So using contractors when I get married.....

So I just got a touch of what it feels like to arrange a wedding (at least that’s how it feels to me).

In the past couple of days I have had to get my fellow Officer Candidates to set up the reception for our graduation while I took on the daunting (to me at least) task of getting the invites out. Quite a task, something that I will go far to avoid in the future. 61 invitations to basically every general and field grade officer in the Virginia Army National Guard. Selecting and getting the wording of the invite, reply card and map approved, prying the invite list from the people who are providing the list, getting the cards (reply and main invite made up), generating and printing the labels (given the timeframe there was no way this was going to be hand labeled as protocol implies it should), getting Kinko’s to print the cards (and dealing with my the 3 phone calls and one visit from my GF to get things right) and then finally stuffing, labeling and stamping everything. All in 3 days... Thank god my GF was willing to help and could spare the time to help this hapless male through this crap.

T-Minus 8 days until I become 2nd Lieutenant Media Addict..... My uniform is almost completely ready and I am so stoked to move on to my next task (and to get this OCS stuff behind me).

Yeah, Yeah....

Its summer, I've been catching up (being gone for 15 days makes you feel like you are playing catchup for the next week or 2).

Seen some great movies (The Simpsons and The Bourne Ultimatum), enjoyed a great Restaurant Week meal and drinks (at 15Ria), went to NYC (awesome play, Avenue Q and awesome food (Bobby Flay's Bolo, Heidelburg German Restaurant, and of course a number of slices of NY Pizza) and am just now getting back into the swing of things..

Catching up on some TV too.... really enjoying the new and returning cable shows... Pysch has moved up to the list to near the top, Burn Notice, Mad Men, and a slew of others... now if only I had the time to watch everything...

Whoah!...

I got back at 11PM on Friday and am only now feeling up to writing about my two week ordeal.

Most of my squad (C/2/1 - Fishercats) from OCS....

Almost recovered from the Poison Ivy (it got on my face for gods sake.... my fricking face). Still not recovered on the sleep side.

Training sucked. Lots of time in the field, sleeping on the bare earth. Served as food for the local wildlife (chiggers.... so much bad information out there about them... I followed through with my resolution to do some research on it when I got back and good old Wikipedia didn't let me down.. here and here for more information on these pesky bugs... amazingly the mosquitos and ticks weren't even noticable).... But oh, the poison ivy..... There were some fields down there that make me shudder now... where it seems that every inch of the ground has this obnoxious plant on it. Luckily the Army cleaned me up a little right at the end, with a nice little shot and a treatment of drugs to decrease the effects. And the Combat Survival Water Test helped at the midpoint (thats me taking the plunge from the diving board below)

But overall I was kind of lucky. It could have been hotter, it could have rained a lot more, been buggier and overall sucked a lot more.

Interesting point.... Office Working City boys such as myself really cannot adapt to the type of weather down in Alabama in such a short time. This time last week I had received an IV of saline and electrolytes twice....

Its over and done with now, and now I just need to get things set for our graduation party on the 25th and then onward to joining my new Unit as a 2nd Lt.

I passed!

I am itchy and tired still but I am back, alive and mostly intact (except for a case of Poison Ivy that is taking its time to go away). 3 weeks until I can wear my new rank (after having it pinned on by parents). Still so tired... More to follow later when I have recovered from my 2 week long ordeal...

Hooah!

And I am off until the week of 8/5. I will be spending the next 16 days down at Ft. McClellan Alabama completing Phase III of OCS. Way too much camping for this city boy but them the breaks..

I fully expect to return a little beaten up, a number of pounds lighter, and with a big grin that I have finally finished the OCS thing and can proceed onto the real job at hand.

So until that time, I leave y'all with a big old HOOAH!

Out.

Movies! (and other entertaining stuff)

On Friday night I saw Ratatouille ... It was a lot of a fun. Right from the beginning, with the alien abduction bit then right into the main feature it was a very enjoyable movie. 7/10

Loving -

• Pysch - I loved the premier, and will definitely enjoy the 3 episodes that will be waiting for me when I return.


• Burn Notice - also lots of fun. will definitely be looking forward to the set that is waiting for me on return as well


• That my Tivo finally has a good HD


• That my GF is now living a lot closer. Her being out in Reston was a pain.
• That my best friend (from 1st grade) DV was in town last night.... I think we spent almost 4 hours catching up last night in Dremo's.... I m
  

Not so Loving...

• That DC United blew a frigging 3 point lead.... that was just sad


• That I have to leave my GF for 3 weeks... I hate that a decision that I made ealier is affecting her now.

Anxiety.

