An extended conversation with my buddy about my stubborn refusal to join the dating world again has prompted me to reexamine the decision and hyper-analyze. I was going to do some long post but instead i'll just throw bullet points out as to why Jimmy is better off single.
- just shy of 2 decades working and i have almost nothing to show for it. i'm 35 and i'm at what is basically an entry-level job. not only does my career life seem to be going nowhere fast i've been reconsidering lately if staying in the IT field is the right choice. which would be great if i didn't also realize i have nowhere to go if this falls out. i can't think of anything else to do with my life. this was bad enough back when i was 18 and i dropped out of the academy and faced the reality that the path i saw for myself growing up wasn't going to happen, imagine the shitty feeling I have thinking about that happening again at 35. I won't insult women by saying you all have to be with a successful man, but I have to imagine pulling an epic fail in the career department really cripples my draw as a mate. What girl wants a guy who's barely a provider for himself?
- there's no romance without finance. what little extra money i do have i prefer to spend on myself on what i want. not something that's going to go over well with any woman looking to be wined and dined.
- i am aggressively hostile towards the concept of "romance". hey wake up honey!! it's Valentine's day and while your friends are getting flowers and candy and taken to a chick flick, you get to spend all day listening to me rant about how those guys are a bunch of whipped pussies and your friends are whores. yeah i didn't think you'd like that very much either.
- i don't tolerate bullshit games chicks play. if you complain about something i'm going to offer suggestions on how to fix it. if you are not interested in those suggestions, refuse to use them, or think i'm going to not offer them and instead just sit there and listen to you then yer out of your fuckin mind. if you think withholding sex is a bargaining tactic with me, you're going to find how little a problem i have morally with going out and finding someone else to fuck.
- i like what i like and hate what i hate and if you think i'm going to either stop doing/using/enjoying something i like or start doing/using/enjoying something i hate because you like it then prepare to have your face laughed in. been there done that, i'm not giving up something i like for anyone ever again.
- i'm an angry loud person. most of the time, i'm not pleasant to be around. most of the time when you're around me you're going to be getting ear-fulls of why i hate everything and everyone.
- me me me. if i don't want to do something i won't do it. good luck trying to get me to.
anyways..... this all adds up to better off single.
as a reminder, this blog is only part place to publish and share stuff with people and request opinions. the other part is a place for me to spill my thoughts because it adds clarity and helps to look back from time to time. this be less share and more spill.
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sad
Ok Lucas, enough is enough.
Droid-theme Xbox?
i say enough is enough, but i don't expect you to stop. i also don't expect us to stop paying you money. hell, as disgusted as i am at the shameless money grubbing and whoring of the Star Wars brand, i'll admit that i contributed to it. easily. ask my parents. i got pics of xmas after xmas with me and my Star Wars stuff. i'm such a consumer whore that even as disgusted as i am with this 360 thing.... i'm STILL foaming at the mouth to play the MMORPG game coming out.
Basically this is like what I imagine (since i don't know i've only read and heard about) it's like to watch a loved one or good friend turn into an alcoholic or addict. You watch them turn into something ugly and disgusting and as much as you want to wash your hands of them you are forced to think back to when the sickness infecting them to the core of their souls wasn't there. You think about good times and happy smiles and you stick around and you just hope that maybe some day they'll come back to you.
I don't think alcoholic Star Wars is coming back to me, but i'll always remember the good times.
Droid-theme Xbox?
i say enough is enough, but i don't expect you to stop. i also don't expect us to stop paying you money. hell, as disgusted as i am at the shameless money grubbing and whoring of the Star Wars brand, i'll admit that i contributed to it. easily. ask my parents. i got pics of xmas after xmas with me and my Star Wars stuff. i'm such a consumer whore that even as disgusted as i am with this 360 thing.... i'm STILL foaming at the mouth to play the MMORPG game coming out.
Basically this is like what I imagine (since i don't know i've only read and heard about) it's like to watch a loved one or good friend turn into an alcoholic or addict. You watch them turn into something ugly and disgusting and as much as you want to wash your hands of them you are forced to think back to when the sickness infecting them to the core of their souls wasn't there. You think about good times and happy smiles and you stick around and you just hope that maybe some day they'll come back to you.
I don't think alcoholic Star Wars is coming back to me, but i'll always remember the good times.
Friday, May 27, 2011
random complaints and observations
- It never ceases to amaze/frustrate/depress/scare me that people who are unable to remember a password longer than 24 hours, spell the word Password, or even tell the difference between logging into a web page and logging into a computer are trusted to keep dangerous people and things off our flights.
- If pressed i'd have to say I don't like John Madden. Not for any particular reason, but when I think about things I don't like about him I can't find anything I do like that would cancel it all out. My biggest 2 strikes against him are 1, making it possible for Frank Caliendo to have a career and to open the door to him ruining my enjoyment of Sunday Countdown and 2, I find him as an announcer to be way overrated.
- this isn't directed at any one person. i've had plenty of people say plenty of things along the same lines. OK, that being said..... everyone needs to get it thru their heads that acknowledging the cause or the blame or the unavoidability of a bad situation DOES NOT CAUSE IT TO BE LESS BAD. example. i know damn well why i have a job that erodes my soul and sucks the will to live from me. i have it because my stupid ass decided to go to ITT Tech instead of getting a fucking real degree and getting some certifications to go with it. I have it because I decided to live in a metro area with a total shit IT job market. I have it because I sat on my ass for almost a half year before I took job hunting seriosly. Now then.... knowing all this doesn't change anything. It doesn't mean I regret all my choices, It doesn't mean i don't regret some a LOT, but most of all it doesn't change the fact that the job still sucks. Being in a shitty situation is bad enough, but people reminding you it's your own fault or even if it isn't your fault doesn't make it less shitty. I don't complain because i'm looking for meaning or root cause or blame or anything like that. I complain because it is unpleasent. I am fully aware that my shitty job, shitty outlook on life, lack of a future, lack of a career, fat ass, and marital status are all my own fault. I made the choices i live with the results.
- at some point there's going to be a giant shift in the dynamics of business, telecommunications, entertainment, and how they all combine or clash to come to us. Sooner or later the internet companies are going to realize they can't nickle and dime us and bleed us dry. Sooner or later Hollywood and the Music industry will have to give up fighting the internet and accept that as long as they continue to charge outlandish prices for increasingly bland content, we're going to keep stealing it.
- man, Mother Nature sure has been a bitch this year. Japan, Mississippi, Missouri, here..... She will fuck you up!!
- The female body can be such a magnificent work of art some times. I mean, just amazing. I regret a lot in life, but never a second that I've spent enjoying the optical feasts the female form has to offer.
- I don't see why everyone thinks getting in shape is hard. I mean, you just need to stop eating fast food and instead resign yourself to driving by a McDonald's and fighting the urge to jump the counter and eat every meat-based product they have until they cops drag you away. Instead you get to mix powder with water and drink your meal twice a day. Nom nom nom. You also just need to hit the gym 6 times a week lift till your body hates you and grind away on an Elliptical because you're too fat to job and know that if you run, you might as well save your knees the trouble and just shoot them off. Then a couple times a week you dodge harpoons and float your gelatinous blob in a pool. Not that hard right?
- Why do TV and Movies continue the path of crappy crapiness?
