I think I prefer a secluded beach with no hotels in sight to the standard tourist place, although the beach was nice.
On a brighter note I did go mountain biking. Dave, Hank, Tony and I went to Saint Louis Heights, a nice downhill run as long as you have some sort of shuttle service to the top. It would've been a killer to climb it. Luckily there's a city bus that runs every hour from the bottom to the top, but we didn't need it. That's what a rental car is for! Everyone took turns driving back down to the bottom and truthfully, after one run, you're worn out anyways. We did a total of 6 runs, I drove for 3, but only because of the bad spill I took on my 3rd run. Face plant FTL! I got a picture here somewhere of the after effects but I doubt I'll ever post it...
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Being a Bad Son...
When was the last time you called your Mom? Me, I think it was during the holidays. It's a shame that I can't even remember exactly when...
Dad, I couldn't even guess...
Grandpa, nope, not a clue...
Aunt Bonnie/Connie, same...
Seems as though my crazy Navy adventures has taken me to all parts of the world. I may have went short periods of time of dropping out of sight but I could find the time now and then to make an unexpected phone call, drop an e-mail, write a letter, just generally staying in touch.
First half of my career was spent in Jacksonville. I met my wonderful wife there, we raised our kids during their formative years, some family members would come visit, mine from Ohio or Orlando, hers from down the road (my wife was born and raised in Jacksonville). I always stayed in touch. I wouldn't go visit out of state very often but phone calls were plenty.
Pensacola wasn't bad either. Family came to visit us there also but it wasn't as often as Jacksonville. Even though we didn't see each other much I always called or e-mailed.
Now we live in Japan and I have not kept in touch at all. Even through e-mail, I've fallen off the planet.
Nowadays the only way I stay in touch is through a yearly holiday "one letter fits all" greeting bringing everyone up to speed on family Prince. My deployment schedule keeps me away from home about 7 months of every year, 4 years running now with one more to go.
I don't know what's different about living overseas but there's something that keeps me from staying in touch. I think I figured out what it is though...
I'm a bad son/grandson/nephew/cousin/etc...
Dad, I couldn't even guess...
Grandpa, nope, not a clue...
Aunt Bonnie/Connie, same...
Seems as though my crazy Navy adventures has taken me to all parts of the world. I may have went short periods of time of dropping out of sight but I could find the time now and then to make an unexpected phone call, drop an e-mail, write a letter, just generally staying in touch.
First half of my career was spent in Jacksonville. I met my wonderful wife there, we raised our kids during their formative years, some family members would come visit, mine from Ohio or Orlando, hers from down the road (my wife was born and raised in Jacksonville). I always stayed in touch. I wouldn't go visit out of state very often but phone calls were plenty.
Pensacola wasn't bad either. Family came to visit us there also but it wasn't as often as Jacksonville. Even though we didn't see each other much I always called or e-mailed.
Now we live in Japan and I have not kept in touch at all. Even through e-mail, I've fallen off the planet.
Nowadays the only way I stay in touch is through a yearly holiday "one letter fits all" greeting bringing everyone up to speed on family Prince. My deployment schedule keeps me away from home about 7 months of every year, 4 years running now with one more to go.
I don't know what's different about living overseas but there's something that keeps me from staying in touch. I think I figured out what it is though...
I'm a bad son/grandson/nephew/cousin/etc...
Friday, June 27, 2008
World of Warcraft
"Hi, my name is Nihon, and I'm a Warlock."
"Hi Nihon!"
Alright, alright, I'm not really a Warlock but I play one online in Blizzard's World of Warcraft MMORPG. I've played since December 2006 and it's been the best gaming experience I've ever had. It's been a long, hard road but I've reached max level of 70 and started exploring end game content. I'm in a great guild that's on the verge of serious raiding and look forward to gaming with them every day. But, being a Navy Man, I'm away from home alot and there are weeks/months that I can't play.
It's my son's fault. He started playing in September 2006. I've always been a gamer so when he asked me if he could play this game, I had no problem with letting him get a subscription. Little did I know I would find myself with my own account shortly thereafter.
We play together all the time! It's almost been a competition between us with our characters but that's alright, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone. He's been the first to reach all the great milestones of leveling a character. First land mount, first to Outlands, first epic land mount, first to level 70, first flying mount...