So after almost 2 years of training (9 weeks of basic training in '05, a 2 week AT last summer, countless weekend drills, class meetings, packing anxiety) I find myself rapidly approaching on my last 2 week training event for OCS here in VA.

Its been humbling so far. Because while the military stuff is known to me in theory, in practice its been difficult. I have never done so badly (in respect to others) in my life and its hurt my ego a lot. I did do well on the technical aspects (I have always been a quick study and the classes are at least vaguely familiar to me) but when it comes down to the practical parts I have found myself come up far short of my expectations.
And now in a handful of days it all comes down to how well I can execute a mission out in the field. One, maybe 2 chances to prove that I am worthy of leading the best soldiers in the world. No pressure at all..... Though I know that I can rise to the pressure and I have gotten pretty good support from my trainers at the OCS Company.

The packing is done, the papers I need are printed, the mind is already getting into the right mood. Time to spend some time with the family and GF. Oddly I am looking forward to seeing some of the great people that I met last summer, see some of the other candidates from VA and to see my good buddy PW (who will be joining us down in Alabama after doing the accelerated course. That and at this point I want to get over this hump and get on to the next challenge.

T-minus 2 days to departure...

The US Army does NOT travel light...

The Army gives their soldiers lots of stuff, and expects them to take it with them.. no longer is it the day of a soldier fitting everything into a rucksack and a duffel.

For further evidence, see the below pictures.... I am about to head off for AT (Annual Training, in my case its OCS (Officer Candidate School) Phase III) in another week so I decided to start laying everything out and seeing what I need...
The worst part is that there are a few items missing still..... (a couple of uniforms on the black container (not coming) and other things such as a personal hygiene kit.)
BTW, that thing wrapped in the rope is my tent... I swear it must date from the Korea war....
And thats not all... the next picture has items not on the packing list (though badly needed for the field) and yet ANOTHER bag full for gear that I had already packed (and there was no way that I am going to unpack at this time, its time for bed...)

Time to have one last glass of wine (my instructors would probably mock me for drinking wine instead of beer as I packed) and then off to bed... hopefully I won't stumble over this stuff in the morning....

T-minus 6ish days until Phase III... 2 weeks of hell in Alabama.

Harry Potter

I am that guy.... apparently the one guy who hasn't seen the other HP movies....

And of course somehow (namely because of the GF's obsession with HP) the first HP movie that I see is the 5th one. I read the first book and just decided to step back from the series. After this movie I have decided that I must rectify this after I get back (maybe not the books but at least the movies).

Overall I enjoyed the show, it was pretty fun though a bit packed. I guess enough of the movie seeped through from pop culture (and add in a whole life of reading SF, so I can pick up plots/different worlds pretty quickly) that I pretty much knew what was going on.

T-minus 7 days until Phase III... 2 weeks of hell in Alabama.

Love my media...

What I am watching on TV this summer (assuming I don't lose any more shows from my Tivo... poor thing doesn't like the new external HD):

• Burn Notice - I have really enjoyed the first 2 episodes
• Eureka - loved this show last summer
• Pysch - Fun show
• Dresden Files - need to catch up
• Flash Gordon
• Reruns of anything that I have missed
• Pretty much anything HD

Movies!

• Harry Potter
• Transformers

What I am playing

• Command & Conquer 3
• Carcassonne
• Settlers of Catan

Now back to my game of Carcassonne.... darn game is addictive. And the best part is that you can play heads up, unlike Catan...

T-minus 9 days until Phase III... 2 weeks of hell in Alabama.

Fun (or not so fun!) with Physics

While at Kings Dominion the GF and I ran into someone with a tenious grasp on physics (far beyond the wonderful comment that my mom made earlier this week.... "What goes down must come up".... hehe.... that will be a common line for us for quite some time to come).

They have a number of water slides there, and the one I wanted to try was called "Night Slider" - "the world's tallest enclosed dark tube slide". Sadly due to this womens misunderstanding of cause and effect I was unable to give it a whirl. Apparently right at the bottom you come off and keep heading down the water to slow you down... but this woman had the misfortune of standing up immediately upon hitting the bottom, which immediately caused her to flip over and onto the ground by the slide (solid concrete mind you) and slid for some 20 feet. She tried to play it off but my GF stopped her and pointed out that her shirt was ripped, then she saw her backside(major road rash, though it was hard to see since she was a black woman and luckily wearing a t-shirt). I only saw some of it, and then had to dodge her BF as he barreled down the stairs to join her. In the end it looks like she can chalk up the shirt, an couple of days/weeks of bandages (luckily her BF was a paramedic so she should have good help in that area) and one massively hurt pride/embaressing story to tell (or to desperately pray that it never gets mentioned again).