- I love having USAA as my bank. It's all done online. Now even depositing checks. I just got a check from the Honda Dealership for an overpayment from my trade-in. Thanks to the USAA app on my Droid, I logged into my account and after snapping pictures of the front and back of the check... BAM!!!! In my account. No muss no fuss. In a time where banks seem to be going out of their way to fuck over customers and squeeze any possible money they can out of them, it's nice to have a bank with some fucking integrity.
- If pressed i'd have to say I don't like John Madden. Not for any particular reason, but when I think about things I don't like about him I can't find anything I do like that would cancel it all out. My biggest 2 strikes against him are 1, making it possible for Frank Caliendo to have a career and to open the door to him ruining my enjoyment of Sunday Countdown and 2, I find him as an announcer to be way overrated.
- this isn't directed at any one person. i've had plenty of people say plenty of things along the same lines. OK, that being said..... everyone needs to get it thru their heads that acknowledging the cause or the blame or the unavoidability of a bad situation DOES NOT CAUSE IT TO BE LESS BAD. example. i know damn well why i have a job that erodes my soul and sucks the will to live from me. i have it because my stupid ass decided to go to ITT Tech instead of getting a fucking real degree and getting some certifications to go with it. I have it because I decided to live in a metro area with a total shit IT job market. I have it because I sat on my ass for almost a half year before I took job hunting seriosly. Now then.... knowing all this doesn't change anything. It doesn't mean I regret all my choices, It doesn't mean i don't regret some a LOT, but most of all it doesn't change the fact that the job still sucks. Being in a shitty situation is bad enough, but people reminding you it's your own fault or even if it isn't your fault doesn't make it less shitty. I don't complain because i'm looking for meaning or root cause or blame or anything like that. I complain because it is unpleasent. I am fully aware that my shitty job, shitty outlook on life, lack of a future, lack of a career, fat ass, and marital status are all my own fault. I made the choices i live with the results.
- at some point there's going to be a giant shift in the dynamics of business, telecommunications, entertainment, and how they all combine or clash to come to us. Sooner or later the internet companies are going to realize they can't nickle and dime us and bleed us dry. Sooner or later Hollywood and the Music industry will have to give up fighting the internet and accept that as long as they continue to charge outlandish prices for increasingly bland content, we're going to keep stealing it.
- man, Mother Nature sure has been a bitch this year. Japan, Mississippi, Missouri, here..... She will fuck you up!!
- The female body can be such a magnificent work of art some times. I mean, just amazing. I regret a lot in life, but never a second that I've spent enjoying the optical feasts the female form has to offer.
- I don't see why everyone thinks getting in shape is hard. I mean, you just need to stop eating fast food and instead resign yourself to driving by a McDonald's and fighting the urge to jump the counter and eat every meat-based product they have until they cops drag you away. Instead you get to mix powder with water and drink your meal twice a day. Nom nom nom. You also just need to hit the gym 6 times a week lift till your body hates you and grind away on an Elliptical because you're too fat to job and know that if you run, you might as well save your knees the trouble and just shoot them off. Then a couple times a week you dodge harpoons and float your gelatinous blob in a pool. Not that hard right?
- Why do TV and Movies continue the path of crappy crapiness?
- I love having USAA as my bank. It's all done online. Now even depositing checks. I just got a check from the Honda Dealership for an overpayment from my trade-in. Thanks to the USAA app on my Droid, I logged into my account and after snapping pictures of the front and back of the check... BAM!!!! In my account. No muss no fuss. In a time where banks seem to be going out of their way to fuck over customers and squeeze any possible money they can out of them, it's nice to have a bank with some fucking integrity.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
One thing i learned
If my current job has taught me anything (it's taught me quite a few things, most of them I really really could have done without learning) it's that I now know I would never be able to hack it as a teacher.
I respect teachers. It's a job that is thankless at times and with a few exceptions is not a very well paying job when you consider what is being provided. I'm sure I could write a longer post about what level on society's fucked-up-o-meter it is when the people who are teaching our kids to read a book and add are paid like a server at Applebees and the people who are teaching your kids that dressing like a nimrod and getting wasted and locked up is cool if you're famous are paid more than all the teachers they'll ever have.
Anyways. My main point is that I've found out just how frustrating it is dealing with people who are ignorant and not only have no motivation or incentive to learn, they are not expected to. I listen to these people day in and day out who are nothing but apologetically stupid. They don't care that they're idiots because nobody expects them to. They aren't going to make an effort to get smarter because nobody really cares if they do. The system has been set up to cope with their level of knowledge. It runs and it runs, turning gears composed of apathy and profit driven by people who are only interested in fixing problems that only impact their personal being. Teachers have to cope with students who don't want to learn but they also have to deal with some students that not only don't want to learn but are not expected to. I was reading this article about a girl working hard to succeed in school and in it it says she actually overheard her dad tell her teacher "it doesn't really matter what she does now she will eventually give up." and that he expects her to fail sooner or later. If I lived to be 1000 and spent all those years trying, I'd still never be able to comprehend how a father could possibly let those words leave his mouth. Most likely because my dad didn't see failure as the finish line in life. My dad sure as fucking hell didn't just settle for growing up poor and spending the rest of his days making himself feel better by rolling around in his kid's failures like a pig in shit. That's just one girl in one class in one school. It begs the question, how many other students fail or are going to fail because they won't ever try to succeed and no one will ever care if they do? Now take the person that has to try and reverse all that. Who has to stand up there in class and shoot basketballs of knowledge at the rims of these kids minds knowing that the shots are sometimes heavily guarded by the system, the parents, and the students who just don't care about the scoreboard. (I'm not sure if that analogy is brilliant or insanely stupid)
I sympathize with the apathy. I'm not really any different. Most of the time if you've removed all incentives and reasons for me give a damn, nary a damn shall be given. My frustrations were born from my own unhappiness in my environment and when I sat and thought harder and deeper to the "why" of it all I was forced to take a hard look at my job. The more I looked and more I thought, the more it became clear that nothing is going to change because nobody in a position to change anything has any reason see changes happen. In a lot of ways it's a liberating conclusion to come to. It's easier to cope with stress when you know exactly where the stress comes from and that it's not because there's something you're doing or not doing. Of course it's also equally depressing knowing that there's stress there and nothing you can do will change it.
You take the good you take the bad and there you have.... my crappy life. sit ubu sit. good boy.
I respect teachers. It's a job that is thankless at times and with a few exceptions is not a very well paying job when you consider what is being provided. I'm sure I could write a longer post about what level on society's fucked-up-o-meter it is when the people who are teaching our kids to read a book and add are paid like a server at Applebees and the people who are teaching your kids that dressing like a nimrod and getting wasted and locked up is cool if you're famous are paid more than all the teachers they'll ever have.
