A little of the area

I thought I could share a little bit of what I see around here.  I think Tasha and Mike are the only ones who comment with frequency but I know others see this because I have heard a comment or two.  This is some of what I see by being a current resident of the coast of sunny California.

Dogs are to Chile as deer are to my post.  I see them just about every day I walk outside.  They are so friendly.  Yesterday I stopped by the Hill Top Field where we do our exercises.  There were 17 deer on the field.  I admit, I normally do not see that many on a daily basis.  I usually will only see between 3 and 7, give or take.  I once was walking down the road and on my side there was one eating the leaves off of a tree.  He looked up at me and I just walked to the other side of the road.  Keep in mind this particular road was one of those that is really only wide enough for one car.  It might squeeze in two little cars.  He went back to munching away.  I don't think I could pet one but 10 to 15 feet is a bit close don't you think?   

This next guy was just sitting down there.  He was just peeking around.  I stopped.  I pulled out my camera from my pocket and took the picture.  He just stood there and watched me.  They go after garbage cans and whatever else they do.  I thought this picture was just so random.  One afternoon there he was.  You never know.

I spent Labor Day Monday afternoon at the beach.  I went to the beach with my single's ward.  The water is a bit cold.  It felt good though.  It was a very warm day.  Not to bad though.  Just the right amount of sun.  I didn't even get sunburned!  I went down with the second counselor and his wife.  They had rented a two person kyack for the weekend and it was but to good use.  There were also some folks body boarding and such on the waves.  It really was a gorgeous day.

We had a fire right there on the beach and had a little dinner of salads and burgers, dogs and brawts.  It really was quite tasty.  And my favorite part was definitely the beach volleyball!  I love it.  I think it is actually my favorite sport to play.  I enjoyed it in elementary school.  I was a huge fan when we had the sand to play in at college and now that I have a whole beach I am in love.  It was awesome.  We were playing with a group that loved to just go for it.  People were diving into the sand like crazy.  Nobody got hurt.  That is always good.  It takes some of the fun out when you feel bad for someone.  Mostly people start to pack it in when people get hurt.  As you can see we played until there was no light left to play by.  What an amazing day.  I even caught up with some old friends whom I hadn't spoken to in quite some time.  That was a well needed day off.  

Two months of classes

I have now finished two months of classes!  

Time flies when you are having fun! Speaking of flying I am in the Air Force.  Here are some pictures of Basic Training.  I purchased these pictures since I was not authorized to have my own camera.  The pictures that I have are therefore very limited.  For example, I don't have a picture of my Training Instructor.  Dad managed to get some video but I think that is about it.  

In the first picture if I get these all organized correctly, you should see the group of folks that wondered off the bus with me.  Each building is designed so that in the cardinal directions the building  overhangs and gives cover for the four large pads.  This way if it is to hot, or rainy, or drastic weather we are protected from either the direct sun or whatever element is plaguing us beyond what they want at that time.  We all formed up according to height.  Tallest in the front right corner.  It just so happens to be a familiar looking tall lurpy looking red head.  That is where we were taught to stand at attention and our very first corrections were made.  

In this second picture you will see what I lovingly referred to as home!  This is B Bay.  I am off to the left over by the bunk beds.  That middle aisle is all for the T.I. and none of us.  I spent my second Sunday morning in just socks waxing both bays and the hallway.  I didn't wear boots so I didn't scuff the new and still green wax.  For each bed there is a corresponding wall locker.  Two doors.  Left side is the skinny side with one shelf.  All used for hanging up clothes.  The right side is the fat side and short.  Under it it has two drawers.  It also has a shelf.  On the shelves would be hat, flashlight, gloves, and duffel.  Everything folded just right and centered or grounded or flush with the right spot.  Everything would hang on the hangers in just the right way evenly spaced and everything.  The top drawer everything was either folded or rolled correctly and without wrinkles.  the bottom drawer was were the toiletries were all kept on the white inspection towel all in the correct place and clean.  the back half of that bottom drawer was for my chaos.  My letters and anything I was authorized to have lived right there.  The bottom drawer was locked and the key hung around my neck at all times.  My bed was always tight, neat, and wrinkle free.  with my shoes properly laced and placed.  That is how I lived for my stay in Texas.  Very organized.

The third picture.  This was my first haircut.  The first week in basic is called zero week.  That is where you do all of your in-processing.  We went and got our hair cuts done and then we went to clothing issue.  While you are still wearing civilian clothing people refer to you as rainbows.  That is because when you see a group of them marching around they are all different colors.  After that day they are all so similar that we almost look the same.  I think that is the idea anyway which happens to work out perfectly.  In fact, you get to the point that you don't recognize those people when you see pictures of them without bald heads.  And civilian clothes kind of look goofy.  That is until you wear them again.  Then you realize that comfort trumps goofy.      

