Monday, February 28, 2005
Finally!
I finally went to my board for ESWS! And I PASSED! What a huge relief. I have one thing left that was actually a pre-requisite that got waived so I could get in before the boards filled up, and I have to get that before I can actually wear the pin, but the hardest part is over!! Hooray!!
I went out to get some fresh air after my board was done and lo and behold, there was a school of dolphins swimming with us, jumping alongside the ship. That is the first time I've seen that! It was very cool.
Tomorrow we pull into San Diego and pick up our new Tigers (we're having a Tiger Cruise, which is where friends and families get to ride along on the ship. I'm having both of my brothers, one of my sisters-in-law, and one of my nephews riding up to Everett with me) and then we're off back to Everett!! HOORAY!!!
I'm quite sick of all the talk about the car now...it is neverending. It's getting very old very fast.
3½ days and counting....:)
K
I finally went to my board for ESWS! And I PASSED! What a huge relief. I have one thing left that was actually a pre-requisite that got waived so I could get in before the boards filled up, and I have to get that before I can actually wear the pin, but the hardest part is over!! Hooray!!
I went out to get some fresh air after my board was done and lo and behold, there was a school of dolphins swimming with us, jumping alongside the ship. That is the first time I've seen that! It was very cool.
Tomorrow we pull into San Diego and pick up our new Tigers (we're having a Tiger Cruise, which is where friends and families get to ride along on the ship. I'm having both of my brothers, one of my sisters-in-law, and one of my nephews riding up to Everett with me) and then we're off back to Everett!! HOORAY!!!
I'm quite sick of all the talk about the car now...it is neverending. It's getting very old very fast.
3½ days and counting....:)
K
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Bingo
So on the ship, every few months we get to play bingo, sponsored by MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation). The grand prize is usually $1,000, with the smaller games at $100, $200, $300, $400 and $500. Well, since it is the very end of cruise, they had a special bingo bonanza and the stakes were a lot higher - the smallest pot was $500, then $1000, $2000, $3000, and $4000. The last game (blackout bingo) was for a brand new, custom made, 2005 cherry-red, black-leather-interior corvette.
2 days ago, I bought my cards and we played tonight. These people SERIOUSLY need a lesson in bingo. I tell the people I work with the announcers should spend some time in Wisconsin learning how to call bingo. They dawdle, they chit-chat, they make announcements, they change their shirts (??), they take telephone calls on air (it's broadcast on the ship's TV station and you play wherever you want and call in if you win). It's really quite ridiculous. I got to call bingo a couple of times ago and I got right to business to the amusement of quite a few people ("B-13! That's B, thirteen!""I-23! That's I, twenty-three"! ) After it was done, they told me that was the fastest game in the history of Lincoln Bingo.
So tonight was particularly tortuous with so much at stake. And the longer the game went on, the more drawn out it became. And of course, as usual, none of us won anything. They had extra door prizes, great ones, MP3 players, palm pilots, computers, even a trip for two to the NASCAR race in Richmond, and of course the cash. And none of us won!
So the last game rolled around and my head was hurting from being so irritated with everyone calling bingo. It's blackout bingo now which is the longest game ever, and it's taking forEVER. I had to pee so bad that at one point, I gave my dauber to somone else and ran to the bathroom. When I left, I only had 5 numbers left of blackout - I was pretty sure it'd be over when I got back.
However, when I got back there were only 4 numbers left on my card. I got one. Score! Then, alas, they started getting in the phone calls from people on the ship who were calling to say their stats: "We have one person with just 2 numbers left. Oh, here's someone that only has one left! We're almost there, folks." I still had 4, so I pretty much resigned myself to my usual fate of being out $20 and having a headache and a late bedtime.
But then it was 3. 3 numbers left. Next number called - 2 numbers left. Next number called - 1 number left.
I'm in my chair shouting, "G! FIFTY! THREE! G! FIFTY! THREE! CALL! G! FIFTY! THREE!!!"
And they continue to hem and haw, talk about how great this car is (remember, we're playing for the car now), yadda yadda yadda. I see a blue ball in the corral. Blue is G. My heart is racing. The Executive Officer, who is calling bingo with the CAG (I have no idea what that stands for) says, "This must be fate! It's the year the first Corvettes were produced."
G 53.
Of course, it was discussed beforehand that in the event of multiple winners, the first person who purchased their card would win it. I only bought my card a couple of days ago; they'd been on sale for about a month. Certainly others would have won as well.
I ran at full speed (a big safety "no-no") up to the media center, fly in the door waving my card, my heart racing, jumping up and down, but still thinking someone else will have won it.
But no. Only one person won bingo.
Me. Me, the one who can't even win scratch-off lottery tickets. Me, the one who doesn't even win Big Macs during McDonald's Monopoly. Me, who never wins anything.
Unbelievable.
I get to get off the ship first tomorrow in Hawaii (woowoo!) with the XO to go see the car. How cool is that going to be. Unfortunately, I'm not keeping it - it's a totally impractical car with two small kids with a penchance for throwing up at the most inopportune times, and the taxes and insurance on it would be unbelievable. But still. WOW!!! I'm still trying to process it, and I know none of my family *really* believes me (do you now that I blogged it??)...just wow, wow, wow.