Anyways. My main point is that I've found out just how frustrating it is dealing with people who are ignorant and not only have no motivation or incentive to learn, they are not expected to. I listen to these people day in and day out who are nothing but apologetically stupid. They don't care that they're idiots because nobody expects them to. They aren't going to make an effort to get smarter because nobody really cares if they do. The system has been set up to cope with their level of knowledge. It runs and it runs, turning gears composed of apathy and profit driven by people who are only interested in fixing problems that only impact their personal being. Teachers have to cope with students who don't want to learn but they also have to deal with some students that not only don't want to learn but are not expected to. I was reading this article about a girl working hard to succeed in school and in it it says she actually overheard her dad tell her teacher "it doesn't really matter what she does now she will eventually give up." and that he expects her to fail sooner or later. If I lived to be 1000 and spent all those years trying, I'd still never be able to comprehend how a father could possibly let those words leave his mouth. Most likely because my dad didn't see failure as the finish line in life. My dad sure as fucking hell didn't just settle for growing up poor and spending the rest of his days making himself feel better by rolling around in his kid's failures like a pig in shit. That's just one girl in one class in one school. It begs the question, how many other students fail or are going to fail because they won't ever try to succeed and no one will ever care if they do? Now take the person that has to try and reverse all that. Who has to stand up there in class and shoot basketballs of knowledge at the rims of these kids minds knowing that the shots are sometimes heavily guarded by the system, the parents, and the students who just don't care about the scoreboard. (I'm not sure if that analogy is brilliant or insanely stupid)
I sympathize with the apathy. I'm not really any different. Most of the time if you've removed all incentives and reasons for me give a damn, nary a damn shall be given. My frustrations were born from my own unhappiness in my environment and when I sat and thought harder and deeper to the "why" of it all I was forced to take a hard look at my job. The more I looked and more I thought, the more it became clear that nothing is going to change because nobody in a position to change anything has any reason see changes happen. In a lot of ways it's a liberating conclusion to come to. It's easier to cope with stress when you know exactly where the stress comes from and that it's not because there's something you're doing or not doing. Of course it's also equally depressing knowing that there's stress there and nothing you can do will change it.
You take the good you take the bad and there you have.... my crappy life. sit ubu sit. good boy.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
more venting
- all you religious people out there..... if you're right and there is a God, and he has a grand plan and everything is by his will and he has a reason for everything he does? He's a fucking dick. A fucking asshole who just loves kicking a man when he's down. Frankly I find the idea that there's an almighty being orchestrating all this far far far more depressing/enraging than the thought that life is just there and shit just happens. None of you find the idea that someone/something WANTS all this to happen insulting? I'm with George Carlin. If this is the best that God can do, I'm not impressed. This is not the kind of results that belong on the resume of a supreme being. This the kind of shit I'd expect from a temp with a bad attitude.
- it isn't enough to lose something that made you happy. no, instead it has be rubbed in your fucking face all the time for good measure.
- people are retarded. dumbasses are everywhere. I used to think that mankind as a species was basically in a race. we were trying to race and see if we could grow out of the selfish, ignorant, and aggressive people we are before we destroyed ourselves. now? I think that moment we grow up is never coming. all we're doing is inventing one new thing after another until we finally figure out how to bring it all crashing down around us.
- I'm forced to wonder on a scale of 1 to 10 just how bad a person I am for hating the happiness I see around me. I don't really care, I'm just curious if I should hate seeing others enjoying life as much as I do. You what's funny? The only thing about it that bothers me in the slightest isn't that I hate seeing others happy. It's that I find myself upset and saying things I hate hearing others say. Stuff like "It isn't fair" or "why do they get to have what they want and i don't". When I hear others say that stuff I usually laugh and tell them that life isn't fair and tough shit if you don't like it. It just sounds far more disingenuous when you're saying it to yourself.
- it isn't enough to lose something that made you happy. no, instead it has be rubbed in your fucking face all the time for good measure.
- people are retarded. dumbasses are everywhere. I used to think that mankind as a species was basically in a race. we were trying to race and see if we could grow out of the selfish, ignorant, and aggressive people we are before we destroyed ourselves. now? I think that moment we grow up is never coming. all we're doing is inventing one new thing after another until we finally figure out how to bring it all crashing down around us.
- I'm forced to wonder on a scale of 1 to 10 just how bad a person I am for hating the happiness I see around me. I don't really care, I'm just curious if I should hate seeing others enjoying life as much as I do. You what's funny? The only thing about it that bothers me in the slightest isn't that I hate seeing others happy. It's that I find myself upset and saying things I hate hearing others say. Stuff like "It isn't fair" or "why do they get to have what they want and i don't". When I hear others say that stuff I usually laugh and tell them that life isn't fair and tough shit if you don't like it. It just sounds far more disingenuous when you're saying it to yourself.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Specific things I miss about being in a relationship
I was going to assign a number of things but decided not to limit myself. This is another one of those "putting my thoughts into words on the blog" posts. It's mostly for me and it's not done to solicit pity or comments of "advice".
here goes....
1 - regular sex. let's get the obvious out of the way.
2 - enjoying a woman's body. by this i don't mean sex. if you can believe that. what i mean is, waking up in the middle of the night and spending an hour or two watching her sleep as you gently run your fingers thru her hair. i mean laying on the couch rubbing her tummy. i mean the taste of her lips and the smell of her hair. Watching water cascade all over her in the shower. I'm talking about having a good time taking in the beauty of the Louvre instead of riding the rides at Six Flags.
3 - gal on my arm pride. "nice girlfriend jimmy, she's cute." like it or not, we're judged by the company we keep and like it or not we also love/hate the approval of others. some people need the approval of a lot and some just a few. i think we can all agree that no matter who's approval we NEED, it's always nice to get it from anyone. i'm a guy and i'm not immune from the need to feed my ego.
4 - feeling "needed". call it, fulfilling that primal urge to be the man. to be the protector or provider. being the one who says "i got this babe".
5 - flirting safely. this probably falls more under "things i hate about dating". i like flirting. i love tossing out sexual inneundo. i hate having to wonder if i pushed my luck or went over the line. it's just annoying. i like being able to toss out lines knowing it isn't going to cost me the chance to get in the girl's pants. i like it being what it's meant to be.... fun.
anyways, i might come back and update this.
here goes....
1 - regular sex. let's get the obvious out of the way.
2 - enjoying a woman's body. by this i don't mean sex. if you can believe that. what i mean is, waking up in the middle of the night and spending an hour or two watching her sleep as you gently run your fingers thru her hair. i mean laying on the couch rubbing her tummy. i mean the taste of her lips and the smell of her hair. Watching water cascade all over her in the shower. I'm talking about having a good time taking in the beauty of the Louvre instead of riding the rides at Six Flags.
3 - gal on my arm pride. "nice girlfriend jimmy, she's cute." like it or not, we're judged by the company we keep and like it or not we also love/hate the approval of others. some people need the approval of a lot and some just a few. i think we can all agree that no matter who's approval we NEED, it's always nice to get it from anyone. i'm a guy and i'm not immune from the need to feed my ego.
4 - feeling "needed". call it, fulfilling that primal urge to be the man. to be the protector or provider. being the one who says "i got this babe".
5 - flirting safely. this probably falls more under "things i hate about dating". i like flirting. i love tossing out sexual inneundo. i hate having to wonder if i pushed my luck or went over the line. it's just annoying. i like being able to toss out lines knowing it isn't going to cost me the chance to get in the girl's pants. i like it being what it's meant to be.... fun.
anyways, i might come back and update this.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Weird
i had this weird dream last night. the only thing i remember from it was kissing some girl. a really nice long kiss too. but the weird part is that i can't picture her face. for the life of me i can't put a face to the chick.
i very rarely dream and it's even MORE rare that i remember anything from them.
i very rarely dream and it's even MORE rare that i remember anything from them.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
100 random questions
Something i found on facebook.
1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
what closet?
2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioners from hotels?