Then he was first to get his epic flying mount.
What? Are you kidding me? How can you do this to me? All those other things are soooo different than this!
I've talked so much about farming the gold for my epic flying mount and never followed through. It's been bad enough I haven't played the game for over a month but now my son has achieved what I consider the BIGGEST in-game accomplishment EVER and it's driving me crazy! For the past two days I've sat in my room listening to the WoW soundtrack and watching WoW videos. All I can think about is how great it will be to farm MY epic flyer, re-exploring end game content and just playing in general! I'm pathetic.
Son, I bow down to your awesomeness!
Him
Me
Want to know more?
"Hi Nihon!"
Alright, alright, I'm not really a Warlock but I play one online in Blizzard's World of Warcraft MMORPG. I've played since December 2006 and it's been the best gaming experience I've ever had. It's been a long, hard road but I've reached max level of 70 and started exploring end game content. I'm in a great guild that's on the verge of serious raiding and look forward to gaming with them every day. But, being a Navy Man, I'm away from home alot and there are weeks/months that I can't play.
It's my son's fault. He started playing in September 2006. I've always been a gamer so when he asked me if he could play this game, I had no problem with letting him get a subscription. Little did I know I would find myself with my own account shortly thereafter.
We play together all the time! It's almost been a competition between us with our characters but that's alright, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone. He's been the first to reach all the great milestones of leveling a character. First land mount, first to Outlands, first epic land mount, first to level 70, first flying mount...
Then he was first to get his epic flying mount.
What? Are you kidding me? How can you do this to me? All those other things are soooo different than this!
I've talked so much about farming the gold for my epic flying mount and never followed through. It's been bad enough I haven't played the game for over a month but now my son has achieved what I consider the BIGGEST in-game accomplishment EVER and it's driving me crazy! For the past two days I've sat in my room listening to the WoW soundtrack and watching WoW videos. All I can think about is how great it will be to farm MY epic flyer, re-exploring end game content and just playing in general! I'm pathetic.
Son, I bow down to your awesomeness!
Him
Me
Want to know more?
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Mountain Biking
My first blog, my first post. I might as well start with my current passion.
Way back when, 1989, my buddy Jeff barges into my room one day.
Him: "Hey Donnie, let's go mountain biking!"
Me: "What's that?"
Being Navy, we lived in the barracks in Mayport. Hanna Park was right next door to the base. There were a few miles of trails and Jeff was riding out there frequently. I didn't have a bike though so borrowed one from another buddy, I think it was a Huffy. Jeff had a Cannondale. What I didn't know then was good gear is a BIG help.
I learned mountain biking the hard way. Several scrapes, bruises and bumps later I was hooked. Eventually I bought my own bike, I think it was a Murray (I know, I was young, stupid and broke), and rode with Jeff often. I wouldn't say all the time but enough to keep the fire burning.
Fast forward to 2001. Marriage, children and career put my mountain biking on the back burner and I hadn't rode for 6-8 years.
Enter John. Epitome of physical fitness. Metabolism of a hummingbird. Avid mountain biker. He stokes the fire once again. I'm at a point in my life where I can start taking up certain hobbies again. I break out my Murray. He breaks out his top-o-the-line, best parts money can buy, mountain bike. I still haven't learned good gear is required.
Wow! It's been a looong time! He's fast! I can't keep up! He's leaving me behind! I have to peddle faster! How'd he get through those trees?
Him: "You alright?"
Me: "No..."
University of West Florida had some great trails. He laughed at me every time I dragged my bike on the trails. I think he may have been embarrassed to be seen with me and my Murray but he still rode with me. 2003-2004 I hang up my mountain bike again.
Fast forward to 2006. Stationed in Japan, return from deployment for a short in-port period before heading out for the fall.
My loving Wife: "I saw an awesome mountain bike at the store while you were gone."
Me: "Really? What kind?"
Her: "A good one. You should look at it."
Me: "Really?"
2006 Cannondale Scalpel, made for speed, on sale to make way for 2007 models.
Her: "You should buy it."
Me: "REALLY?"
Her: "Yes."
Me: "NO! REALLY? YOU MEAN IT? YOU REALLY MEAN IT?"
