It’s a dirty story.

Alright, so maybe not.  It’s been a busy last month, but when isn’t it for me?  I just got back from New York City for Fleet Week.  I got promoted at Ground Zero, which was pretty damn awesome.  Most of you have seen the pictures from the papers, always fun to be a celebrity for a few.  All and all, it was an interesting experience at Fleet Week, we had to live on the ship, which is tight quarters, and had to go out in uniform when we were out on the town.  The one interesting thing I didn’t expect was how nice everyone was to us.  I easily had over $1000 spent on drinks just on me there.  It was impossible to leave a bar or club, every time I’d ask to cash out the tab was already taken care of anonymously and there were usually more drinks on the way you’d have to eventually turn down if you hoped to avoid a trip to the emergency room for alcohol poisoning.  Lots of love and support for us in NYC, again I was shocked, most people don’t seem to like my kind these days.  It’s the popular thing to do, but nowhere near as bad as our brother from the Vietnam era, I have no idea how those men made it, returning to be treated like scum, when in fact they were some of the finest men our country has ever had defending it.

So then switch back to home mode, with way too much shit to do.  I caught up on Squibillies, which is the first and most important thing to do.  I went to see Lori for the weekend and had a couple of much needed days of fun and companionship.  Then it was back to the grindstone.  The week is already flying by.  Soon it will be the end of the month and time to pick up Madisyn.  I’m taking 2 weeks off to fly up and get here and bring her back down here to see where her Dad lives and a bit of what it’s like, as well as to get some quality solo time.  She is growing up fast, and it’s hard to believe after my deployment she will be 4…not to mention I’ll be 30, much like another girl I know well shall be very soon.

Lot of other projects setting on the back burner.  I need to spend some time with my closest friend down here before he deploys, but me and Mitch just can’t seem to find the time, more so my fault than his.  I still haven’t talked to Sheridan about the documentary, and that’s on the top of my list…unfortunately both our schedules are pretty full…so if you are reading it, I’m still waiting.  I desperately need to talk to both Travis and Miranda about the new babies.  And call my family more often, to especially include my sister and my brother, who just graduated. I can never seem to get in quality time with my guitars either, so I feel my progress may be faltering.  I have much cleaning and organizing to do as well.  Work is actually getting much, much better, I’m learning to live with not getting it all done in one day and focusing on the more important tasks.  I would say for all the above I need to work on my time management, but I don’t really have a lot of my own time to manage.  No worries, I’m pretty darn happy with where I am in life.  I miss my daughter and animals a lot, as well as my friends back in WV, OH, and abroad, and Lori is a healthy drive away, which adds strain on both of us, especially on those days you just want to come home to someone and vent or even just sit silently with, watching some low quality tv.  I also ran into J.P. and Steve at the food court Monday, it was very good to see them.  We did some decent catching up over lunch, but more time is needed…maybe we could have a Sex and the City party.

I’m listening to the new Ashes Divide, not too bad at all, there is a nice separation from A Perfect Circle, but the signature composition is still there.  Steve Vai’s Firegarden has been getting a lot play as well as Sex and Religion.  As always the Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Children of Bodom, Tool,  and Slayer have been getting plenty of rotation.  Also added more to the mix has been a lot of Manson and Deftones have increased.  I am also dying to hear the new Sevendust, Mitch says it’s awesome.

Overall, I have my daughter to look forward to as well as some time off.  Much to do in the comming weeks to prepare.  I also have plenty of time to kick it with the lady friend, which is good and much needed.  Looking forward to seeing Dad and Annette as well.  And I’m a 1st Lieutenant, defiantly enjoying that, but salivating over those coming Captain’s bars.  My only big bummer is I don’t think I’m going to be able to squeeze in my 10 year high school reunions, which I was really looking forward to.  But I’d trade them any day for more time with my Madisyn.  Peace out hommies, until next time.