Nope
3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in?
not since basic training
4. Have you ever stolen a street sign before?
nope
5. Do you use post-it notes?
sometimes
6. Do you cut coupons but never use them?
nope
7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
a bear, so i can say "i immediately regret this decision!!"
8. Do you have freckles?
i think i used to have light ones.
9. Do you always smile for pictures?
No
10. What's your biggest pet peeve?
stupid questions
11. Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
nope
12. Have you ever peed in the woods?
does a bear shit in the woods?
13. Do you ever dance when there's no music playing?
nope
14. Do you chew your pens and pencils.
*nibble* *nibble*.... huh? sorry i was distracted
15. How many people have you slept with this week?
oh at least 50. yea right. NONE!!!!!
16. What size is your bed?
twin
17. What is your song of the week?
*shrug*
18. Is it okay for guys to wear pink?
Of course!
19. Do you still watch cartoons?
i will ALWAYS watch cartoons
20. What's your least favorite movie?
anything with julia roberts
21. Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?
in the BANK, don't let the black beard fool you. i'm not a pirate dammit
22. What do you drink with dinner.
water right now
23. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
katsup or honey or bbq sauce
24. What is your favorite food?
i dunno. i have a lot
25. What movies could you watch over and over and still love?
war movies
26. Last person you kissed/kissed you?
honestly i don't know
27. Were you a boy/girl scout?
yup.
28. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine.
who the hell would WANT me to?
29. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
i think when i was stationed in Germany
30. Can you change the oil in a car?
yup
31. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
yes. fucking virginia state trooper nazis.
32. Ran out of gas?
came close a lot, but nope.
33. Favorite kind of sandwich?
bacon and lettuce on toasted sandwich bread
34. Best thing to eat for breakfast?
bacon bacon bacon!!!
35. What is your usual bedtime?
bout 10 or so lately
36. Are you lazy?
and surly!!!
37. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
mostly Superman or soldier. i went as a ghostbuster once
38. What is your Chinese astrological sign?
Dragon
39. How many languages can you speak?
English
40. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
Not right now
41. Which are better, legos or lincoln logs?
Legos
42. Are you stubborn.
big time
43. Who is better, Leno or Letterman?
used to be Letterman early on, but he took a big turn into douche-ville a while ago
44. Ever watch soap operas?
does observing my coworkers here count?
45. Afraid of heights?
not really
46. Sing in the car?
if i do, i'm drunk
47. Dance in the shower?
i might slip and fall!!!
48. Dance in the car?
no
49. Ever used a gun?
lots. used to carry one in the Air Force
50. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?
i dunno if it counts, but for my ID badge to get over here to Iraq
51. Do you think musicals are cheesy?
try idiotic
52. Is Christmas stressful?
Nah. I don't celebrate it.
53. Ever eat a pierogi?
a what?
54. Favorite type of fruit pie?
American as Apple Pie
55. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
fighter pilot
56. Do you believe in ghosts?
No
57. Ever have a deja vu feeling?
i feel stuck in a rut, stuck in a rut, stunk in a rut.....
58. Take a vitamin daily?
try to
59. Wear slippers.
nope
60. Wear a bath robe.
nope
61. What do you wear to bed?
Shorts
62. First concert?
Ozfest 1996. went with my cousin Mike right before i enlisted
63. Wal-mart, Target, or Kmart?
Target. better babes
64. Nike or Adidas?
Nike
65. Cheetos or Fritos?
fritos only if there's dip
66. Sunflower seeds or peanuts?
peanuts
67. Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?
no
68. Ever take dance lessons?
no
69. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?
porn?
70. Can you curl your tongue?
Yes
71. Ever won a spelling bee?
only in my class in elementary school
72. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Came close when Dale Jr won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in 2001.
73. Own any record albums?
No but my dad has a ton
74. Own a record player?
nope
75. Regularly burn incense?
nope
76. Ever been in love?
I wish i never was. nothing but trouble.
77. Who would you like to see in concert?
Metallica
78. What was the last concert you saw?
No Doubt. went with my ex Kristin since she was a big fan.
79. Hot tea, or cold?
depends on the situation.
80. Tea or coffee?
tea, can't stand coffee
81. Sugar cookies or snickerdoodles?
Sugar cookies. the cookie dough mostly
82. Can you swim well?
sure can. used to be on a swim team when i lived in Turkey
83. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
who CAN'T???
84. Are you patient.
at times, but for the most part not really
85. At a wedding, DJ or live band?
DJ. some songs need to be done by the original artists
86. Ever won a contest?
i think so.
87. Ever had plastic surgery?
No
88. Black olives, or green?
neither. gross
89. Can you knit or crotchet?
nope
90. Best room for a fireplace?
Den
91. Do you want to get married?
nope
92. If you're married, how long since you said "I do?"
N/A
93. Who was your high school crush?
i dunno if i had one. no girl in particular comes to mind. i liked this one chick who lived nearby but when to another school, but mostly cuz she had huge jugs.
94. Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your way?
not since i was like 5 or 6
95. Do you have kids?
None i know of
96. Do you want kids?
no no HELL no
97. What's your favorite color.
black
98. Do you miss anyone right now?
my siblings
99. Did you watch Next Great American Band on FOX?
hell no
100. Would you like other people to answer this survey?
go fer it!!
1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
what closet?
2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioners from hotels?
Nope
3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in?
not since basic training
4. Have you ever stolen a street sign before?
nope
5. Do you use post-it notes?
sometimes
6. Do you cut coupons but never use them?
nope
7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
a bear, so i can say "i immediately regret this decision!!"
8. Do you have freckles?
i think i used to have light ones.
9. Do you always smile for pictures?
No
10. What's your biggest pet peeve?
stupid questions
11. Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
nope
12. Have you ever peed in the woods?
does a bear shit in the woods?
13. Do you ever dance when there's no music playing?
nope
14. Do you chew your pens and pencils.
*nibble* *nibble*.... huh? sorry i was distracted
15. How many people have you slept with this week?
oh at least 50. yea right. NONE!!!!!
16. What size is your bed?
twin
17. What is your song of the week?
*shrug*
18. Is it okay for guys to wear pink?
Of course!
19. Do you still watch cartoons?
i will ALWAYS watch cartoons
20. What's your least favorite movie?
anything with julia roberts
21. Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?
in the BANK, don't let the black beard fool you. i'm not a pirate dammit
22. What do you drink with dinner.
water right now
23. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
katsup or honey or bbq sauce
24. What is your favorite food?
i dunno. i have a lot
25. What movies could you watch over and over and still love?
war movies
26. Last person you kissed/kissed you?
honestly i don't know
27. Were you a boy/girl scout?
yup.
28. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine.
who the hell would WANT me to?
29. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
i think when i was stationed in Germany
30. Can you change the oil in a car?
yup
31. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
yes. fucking virginia state trooper nazis.
32. Ran out of gas?
came close a lot, but nope.
33. Favorite kind of sandwich?
bacon and lettuce on toasted sandwich bread
34. Best thing to eat for breakfast?
bacon bacon bacon!!!
35. What is your usual bedtime?
bout 10 or so lately
36. Are you lazy?
and surly!!!
37. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
mostly Superman or soldier. i went as a ghostbuster once
38. What is your Chinese astrological sign?
Dragon
39. How many languages can you speak?
English
40. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
Not right now
41. Which are better, legos or lincoln logs?
Legos
42. Are you stubborn.
big time
43. Who is better, Leno or Letterman?
used to be Letterman early on, but he took a big turn into douche-ville a while ago
44. Ever watch soap operas?
does observing my coworkers here count?