Sadly the ride was closed for the rest of the day so I didn't get my chance to try.

Weekend update

So other than the ruined weekend (which I still feel I haven't made up enough for to my GF) it was a pretty good weekend & 4th.
Had a great night out drinking on the 3rd with the GF and some of her friends. Love Cafe Asia's Happy Hour deals! By far one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Tried some Ginger beer at Dr. Dremo's (my how I will miss that place). Then a movie at home.

I was lucky that I won a drawing to see the Fireworks from the top of my building (pictures to come) along with my GF and parents. It was definitely a cool way to take in the fireworks. If you have the chance its among the most civilized ways to check it out, AC and free food.... hard to pass up.

Went to Kings Dominion on Friday. We started late (didn't get there til 1300) but it actually worked in our favor (since we could stop by Sonic for lunch and then avoid some of the heat of the day). Lines were longish (though I still love the Volcano). Popped over to the water park, rode some of the great rides (Tornado wins for the best water ride ever... now they just need to automate the lugging of the raft up... Zoom Flume was fun too.). Other than realizing that Tomb Raider:Firefall was so not for us (leading to a good 40 minute break) the rest of the rides were fun. Still need to go back and hit some of the rides again and do clean-up on some of the ones we skipped.

Then after an early start for me on Saturday (3 hours to get through the physical at Sandston) we went downtown to Chocobottom, stopped in a brewpub for lunch, hit this place called the Railstation further down the street for dessert (some awesome Gelato and some pastries), did some window shopping and browsing. Then we went to the GF's Sister place over by Charlottesville (where of course I wore my VT gear everywhere). A great dinner and wine (me and the GF basically by ourselves killed the 2 bottles that brought), some playing with a friendly 2yo, then bed. A nice brunch in the downtown mall (more VT gear , hehehe) then off for home. Then I got to play with my nephew (making this the weekend of the 2yo) then off to an early bed.

Unacceptable....

My countdown clock continues for my disappearance for 2 weeks (crikee, I even dreamed about the Army stuff last night, something that I HATE when it happens). 10 days before I head out. I blame the physical I got on Saturday (which completely ruined my GF's plans for heading to the beach.... I think that I hate that more than anything else. The Army can mess with me as much as it wants, I am so used to it. But messing with loved ones? Completely UNACCEPTABLE.. I don't think my GF has ever seen me so worked up as I was when this happened(one week from when we were to head out on vacation... you would think that they would have noticed this issue before that and allowed me to plan). I am so not used to decisions that I made (joining the Guard in this case) having adverse affects on others. Guess I had better get used to it given that I am mere weeks away from commissioning.
That and making me get up early on one of my last free weekends? What the heck was I thinking when I signed up??!

United Flight 93

So now that I have had a day or more to process it I can write a bit about it.
On the way back from Pittsburgh we took US-30 for a more scenic route back. And then I saw the sign and pointed it out to the GF. She then asked me if I wanted to go, and to be completely honest I hesitated.... I had to take a second to think about it but after a little consideration I decided that I could handle the place. So then I indicated that we should head over (its about 3 miles off US-30). We didn't talk much on the way in, a little mention of "United 93" (which I still haven't worked up the nerve to watch... I may watch it in the next couple of weeks before I head off for AT) but overall it was a quite drive in.

The memorial is pretty moving. I know that there are plans for a formal monument/park and I am sure that it will be very tasteful and respectful, but the one that is there now is very raw... You can still feel the respect and sadness people feel about this event.

I don't think I spoke more than a handful of words while at the site. I really felt that I opened my mouth too much I would probably end up crying, since it was such a moving place. We took in the views from the site, looked at the memorial wall where people still place objects and checked out the plaques that were placed there. The whole time that I was there I felt that I was on the edge of crying. We stayed about 15 minutes and then resumed our ride home. I don’t think I talked until we were about 10 miles away…

I didn't take any pictures there (and neither did the GF). It just didn't feel appropriate. Maybe for some people it is but in my heart I will always remember the place and don't need pictures of the place... it just seems macabre.

Live Free or Die Hard

After my fun in Pittsburgh (and an EXCELLENT meal at Generous George's in Alexandria) the GF and I went off to see the late showing ofDie Hard 4 at AMC Hoffman 22 (love this theater... so brings back the majesty of the movie theater). Surprisingly packed (we got just about the last 2 person spot in the theater).