Ok, so I didn’t pull off writing as soon as a planed on doing.  As always I’m super busy at work.  On a cool note I finally found all of the new episodes of Squidbillies, so now me and Dad can quote them for hours on end.  Truly the most intelligent show on television.  Things are kind of in a down slope this month.  I’ve had a lot of fun getting to hang out with Lori, but I haven’t got to talk to Madi much.   In other crap news, it seems a lot of my weekends have gone down the toilet thanks to work obligations.  I talked to Mitch for about a half an hour last night, which ruled.  It sucks when you can’t talk to one of your best friends for a long time, he is equally as busy as I.  I need to get in contact with Sheridan soon as well, much to cover.  I’ve been able to talk to Quentin a bit as well, but it never lasts as long as I’d like…Bryan needs to go on that list as well, much to talk to him about.  Overall, I’m not putting in any time with all the people I want to, a lot of Marines I want to talk to and hang with it, well overdue.  Additionally, I do find myself wishing that Lori was closer, but you have to deal with what you are given.  My greatest woe is not getting any quality time with Madisyn…I can’t wait for July to get here, so I can have her for a few weeks.  Additionally, it looks like Dad and Annette will get to hang out with us as well…At least I hope.  Then it’s just a matter of getting up to Ohio to see Mom, Eric, Elissa, and Mama…as well as Greg, Olivia, Will, Pat, Edie, Quentin…and a million more.  I want to get in a lot of time with everyone, especially with a year long deployment coming up, that’s a long damn time.  Ok, enough for now.  More later.

No reason for that title…other than it’s a phrase I deal with a lot…and it’s not that exciting, but I couldn’t think of a clever title.  Today was a very, very busy day…but then again, they all usually are now a days.  It’s amazing the stuff I can fit into a morning, stuff that people that get paid ten times more than me probably have a month to get a accomplished.  My biggest upsetting factor is that I am not getting in the amount of PT I want to get into my day.  Oh well, I’ll keep working at it until I can exercise my heart out again.  I need to start hitting the gym as well, but that’s a lot of work to get there and by the time I get home I just want to disengage my brain and listen to music and eat my room mate’s delicious cooking.  It’s amazing how much extra work Marines can create for you as well, I’ve had three of them wreck within the past 2 weeks…that’s AWESOME.   People are leaving comments for the pictures I’ve scanned onto my myspace over the weekend.  There were a lot of quality ones I added, check em’ out fo shizzle.  Tomorrow should be a very exciting day, again…more on that another time.  It should also fly by at work, so that’s good.  Not much else to say for now, I’m definitely enjoying listening to music  lately, far more than usual…which even I didn’t think was possible.  I’m addicted to Steve Vai’s Sex and Religion as well as Rammstein’s Reise, reise…and of course the occasional guilty pleasure that is Cradle of Filth.  Ta for now.

Ok, so I haven’t been that great about updating this thing…it’s not all my fault, I stay very busy at work.  And still yet, I find lots of time to sit in front of my monitor when I’m not.  So I shall attempt to write more…I know, promises, promises…that was an old 80s song too…can’t think of who sang it “you made me promises, promises…”.   Anyway, thinking out loud, er out textually.  My Marines are finally getting them to where I need them to be, almost all the way there…so I think work in general will follow suit.  These 16 plus hour days have got to end.  I did get to do my first, and hopefully last room search with a K-9 unit.  It felt a bit like I was on NCIS, just without all the good looking people.  What else…I did meet an interesting woman with whom I have enjoyed talking with, if only briefly, not sure where that will go, but I’ll keep you updated.  My friend suggested trying an online dating site and out of many, many matches this is the only one that seems interesting to me.  I spent the last week out in the field, it was freezing, but we got some valuable training in.  Only to return to the wonderful treat of a 6 mile hump, I’ve got some pretty mean blisters that still need to be popped, but I’m in denial…so they shall remain intact.  What else…I spent the weekend just recouping from that experience…downloaded an ass ton of music and played my guitar.  I think I’ll try to get into something exciting next weekend…just not sure what…I don’t know, don’t know if I’ll have enough time ;)  Yeah, I just put a in my blog…it’s mine, I can do whatever I damn well please, so piss off ;P Yeah!  Ok, enough of that…I’m really pleased with myself lately on my discipline with the Bible…I’ve read almost every night, quite a bit as well.  Still not learning any Russian though…my brain doesn’t have room anyway.  Alright enough random rambling for now…as always, more to follow.  Take care for now loyal listeners….err readers.