45. Afraid of heights?
not really
46. Sing in the car?
if i do, i'm drunk
47. Dance in the shower?
i might slip and fall!!!
48. Dance in the car?
no
49. Ever used a gun?
lots. used to carry one in the Air Force
50. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?
i dunno if it counts, but for my ID badge to get over here to Iraq
51. Do you think musicals are cheesy?
try idiotic
52. Is Christmas stressful?
Nah. I don't celebrate it.
53. Ever eat a pierogi?
a what?
54. Favorite type of fruit pie?
American as Apple Pie
55. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
fighter pilot
56. Do you believe in ghosts?
No
57. Ever have a deja vu feeling?
i feel stuck in a rut, stuck in a rut, stunk in a rut.....
58. Take a vitamin daily?
try to
59. Wear slippers.
nope
60. Wear a bath robe.
nope
61. What do you wear to bed?
Shorts
62. First concert?
Ozfest 1996. went with my cousin Mike right before i enlisted
63. Wal-mart, Target, or Kmart?
Target. better babes
64. Nike or Adidas?
Nike
65. Cheetos or Fritos?
fritos only if there's dip
66. Sunflower seeds or peanuts?
peanuts
67. Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?
no
68. Ever take dance lessons?
no
69. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?
porn?
70. Can you curl your tongue?
Yes
71. Ever won a spelling bee?
only in my class in elementary school
72. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Came close when Dale Jr won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in 2001.
73. Own any record albums?
No but my dad has a ton
74. Own a record player?
nope
75. Regularly burn incense?
nope
76. Ever been in love?
I wish i never was. nothing but trouble.
77. Who would you like to see in concert?
Metallica
78. What was the last concert you saw?
No Doubt. went with my ex Kristin since she was a big fan.
79. Hot tea, or cold?
depends on the situation.
80. Tea or coffee?
tea, can't stand coffee
81. Sugar cookies or snickerdoodles?
Sugar cookies. the cookie dough mostly
82. Can you swim well?
sure can. used to be on a swim team when i lived in Turkey
83. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
who CAN'T???
84. Are you patient.
at times, but for the most part not really
85. At a wedding, DJ or live band?
DJ. some songs need to be done by the original artists
86. Ever won a contest?
i think so.
87. Ever had plastic surgery?
No
88. Black olives, or green?
neither. gross
89. Can you knit or crotchet?
nope
90. Best room for a fireplace?
Den
91. Do you want to get married?
nope
92. If you're married, how long since you said "I do?"
N/A
93. Who was your high school crush?
i dunno if i had one. no girl in particular comes to mind. i liked this one chick who lived nearby but when to another school, but mostly cuz she had huge jugs.
94. Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your way?
not since i was like 5 or 6
95. Do you have kids?
None i know of
96. Do you want kids?
no no HELL no
97. What's your favorite color.
black
98. Do you miss anyone right now?
my siblings
99. Did you watch Next Great American Band on FOX?
hell no
100. Would you like other people to answer this survey?
go fer it!!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
its paying off
My suffering is not for nothing. stepped on the scale this morning.... 260. i'm also down a belt loop. slow progress but hopefully with my new workout routine it'll start paying off more and faster.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Keeping the faith
Ok so i took the dieting/exercise to another level.
Meals are gone for the most part. 6 days a week, i'm drinking protein shakes and eating protein bars. 1 day i can what i want (but i'm not going to go nuts. i still refuse to drink sodas and monster and eat candy. i won't let my old vices come back) and i've kicked up my cardio to 90 minutes a day.
i'm going to be hungry. and tired. and a little miserable. but it's the price i told myself i would have to pay for 6 and a half years of destroying my body.
I'll go back to destroying my body once i get it back to where it was years ago. even then, i might need to have people kick my ass to keep me working out and eating right ONCE in a while.
Meals are gone for the most part. 6 days a week, i'm drinking protein shakes and eating protein bars. 1 day i can what i want (but i'm not going to go nuts. i still refuse to drink sodas and monster and eat candy. i won't let my old vices come back) and i've kicked up my cardio to 90 minutes a day.
i'm going to be hungry. and tired. and a little miserable. but it's the price i told myself i would have to pay for 6 and a half years of destroying my body.
I'll go back to destroying my body once i get it back to where it was years ago. even then, i might need to have people kick my ass to keep me working out and eating right ONCE in a while.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Lefty and proud
What do i have in common with these pros? I'm a lefty too.
left-handed that is
10. Johan Santana, Baseball. Mets' ace's 2.53 ERA led all pitchers.
9. CC Sabathia, Baseball. Carried Brewers to the playoffs with an 11-2 post-trade record.
8. Manu Ginobli, Basketball. One of the most underrated players in the NBA and, in fact, the world.
7. Justin Morneau, Baseball. Twins' first baseman won AL MVP in '06 and All-Star Home Run Derby in '08.
6. Ryan Howard, Baseball. Majors-leading 48 homers, 146 RBI helped Phillies win World Series.
5. Chris Bosh, Basketball. Olympic Gold Medalist is 6th in NBA scoring.
4. Cliff Lee, Baseball. AL Cy Young winner with a gaudy 22-3 record.
3. Tim Tebow, Football. Two National Championships and a Heisman before his senior season.
2. Phil Mickelson, Golf. World's No. 3 might dominate in a parallel universe void of Tiger Woods.
1. Rafael Nadal, Tennis. World's No. 1 player, arguably the best ever on clay.
hat tip: Dallas Observer
left-handed that is
10. Johan Santana, Baseball. Mets' ace's 2.53 ERA led all pitchers.
9. CC Sabathia, Baseball. Carried Brewers to the playoffs with an 11-2 post-trade record.
8. Manu Ginobli, Basketball. One of the most underrated players in the NBA and, in fact, the world.
7. Justin Morneau, Baseball. Twins' first baseman won AL MVP in '06 and All-Star Home Run Derby in '08.
6. Ryan Howard, Baseball. Majors-leading 48 homers, 146 RBI helped Phillies win World Series.
5. Chris Bosh, Basketball. Olympic Gold Medalist is 6th in NBA scoring.
4. Cliff Lee, Baseball. AL Cy Young winner with a gaudy 22-3 record.
3. Tim Tebow, Football. Two National Championships and a Heisman before his senior season.
2. Phil Mickelson, Golf. World's No. 3 might dominate in a parallel universe void of Tiger Woods.
1. Rafael Nadal, Tennis. World's No. 1 player, arguably the best ever on clay.
hat tip: Dallas Observer
Friday, January 09, 2009
climbing the hill
Ok so i'm about 1 week from being able to say "i have not had Mountain Dew, Monster, or any junk food in 2 months" and while i should be doing the happy dance, right now i could eat a package of Oreos and wash them down with a 12-pack of Dew. But...no. gotta stay strong. So last week i started a "diet" put together by my buddy Scott who is our medic here. I've been following his advice and we've been hitting the gym in the mornings together. I'm eating basically meat and a salad for lunch/dinner, an omlette and hash browns for breakfast, and i'm replacing one or two of these meals with a protein drink, sometimes a drink one instead of breakfast, etc.... you get the picture. at the gym i'm keeping it simple but painful. I do cardio for an hour to an hour and a half. Lemme tell you something. 90 minutes on an elliptical machine and your calf muscles are JELLO after. Scott asked how much i weighed. i told him that when i did my physical back in DC to come over here in october, i weighed in at (i can't believe i'm putting this in print) 280.
i won't lie, that gave me a kick in the ass for motivation when i found that out. There's a big difference between knowing you're a fatass and knowing JUST HOW MUCH of a fatass you are. putting a number on it was a face full of cold water.
so anyways Scott said "i promise you man, you stuck with this and in 3 or 4 months you'll be down to 210 or 220." It's been easily 6 years since i weighed that close to 200. I couldn't even imagine it now. It's like when i look at old pics of me right out of high school when i looked like i weighed a buck and a quarter. i just can't FATHOM being in the shape i was in. you know what, there's only one way to find this out right? stay the course.
my motivation in all this remains misty. even to me. do i want to be healthy? do i want to look better? do i want to feel better?