Yay me!
K
So on the ship, every few months we get to play bingo, sponsored by MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation). The grand prize is usually $1,000, with the smaller games at $100, $200, $300, $400 and $500. Well, since it is the very end of cruise, they had a special bingo bonanza and the stakes were a lot higher - the smallest pot was $500, then $1000, $2000, $3000, and $4000. The last game (blackout bingo) was for a brand new, custom made, 2005 cherry-red, black-leather-interior corvette.
2 days ago, I bought my cards and we played tonight. These people SERIOUSLY need a lesson in bingo. I tell the people I work with the announcers should spend some time in Wisconsin learning how to call bingo. They dawdle, they chit-chat, they make announcements, they change their shirts (??), they take telephone calls on air (it's broadcast on the ship's TV station and you play wherever you want and call in if you win). It's really quite ridiculous. I got to call bingo a couple of times ago and I got right to business to the amusement of quite a few people ("B-13! That's B, thirteen!"
So tonight was particularly tortuous with so much at stake. And the longer the game went on, the more drawn out it became. And of course, as usual, none of us won anything. They had extra door prizes, great ones, MP3 players, palm pilots, computers, even a trip for two to the NASCAR race in Richmond, and of course the cash. And none of us won!
So the last game rolled around and my head was hurting from being so irritated with everyone calling bingo. It's blackout bingo now which is the longest game ever, and it's taking forEVER. I had to pee so bad that at one point, I gave my dauber to somone else and ran to the bathroom. When I left, I only had 5 numbers left of blackout - I was pretty sure it'd be over when I got back.
However, when I got back there were only 4 numbers left on my card. I got one. Score! Then, alas, they started getting in the phone calls from people on the ship who were calling to say their stats: "We have one person with just 2 numbers left. Oh, here's someone that only has one left! We're almost there, folks." I still had 4, so I pretty much resigned myself to my usual fate of being out $20 and having a headache and a late bedtime.
But then it was 3. 3 numbers left. Next number called - 2 numbers left. Next number called - 1 number left.
I'm in my chair shouting, "G! FIFTY! THREE! G! FIFTY! THREE! CALL! G! FIFTY! THREE!!!"
And they continue to hem and haw, talk about how great this car is (remember, we're playing for the car now), yadda yadda yadda. I see a blue ball in the corral. Blue is G. My heart is racing. The Executive Officer, who is calling bingo with the CAG (I have no idea what that stands for) says, "This must be fate! It's the year the first Corvettes were produced."
G 53.
Of course, it was discussed beforehand that in the event of multiple winners, the first person who purchased their card would win it. I only bought my card a couple of days ago; they'd been on sale for about a month. Certainly others would have won as well.
I ran at full speed (a big safety "no-no") up to the media center, fly in the door waving my card, my heart racing, jumping up and down, but still thinking someone else will have won it.
But no. Only one person won bingo.
Me. Me, the one who can't even win scratch-off lottery tickets. Me, the one who doesn't even win Big Macs during McDonald's Monopoly. Me, who never wins anything.
Unbelievable.
I get to get off the ship first tomorrow in Hawaii (woowoo!) with the XO to go see the car. How cool is that going to be. Unfortunately, I'm not keeping it - it's a totally impractical car with two small kids with a penchance for throwing up at the most inopportune times, and the taxes and insurance on it would be unbelievable. But still. WOW!!! I'm still trying to process it, and I know none of my family *really* believes me (do you now that I blogged it??)...just wow, wow, wow.
Yay me!
K
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Happy Valentine's Day!!
I have to say that of all the holidays, Valentine's day is perhaps the most sentimental one of all for me.
My dad used to go to Daytona every year for the Daytona 500 and would be gone for Valentine's day....every year...never failed, he was there.
So Valentine's day was ALWAYS about us kids and my mom. Every year she threw us a party. She'd decorate the table, she'd cook a special meal, she'd give us a special little present.
I never had boyfriends, I never got valentines in school when everyone traded valentines. And yet Valentine's day is the most special of all of them to me.
I'll always love my heart-shaped meatloaf and the little confettis on the table. And my mamma.
K
I have to say that of all the holidays, Valentine's day is perhaps the most sentimental one of all for me.
My dad used to go to Daytona every year for the Daytona 500 and would be gone for Valentine's day....every year...never failed, he was there.
So Valentine's day was ALWAYS about us kids and my mom. Every year she threw us a party. She'd decorate the table, she'd cook a special meal, she'd give us a special little present.
I never had boyfriends, I never got valentines in school when everyone traded valentines. And yet Valentine's day is the most special of all of them to me.
I'll always love my heart-shaped meatloaf and the little confettis on the table. And my mamma.
K
Saturday, February 12, 2005
On the road again...
I'm looking forward to being home again. Some of the things, in particular, I'm looking forward to:
My bed: You know, the kind of bed that you don't roll out of and onto the cold tile. The kind where you can sit on it. The kind where you don't sleep with your left arm smushed against the cold metal and the other hanging out into traffic, likely to be dislocated when someone stumbles through in the dark. The kind where you can roll over without brusing an elbow or your head.