And for the fourth.  This is week four- warrior week.  This is the simulated deployment situation.  We get taken through what procedures we are to expect.  We sleep in tents like the one behind me in the picture.  You will notice I am carrying a few things out of the ordinary, well, for what you might see on any given day of the week here in the good ol' US of A.  Over our shoulders is slung the M-16 that we carry through most of basic.  During warrior week is the only time we had the other item.  The Kevlar helmet.  If the temperature there was over a hundred we could carry our helmets so we didn't overheat.  I know that other places it gets much hotter and you carry more gear.  This is a training environment and are just getting started with some of these kids.  They don't want to over do it to much or silly people not following orders (like drinking enough water) will pass out.  I am standing in this picture with my wing man Addo.  We had making beds in the morning down to a science.  He is a very good man.  I wonder how long before his father found out he joined the Air Force. . .  

I hope you enjoy the few new pictures.  This last week or so has been pretty tough.  It has been pretty busy.  I have now completed two units.  There are about 12 lessons per unit.  One unit equals one text book of about 350 pages or so.  There are also other supplementary books to the text book we use.  There are about 5 units per term and three terms.  That should give you an idea of about how I am structured.  It is very quickly paced and challenging.  It also produces some results.  I am happy to be here and am looking forward to this investment into my future.  And that of my future family.

This week was also nice because last Saturday I participated in a fundraiser for the Air Force Ball.  Because so many people participated we were given temporary phase grad for the week.  Which meant I had no curfew and no P.C. with the sergeants.  Which left some extra time this week.  It also was nice to feel I didn't have to run all over base trying to hurry up and be places.  Thursday and Friday were the unit test.  Any less stress for that was defiantly welcomed.  

It's gonna be a rough ride

This first picture in the bottom left is my hat and glasses.  That is me!  It isn't just someone wearing my stuff.  Then there is Dru and Kurt.  I couldn't figure out a problem and they both were stewing over it as well.  I didn't feel so bad that I couldn't get it after that.  Misery loves company right? 

This next one is of Scott and I studying.  Well, me taking a picture of us studying but I tried to do a good job of making it look like I was still working hard.  Both of these pictures were taken when I was still phase I and II.  

I am now in a new room up one floor and over closer to the volley ball pit.  Basically just a few rooms down and one floor up.  I study the most with Scott.  He is very patient and works really well with me.  He is a good study partner.  Dru lives off base with his wife and Kurt lives all the way down at the other end.  Scott and I were in the same class for the first 6 lessons.   Now he is one class over.  It is almost as good.  We still have 7th hour together so we can still see what the other person struggles with the most.  

I titled this section " It's gonna be a rough ride" because of something that happened today.  We took our lesson nine test.  After, we started lesson 10.  The teacher made a comment and it made me kind of cringe.  You know it's going to be tough when the teacher says " you had better hang on tight for this lesson." Wow.  I thought all that other stuff was hard.  We shall see.  Our last lesson was on things like the subtle differences between sentences like The winter in my hometown is as cold as the winter in New York. and The winter in my hometown is cold like the winter in New York.  

I am pretty much setting into my routine fairly well.  Wake at 5:30 shower get ready.  6:00 Breakfast.  By quarter to 7:00 I am in the classroom studying/ warming up my mind for the day.  We have class.  There are three 50 minute classes with a 10 minute break in between.  Lunch until noon.  Four classes.  Hurry up to the hilltop track and change.  Exercise for an hour then dinner.  After that I will study or whatever until I go to speaking club for an hour.  Then homework or whatever until I finish.  That is the basic schedule I put myself on.  It keeps me busy but pretty focused.  The weekends I relax and try to sleep in or whatever.  

New Food

There are a few new treats that I have never before had.  

I did go to the Monterey County Fair.  And the great thing about a fair is the many different things that can be found there.  How about deep fried oreos.  The deep fried oreos were really actually quite good.  

I went to Berkley with a friend the other weekend.  We ate at a yummy pizza place.  I think it was called Fat Slice.  There was this "peace-a" on the wall and I had to take a picture of it.  

Don't you love new food?  Well, new food that tastes good.  

Nice rides

So I am enjoying many things about living where I live.  One of the great things I like are the fancy cars I see.  Here is a great comparison:

A fancy car from my ol' hometown.

You will notice the nice rims, the tinted windows, and of course the custom rear spoiler.  Plywood is a very "expensive" addition to a classic car like this.  Now compare these other cars not from the same neighborhood.  

Here are a couple of cars that you may see are maybe a tinsy bit more fancy.  A lotus is a pretty cool car.  Of course one of my personal favorites would be this Aston Marton.  I like the DB9 model a little more myself.

How about this real classic almost like it was from the past.  Back to the Future, how about this Corvette?  Well these are pretty nice rides.  I wouldn't mind being forced to drive something like that.  A bit expensive for my current conditions but still nice cars.  

Here is another try

Ok, so the previous post mentioned the EARTHQUAKE and the beach here is an attempt at showing those to you.

It looks like it worked.