- the health factor. i'd put it at about 5%. honestly i just don't care. my health has never been something i've ever concerned myself about. you can tell me i should till you pass out. i won't. i've already said i don't plan to live to be old.
- looks. i'd rate this around 35%. i have never considered myself an attractive person. so it's not like if i pull this off i'm going to bullshit myself into thinking i'm going to be a lady-killer. even at my physical peak i still thought of myself as woman-repellent. the only reason i've had girlfriends is because, well, i'm sure they had their reasons. the only reason i've gotten laid as many damn times as i have is because i don't have high standards and i'm a total whore. so looks have never been a weapon i thought i could stock in my arsenal when hunting females. the only weapons i think i have that are effective is a sense of humor and a back massage that never fails to please the ladies.
- feeling better. i'd dial this one in at 40%. i'd kinda like being able to climb a couple flights of stairs and not get winded. feeling myself jiggle is getting old. seeing X anywhere on my clothing tab is getting old. i mean i knew when i started wrecking my body that sooner or later i would decide to care again.
- just seeing if i can do it. this is 10%. i love a good challenge.
- remaining 10% motivation. it's a secret.
i won't lie, that gave me a kick in the ass for motivation when i found that out. There's a big difference between knowing you're a fatass and knowing JUST HOW MUCH of a fatass you are. putting a number on it was a face full of cold water.
so anyways Scott said "i promise you man, you stuck with this and in 3 or 4 months you'll be down to 210 or 220." It's been easily 6 years since i weighed that close to 200. I couldn't even imagine it now. It's like when i look at old pics of me right out of high school when i looked like i weighed a buck and a quarter. i just can't FATHOM being in the shape i was in. you know what, there's only one way to find this out right? stay the course.
my motivation in all this remains misty. even to me. do i want to be healthy? do i want to look better? do i want to feel better?
- the health factor. i'd put it at about 5%. honestly i just don't care. my health has never been something i've ever concerned myself about. you can tell me i should till you pass out. i won't. i've already said i don't plan to live to be old.
- looks. i'd rate this around 35%. i have never considered myself an attractive person. so it's not like if i pull this off i'm going to bullshit myself into thinking i'm going to be a lady-killer. even at my physical peak i still thought of myself as woman-repellent. the only reason i've had girlfriends is because, well, i'm sure they had their reasons. the only reason i've gotten laid as many damn times as i have is because i don't have high standards and i'm a total whore. so looks have never been a weapon i thought i could stock in my arsenal when hunting females. the only weapons i think i have that are effective is a sense of humor and a back massage that never fails to please the ladies.
- feeling better. i'd dial this one in at 40%. i'd kinda like being able to climb a couple flights of stairs and not get winded. feeling myself jiggle is getting old. seeing X anywhere on my clothing tab is getting old. i mean i knew when i started wrecking my body that sooner or later i would decide to care again.
- just seeing if i can do it. this is 10%. i love a good challenge.
- remaining 10% motivation. it's a secret.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Feelin fine
I have, in the words of the immortal Emmeril, kicked it up a notch. (BAM) I have started going to the gym. I'm not exactly drinking 2 raw eggs and punching meat for an hour, i'm taking it slow. Some nice cardio for now. No throwing up yet. I'm sure once i start on the weights i'll be here crying about not being able to move. not only will i be getting fit i'll be fit chicks too. all the time i've spent in gyms before i met.... well, none. Although Roger and I used to eye-hump the hell out of this one chick who went to Gold's Gym back when we living in Alexandria. Aw yeah.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
a sit down
I've been here a week now and i haven't blogged about my situation. sorry. ok so let me take a few and talk about things here.
- living situation. i'm back in a tent again. i have to chuckle at that. i mean, i did a year back in Afghanistan in a tent so i'm laughing partly at the idea of me looking around and going "something about this seems familiar....". the other reason i chuckle is that i guess i expected better. i shouldn't have. so it's my own fault for raising my expectations but still i thought to myself that in the 4 or 5 years we've been here the infrastructure would be a bit better. meh. whatever. i've lived in worse.
- work. I feel much more like a real IT tech. Running cables, installing printers (and getting really pissed the hell off at HP right now), crimping Cat 5 cables.... it makes me feel useful. Honestly, it's a feeling i rarely feel when it comes to work. most of the jobs i've ever had i never felt useful. i just felt like another cog in the machine or i felt like i was just treading water. i like seeing results when i work on something. i never really cared for jobs where it was a nonstop barrage of calls with one jerk after another on the other end.
- war zone. i don't really "feel" like i'm in a war zone. maybe i just haven't had anything happen that snaps me into that. maybe i never will. who knows. all i know is that the danger, while i'm fully aware of the presence, doesn't keep me up at night. it's more like camping in a bad neighborhood. hell i think i feel safer here than i did living in the apartment in Maryland. I mean, 3 white guys (ok, 2 white guys and a hispanic guy who looks and sounds white) and 3 white girls living in an apartment complex where everyone else is black... you do the math. i'm aware of where i am at all times. i hear helicopters circling at all hours, i see cars driving around with flashing lights, i see lots of people carrying guns. i can see craters and demolished buildings everyone. don't mistake my lack of concern for apathy. like i've told my dad and roger, it's probably a product of growing up in the military. that and the fact i'm little crazy.
- people. i've meet quite a few interesting people and heard all sorts of interesting stories. like this one story... some dude who was getting ready to leave, he sold or gave away everything he could and whatever he couldn't sell or give, he burned it. all of it. he left the country with the clothes on his back and a laptop. upon his return home..... his wife made him strip out of those clothes in the garage and walk straight into the shower while she tossed the clothes. holy shit, talk about sticking to principle. there's plenty of other stories. All the locals i've met are friendly people. A lot of this is bringing me back to living in Turkey. the culture and attitudes i see are similar. i see a lot of good people here who deserve a chance at a better life without a small group of fanatical cockbites ruining it for them. i think we're going in the right direction with them and i hope the sacrifices everyone here has made will be rewarded. i'm allowing myself a rare moment of optimism in this, because as much i love being right, i don't want to be right if i think bad things are going to happen here. not after all that's happened.
- health. still tired of peeing 100 times a day, but i'm still drinking water, gatorade, and OJ. still haven't eaten any junk food. i even turned down some xmas cookies from roger. i just have to do the cold turkey thing. i know me. if i get the occasional taste i'm going to end up saying "fuck it" and go back to Dew, Monster, and junk. i will go back to that soon, but for now i think i need to try and undo at least some of the damage i did to myself in the past 6 years.