So first of course as a native Washingtonian let me just rant for a little..... I HATE it when they use stand-in cities for my hometown (at least this one didn't have any Metro scenes.... those are just too painful when you have the BART or LA Subway standing in). Skyscrapers, odd toll lanes in odd tunnels, street names that don't exist.... ugh.... And the bad-guy helo's would so not have been able to get into the areas that it did (can you say interdicted airspace?)... And then you toss the whole cyber part in.... its not like I don't work in this field or anything.... too many things to comment on there.

That said..... almost the perfect summer movie. Excellent pace, cast was perfect (even down to my boy, Kevin Smith, as Morlock - the super hacker)... it was smooth... the pacing was excellent (never a glance at watch/phone moment), the requisite catch-phrases, plot made some sense and above all was well nigh-perfect on the whole stunts and effects category (they so deserve something when the Oscars come around).

9/10... An instant classic summer movie.

Pittsburgh

(with an "h".. the German in me just wants to leave it off apparently)
So this weekend I agreed to go with the GF to a family event in Pittsburgh. I decided that since she has met my family (the joys of living close to home) that it was only fair (and now since I learned on Friday that I would have to cancel on our beach trip (thank you Uncle Sam for scheduling a fricking physical at the last minute on me) that it was early pennance for that).

So after stopping at this cute little breakfast place in Gaithersburg it was on to Pburgh... Met the whole slew of family that day and next. Experience Eat 'N Park and then got a slew of Smile cookies to bring home (or to attempt... very few of them survived the trip home..).

Me and a Smiley:
(Special note... don't do this to someone while driving..... the car moved in bad way when she saw me do this to her on the trip back)




Then it was a quick stop for shopping (hello outlet mall..... me and mr Amex got a little workout and my wardrobe increased) and then home.

Too easily amused.

so the GF is taking care of a friends dogs for the past couple of days.....

And yep... I sent the following last night after stopping by and letting them out for a bit...

Subject: Who let the dogs out?

I let the dogs out. Woof woof!

Nope, still hasn't gotten old.

And thats not counting the times that I have gone "woof woof" when she has said in conversations that she "needs to go and let the dogs out"..

Ah the simple pleasures in life.

World is small

so I Facebook.... I am fascinated by it and other social networking sites (you name it and I probably have a profile on it)...
Today in adding a friend of my older brother's, AR, I got a message from a girl I went on a few dates with a couple of months ago who also knows AR...... such a small world, noted here, here and here

Oh and ..... GO DC UNITED... a little rain delay seemed to have helped them... 4-1.... NICE!
Too bad my boys in Red White and Blue couldn't pull it off too. Though the victory over Mexico last Sunday assuages some of that angst....

Limits....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/world/europe/22veil.html?ex=1340164800&en=47585fe627ca01b1&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
So I am all about religious freedom. It’s the most basic foundation of this country. But the practice of the burka (or nijab or whatever) goes too far... We also live in a free society where there is accountability and individuality of our actions. The very fact of obscuring the face, of turning women into something in the background makes the bile rise into my throat. And then you toss in my standard concerns about security (ummm... yes... it was the person wearing the black burka... that’s just a threat). And you add in how important eye and face contact is here in one of the most Western of countries, where looking the other person in the face is so key to establishing relationships and trust...

Ugh, this reminds me of how its trying to creep into the States (and for the most part we are holding our ground.... for things from a pure security point of view (I am still in shock/awe that one woman down in Florida wanted her Drivers License to have her wearing a veil....)). There is accommodation and then there is adaptation. This is yet another example of how the US is no longer the melting pot that we are so proud of.... not in the world of instant communication and the ever shrinking niche groups.

Fracking Hot

And what is my brain telling me? That I need to go for a run? I must be on crack.... DC Weather is just short of Hell today... Definately an indoor run.


So I survived the weekend (which, par for the course, wasn't as bad as I built it up to be). Lots of fun at the range (and actually learned something useful for my career, how to run a range). Qualified in my first shoot (which is why I will never wear glasses for shooting... I had the worst time qualifying during basic because of them). Passed my APFT (though I still need to watch what I eat since I get weighed at Phase III too).


Watched a depressing movie last night (Catch And Release). Perhaps not the best movie to watch with your GF. Nothing like a movie where the guy dies right before the wedding to make women nervous. I really did like Kevin Smiths character though... he is so one of my favorite people in Hollywood. On the plus side my Tivo Series 3 is working again (the replacement finally showed up and I got it operational on Monday.... and then Comcast had to send people out to call this in(to reactivate my Cablecards into the new Tivo).... Even the techs were calling this retarded).

Two great places to eat that I have been at:

• The Italian Store - LOVE this place. Best subs around and some of the best Pizza outside NYC.
• Lost Dog Cafe - Best beer selection in Arlington. The Dog Collars were great... tabasco + onion rings. And the Pizza was top notch.