Her: "Calm down, we're in public, you're acting a fool."
November 2006, my buddy Dave is a hardcore mountain biker. He's excited I have a mountain bike and is chomping at the bit to show me what he can do. And he can do it like nobody's business! We find a trail in Sasebo, my first trail ride since 2003-2004. Easy, flat, FAST! I'm excited to show him MY skills! I'm on his tail, he can't get away from me! The trail curves left, nice little downhill, a few rocks, he picks his line, I pick mine, where'd that overhanging tree come from? I picked wrong...
Him: "You alright?"
Me: "No..."
I'm not as young as I used to be, but the fire is lit and blazing strong!
Since that Sasebo ride, I've ridden Yokosuka and Muroran, Japan, Guam, Hong Kong, Brisbane and Sydney, Australia, with our next stop in Hawaii. Got a great group of guys to ride with every port visit. Each port visit averages about 4 days and we ride hard and long everyday. Riding with Dave, Boss and Hank has increased my skill level ten-fold and I'm better than I ever was. The difference between then and now though is I will never hang up my bike again.
Way back when, 1989, my buddy Jeff barges into my room one day.
Him: "Hey Donnie, let's go mountain biking!"
Me: "What's that?"
Being Navy, we lived in the barracks in Mayport. Hanna Park was right next door to the base. There were a few miles of trails and Jeff was riding out there frequently. I didn't have a bike though so borrowed one from another buddy, I think it was a Huffy. Jeff had a Cannondale. What I didn't know then was good gear is a BIG help.
I learned mountain biking the hard way. Several scrapes, bruises and bumps later I was hooked. Eventually I bought my own bike, I think it was a Murray (I know, I was young, stupid and broke), and rode with Jeff often. I wouldn't say all the time but enough to keep the fire burning.
Fast forward to 2001. Marriage, children and career put my mountain biking on the back burner and I hadn't rode for 6-8 years.
Enter John. Epitome of physical fitness. Metabolism of a hummingbird. Avid mountain biker. He stokes the fire once again. I'm at a point in my life where I can start taking up certain hobbies again. I break out my Murray. He breaks out his top-o-the-line, best parts money can buy, mountain bike. I still haven't learned good gear is required.
Wow! It's been a looong time! He's fast! I can't keep up! He's leaving me behind! I have to peddle faster! How'd he get through those trees?
Him: "You alright?"
Me: "No..."
University of West Florida had some great trails. He laughed at me every time I dragged my bike on the trails. I think he may have been embarrassed to be seen with me and my Murray but he still rode with me. 2003-2004 I hang up my mountain bike again.
Fast forward to 2006. Stationed in Japan, return from deployment for a short in-port period before heading out for the fall.
My loving Wife: "I saw an awesome mountain bike at the store while you were gone."
Me: "Really? What kind?"
Her: "A good one. You should look at it."
Me: "Really?"
2006 Cannondale Scalpel, made for speed, on sale to make way for 2007 models.
Her: "You should buy it."
Me: "REALLY?"
Her: "Yes."
Me: "NO! REALLY? YOU MEAN IT? YOU REALLY MEAN IT?"
Her: "Calm down, we're in public, you're acting a fool."
November 2006, my buddy Dave is a hardcore mountain biker. He's excited I have a mountain bike and is chomping at the bit to show me what he can do. And he can do it like nobody's business! We find a trail in Sasebo, my first trail ride since 2003-2004. Easy, flat, FAST! I'm excited to show him MY skills! I'm on his tail, he can't get away from me! The trail curves left, nice little downhill, a few rocks, he picks his line, I pick mine, where'd that overhanging tree come from? I picked wrong...
Him: "You alright?"
Me: "No..."
I'm not as young as I used to be, but the fire is lit and blazing strong!
Since that Sasebo ride, I've ridden Yokosuka and Muroran, Japan, Guam, Hong Kong, Brisbane and Sydney, Australia, with our next stop in Hawaii. Got a great group of guys to ride with every port visit. Each port visit averages about 4 days and we ride hard and long everyday. Riding with Dave, Boss and Hank has increased my skill level ten-fold and I'm better than I ever was. The difference between then and now though is I will never hang up my bike again.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