- misc thoughts. when they put speedbumps down here, they don't screw around. you drive over these things any faster than 5MPH or so and you're going to see your axle left behind. I've seen some damn fine looking women here. between some of the chicks i've seen here and the ones i saw during my trip to Detroit and California i'm really starting to dig Persian women.
and finally, a picture of a kitten we have living in our compound. we think her litter and mom got picked up and she got left alone. poor thing.
- living situation. i'm back in a tent again. i have to chuckle at that. i mean, i did a year back in Afghanistan in a tent so i'm laughing partly at the idea of me looking around and going "something about this seems familiar....". the other reason i chuckle is that i guess i expected better. i shouldn't have. so it's my own fault for raising my expectations but still i thought to myself that in the 4 or 5 years we've been here the infrastructure would be a bit better. meh. whatever. i've lived in worse.
- work. I feel much more like a real IT tech. Running cables, installing printers (and getting really pissed the hell off at HP right now), crimping Cat 5 cables.... it makes me feel useful. Honestly, it's a feeling i rarely feel when it comes to work. most of the jobs i've ever had i never felt useful. i just felt like another cog in the machine or i felt like i was just treading water. i like seeing results when i work on something. i never really cared for jobs where it was a nonstop barrage of calls with one jerk after another on the other end.
- war zone. i don't really "feel" like i'm in a war zone. maybe i just haven't had anything happen that snaps me into that. maybe i never will. who knows. all i know is that the danger, while i'm fully aware of the presence, doesn't keep me up at night. it's more like camping in a bad neighborhood. hell i think i feel safer here than i did living in the apartment in Maryland. I mean, 3 white guys (ok, 2 white guys and a hispanic guy who looks and sounds white) and 3 white girls living in an apartment complex where everyone else is black... you do the math. i'm aware of where i am at all times. i hear helicopters circling at all hours, i see cars driving around with flashing lights, i see lots of people carrying guns. i can see craters and demolished buildings everyone. don't mistake my lack of concern for apathy. like i've told my dad and roger, it's probably a product of growing up in the military. that and the fact i'm little crazy.
- people. i've meet quite a few interesting people and heard all sorts of interesting stories. like this one story... some dude who was getting ready to leave, he sold or gave away everything he could and whatever he couldn't sell or give, he burned it. all of it. he left the country with the clothes on his back and a laptop. upon his return home..... his wife made him strip out of those clothes in the garage and walk straight into the shower while she tossed the clothes. holy shit, talk about sticking to principle. there's plenty of other stories. All the locals i've met are friendly people. A lot of this is bringing me back to living in Turkey. the culture and attitudes i see are similar. i see a lot of good people here who deserve a chance at a better life without a small group of fanatical cockbites ruining it for them. i think we're going in the right direction with them and i hope the sacrifices everyone here has made will be rewarded. i'm allowing myself a rare moment of optimism in this, because as much i love being right, i don't want to be right if i think bad things are going to happen here. not after all that's happened.
- health. still tired of peeing 100 times a day, but i'm still drinking water, gatorade, and OJ. still haven't eaten any junk food. i even turned down some xmas cookies from roger. i just have to do the cold turkey thing. i know me. if i get the occasional taste i'm going to end up saying "fuck it" and go back to Dew, Monster, and junk. i will go back to that soon, but for now i think i need to try and undo at least some of the damage i did to myself in the past 6 years.
- misc thoughts. when they put speedbumps down here, they don't screw around. you drive over these things any faster than 5MPH or so and you're going to see your axle left behind. I've seen some damn fine looking women here. between some of the chicks i've seen here and the ones i saw during my trip to Detroit and California i'm really starting to dig Persian women.
and finally, a picture of a kitten we have living in our compound. we think her litter and mom got picked up and she got left alone. poor thing.
Monday, December 01, 2008
here i am
Well, i'm finally at the IZ and my new home. let's examine the what, where, when, and how of this shall we?
- journey start date: 15 September
- journey completion: 1 December
- distance traveled.... a lot. breaking it down further.....
- plane rides: plane from san antonio to DC / DC to Detroit / Detroit to San Diego / San Diego to DC / DC to Dallas / Dallas to DC / DC to Atlanta / Ft Benning to Kuwait / Kuwait to Baghdad
- living conditions: hotels, brother's couch, airplane seat, bunk bed in a open bay with about 10 other bunk beds
what side adventures did Jimmy have?
- Redskins game
- Cowboys game
- crappy strip club in Maryland
- greatest strip club ever in Detroit with the greatest ass i've ever seen on a girl
- 3 different casinos
- tailgating at UNT game without actually attending the game
- hauling heavy luggage all over the damn place
and begins another chapter in the life of Jimmy. let's see just what happens shall we?
- journey start date: 15 September
- journey completion: 1 December
- distance traveled.... a lot. breaking it down further.....
- plane rides: plane from san antonio to DC / DC to Detroit / Detroit to San Diego / San Diego to DC / DC to Dallas / Dallas to DC / DC to Atlanta / Ft Benning to Kuwait / Kuwait to Baghdad
- living conditions: hotels, brother's couch, airplane seat, bunk bed in a open bay with about 10 other bunk beds
what side adventures did Jimmy have?
- Redskins game
- Cowboys game
- crappy strip club in Maryland
- greatest strip club ever in Detroit with the greatest ass i've ever seen on a girl
- 3 different casinos
- tailgating at UNT game without actually attending the game
- hauling heavy luggage all over the damn place
and begins another chapter in the life of Jimmy. let's see just what happens shall we?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
yes father
When i was getting ready to go to CRC in Fort Benning, my dad asked around to find some info on it for me. He got some info and it was pretty dead on. His basic advice, "keep your sense of humor".
well dad, never let it be said i didn't heed your advice.
well dad, never let it be said i didn't heed your advice.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Toot toot
I don't often like tooting my own horn. Sure i like joking around in my usual "i am the greatest mo-fo on the planet" but I generally don't like speaking of myself as if i were seriously a great person, because i'm not. i'm far far from it. I once had someone tell me that they thought i acted very aloof like i thought i was better than anyone around me and it really got to me. When i look back i can see just why that person got the impression. so now i try to keep from pretending i'm better than everyone. i probably do a shitty job most times and maybe i'm just wired that way.
anyways, i thought i'd toot my horn over something simple yet hard for me. prior to landing here in Iraq, my dietary habits were sad. pitiful even. i pretty much drank literally nothing but Monster and Mountain Dew. I ate fast food all the time. it kicked the shit out of body. when i got the job offer to come out here i made myself a promise. i told myself i would use this chance to change all that and do right by my body. hell, with the threat of mortar attacks and other explosions and stuff it would be pretty god-damn retarded if i died of a fucking heart attack wouldn't it. so yeah i made some changes. i stopped drinking the soda and Monster. it wasn't as easy as i thought it would be. i thought it would be easy since it would be less accessible here. nope. walk right into the PX and there's literally pallets of Monster and Dew sitting there. plenty of dew in the chow halls. ok well fine, at least eating healthy will be a snap right? nah. they got Subway and Burger King here. coworkers with lots of candy and sweets from care packages. chow halls with desert bars. DAMMIT. you just ain't making this easy are you? and yet, i prevailed thus far. not without some displeasure. drinking lots of water and gatorade sucks. it sucks cuz i'm tired of having to take a damn piss every other hour. *sigh* the struggle continues. well, maybe once i get used to it i won't feel like this.
so anyway, there's my little tooting.
anyways, i thought i'd toot my horn over something simple yet hard for me. prior to landing here in Iraq, my dietary habits were sad. pitiful even. i pretty much drank literally nothing but Monster and Mountain Dew. I ate fast food all the time. it kicked the shit out of body. when i got the job offer to come out here i made myself a promise. i told myself i would use this chance to change all that and do right by my body. hell, with the threat of mortar attacks and other explosions and stuff it would be pretty god-damn retarded if i died of a fucking heart attack wouldn't it. so yeah i made some changes. i stopped drinking the soda and Monster. it wasn't as easy as i thought it would be. i thought it would be easy since it would be less accessible here. nope. walk right into the PX and there's literally pallets of Monster and Dew sitting there. plenty of dew in the chow halls. ok well fine, at least eating healthy will be a snap right? nah. they got Subway and Burger King here. coworkers with lots of candy and sweets from care packages. chow halls with desert bars. DAMMIT. you just ain't making this easy are you? and yet, i prevailed thus far. not without some displeasure. drinking lots of water and gatorade sucks. it sucks cuz i'm tired of having to take a damn piss every other hour. *sigh* the struggle continues. well, maybe once i get used to it i won't feel like this.
so anyway, there's my little tooting.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Happy birthday
I'd like to announce a birth in the family. My cousin Mike and his lovely wife Susan have their first child. Israel Mariano Chavez. Born yesterday 20 November 2008.
Little backstory. Mike is part of the cousin "generation" that came around from my mom's side of the family. It consists of Mike son of my aunt Pat, Myself, Jackie my sister, Josh my brother, and Adrian and Nicholas sons of my uncle Abie. The 6 of us all pretty much grew up together. We are all pretty close as cousins go. There's a second generation of cousins from my mom's other brothers and sister. But they're all at least 10 years or so behind my generation.
Anyway, here's a pic of me and my siblings at Mike and Susan's wedding a few months ago up in Austin.
Little backstory. Mike is part of the cousin "generation" that came around from my mom's side of the family. It consists of Mike son of my aunt Pat, Myself, Jackie my sister, Josh my brother, and Adrian and Nicholas sons of my uncle Abie. The 6 of us all pretty much grew up together. We are all pretty close as cousins go. There's a second generation of cousins from my mom's other brothers and sister. But they're all at least 10 years or so behind my generation.
Anyway, here's a pic of me and my siblings at Mike and Susan's wedding a few months ago up in Austin.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Live in Iraq
Ok so i'm finally in Iraq. So far it's about what i expected. Some items of note.
- I spent a week at Fort Benning, Georgia getting processed to come here. It's run by the Army and lemme tell you the place needs to be renamed to "Camp SNAFU" with the motto, "if there's a stupider way to do it, we'll find it". I was ensnared by so much stupid i thought my head would explode. Go right to hell Fort Benning CRC.
- The flight here wasn't much better. Long story short... it was a 40 hour journey that started with my getting up at 5 in the morning to drag 2 huge damn bags around in pouring rain.
- This place is quite interesting. I had breakfast this morning in a palace. literally. the chow hall was an old palace with marble all over and fancy carvings and everything. I think that's pretty damn cool.
- Good ole AFN and the commercials. I couldn't help but notice there's been some changes to the commercials since way back when i watched AFN when my dad was stationed in Turkey and Spain. They still have the ones about Code of Conduct and Military history and such, but i don't remember commercials about suicide prevention, sexual assault, or about not taking advantage of drunk chicks.
- I haven't even been to the "best" ones but the chow halls and different PXs i've been to are ones i'd have killed for in Afghanistan.
- I'm very upbeat about work. I'm going to get to do actual networking work. I got to crimp a CAT-5 cable... something i hadn't done since i was in school at ITT Tech.
- I spent a week at Fort Benning, Georgia getting processed to come here. It's run by the Army and lemme tell you the place needs to be renamed to "Camp SNAFU" with the motto, "if there's a stupider way to do it, we'll find it". I was ensnared by so much stupid i thought my head would explode. Go right to hell Fort Benning CRC.
- The flight here wasn't much better. Long story short... it was a 40 hour journey that started with my getting up at 5 in the morning to drag 2 huge damn bags around in pouring rain.
- This place is quite interesting. I had breakfast this morning in a palace. literally. the chow hall was an old palace with marble all over and fancy carvings and everything. I think that's pretty damn cool.
- Good ole AFN and the commercials. I couldn't help but notice there's been some changes to the commercials since way back when i watched AFN when my dad was stationed in Turkey and Spain. They still have the ones about Code of Conduct and Military history and such, but i don't remember commercials about suicide prevention, sexual assault, or about not taking advantage of drunk chicks.
- I haven't even been to the "best" ones but the chow halls and different PXs i've been to are ones i'd have killed for in Afghanistan.
- I'm very upbeat about work. I'm going to get to do actual networking work. I got to crimp a CAT-5 cable... something i hadn't done since i was in school at ITT Tech.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Camp bored
Apologies to a lack of activity recently. Here's the latest from your mayor.
- i'm at Fort Benning in lovely Georgia (this base is damn big) at CRC which stands for CONUS Replacement Center. I'm doing a bunch of processing so the military will let me go to Iraq and then Friday i leave for Iraq.
- this shit is boring as hell. there's also a ton of BS and most of time it really seems like a gi-normus SNAFU. If they engaged the common-sense engine for just a day this place could be running so much faster. but, it's the military running the show so fat chance of that.
- today i cleared medical which consisted of me getting 5 damn shots. Smallpox, Anthrax, Typhoid, Tetanus, and Flu. I feel like ass.
- Getting some body armor tomorrow. Yay. i do NOT look forward to putting that one. Hopefully i won't have to. Since I'm due to be working in the green zone i should be good from wearing that. Maybe it will play out like the chem-gear i got issued when i went to Afghanistan, it will just sit in a bag under my bed the whole time i'm there.
- I kinda feel like i'm back in tech school. something about this place and the environment. just the "feel" of it i guess. only this time i don't have a car.
- i will try and post more and i'll certainly try and keep up more once i get to Iraq.
- i'm at Fort Benning in lovely Georgia (this base is damn big) at CRC which stands for CONUS Replacement Center. I'm doing a bunch of processing so the military will let me go to Iraq and then Friday i leave for Iraq.
- this shit is boring as hell. there's also a ton of BS and most of time it really seems like a gi-normus SNAFU. If they engaged the common-sense engine for just a day this place could be running so much faster. but, it's the military running the show so fat chance of that.
- today i cleared medical which consisted of me getting 5 damn shots. Smallpox, Anthrax, Typhoid, Tetanus, and Flu. I feel like ass.
- Getting some body armor tomorrow. Yay. i do NOT look forward to putting that one. Hopefully i won't have to. Since I'm due to be working in the green zone i should be good from wearing that. Maybe it will play out like the chem-gear i got issued when i went to Afghanistan, it will just sit in a bag under my bed the whole time i'm there.
- I kinda feel like i'm back in tech school. something about this place and the environment. just the "feel" of it i guess. only this time i don't have a car.
- i will try and post more and i'll certainly try and keep up more once i get to Iraq.
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