My dining room table - with its big chairs: None of this saucer-seat crap where you fight for elbow room and have your cup of water spilled into your lunch. No having to negotiate through four tables to find a napkin and some salt.
My kitchen - where I can cook whatever I want. I've decided that I will not ever eat any variation of "peppered beef" ever again.
My car: Oh, to be able to hop in my car and drive. It's been so long since I've driven a car that I wonder if perhaps I'll shout out navigation terms: "Right twenty degrees rudder aye! Steady on course two-six-zero!" And to listen to music while I drive? I don't know how I'll deal with the choice of radio stations.
My bathroom, and to be able to dress without knocking myself out or banging my elbow or knee on a stainless steel stall. To be able to shower without people waiting on you to finish. To be able to go barefoot in the shower again, and to step out onto a soft, fuzzy rug.
Carpeting.
Silverware, plates and glasses: No more shovel for a spoon and wussy knife. No more picking through trays until you find one without remnants of grits. No more wondering if the cup you're using is the one you saw the guy spitting his chew-spit into at lunch. No more trying to cut steak or pork chops with a butter knife. No more eating chicken breasts with spoons. No more using your butter knife to eat chili because there are no forks or spoons.
Weekends: Being able to lay in bed all morning, lounge around the house in your pajamas, and then go wherever the wind takes you (in your car!)
Silence! No bells, no whistles, no announcements over the loudspeaker. No humming of engines, no clanking of machinery, no screaming of aircraft elevators right outside your office, no chiseling non-skid decks. No pounding on the ceiling at 4am, NO COUNTRY MUSIC IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT...ahh, yes, silence. How sweet it is.
And the part I look forward the most to: physical human contact, a hug and a kiss when I come home from work (work which really does end), little fingers poking at me and sweet, soft arms around my neck, a head of tousled hair laid on my shoulder, whispered secrets about how much I'm loved tickling my ear, zerberts and raspberries and chasing the kidlets around the house until I get them and throw them on the bed and tickle their necks and hear all the giggles that are sure to follow. Someone to hold my hand in the car, to snuggle up to during a movie, to stroke my hair when my head hurts...
Some people ask how I can be away from my family like this, and that's a tough one to answer. For the most part, I just live a strange double life. My desk is covered with pictures of the family, my computer is filled with pictures of the kids, I get stories every day about what mischief the kids are up to that day. For the most part, it works to think about the fact that this is a temporary situation and that I'll be home in just a couple more weeks.
I can't wait to be home.
K
I'm looking forward to being home again. Some of the things, in particular, I'm looking forward to:
My bed: You know, the kind of bed that you don't roll out of and onto the cold tile. The kind where you can sit on it. The kind where you don't sleep with your left arm smushed against the cold metal and the other hanging out into traffic, likely to be dislocated when someone stumbles through in the dark. The kind where you can roll over without brusing an elbow or your head.
My dining room table - with its big chairs: None of this saucer-seat crap where you fight for elbow room and have your cup of water spilled into your lunch. No having to negotiate through four tables to find a napkin and some salt.
My kitchen - where I can cook whatever I want. I've decided that I will not ever eat any variation of "peppered beef" ever again.
My car: Oh, to be able to hop in my car and drive. It's been so long since I've driven a car that I wonder if perhaps I'll shout out navigation terms: "Right twenty degrees rudder aye! Steady on course two-six-zero!" And to listen to music while I drive? I don't know how I'll deal with the choice of radio stations.
My bathroom, and to be able to dress without knocking myself out or banging my elbow or knee on a stainless steel stall. To be able to shower without people waiting on you to finish. To be able to go barefoot in the shower again, and to step out onto a soft, fuzzy rug.
Carpeting.
Silverware, plates and glasses: No more shovel for a spoon and wussy knife. No more picking through trays until you find one without remnants of grits. No more wondering if the cup you're using is the one you saw the guy spitting his chew-spit into at lunch. No more trying to cut steak or pork chops with a butter knife. No more eating chicken breasts with spoons. No more using your butter knife to eat chili because there are no forks or spoons.
Weekends: Being able to lay in bed all morning, lounge around the house in your pajamas, and then go wherever the wind takes you (in your car!)
Silence! No bells, no whistles, no announcements over the loudspeaker. No humming of engines, no clanking of machinery, no screaming of aircraft elevators right outside your office, no chiseling non-skid decks. No pounding on the ceiling at 4am, NO COUNTRY MUSIC IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT...ahh, yes, silence. How sweet it is.
And the part I look forward the most to: physical human contact, a hug and a kiss when I come home from work (work which really does end), little fingers poking at me and sweet, soft arms around my neck, a head of tousled hair laid on my shoulder, whispered secrets about how much I'm loved tickling my ear, zerberts and raspberries and chasing the kidlets around the house until I get them and throw them on the bed and tickle their necks and hear all the giggles that are sure to follow. Someone to hold my hand in the car, to snuggle up to during a movie, to stroke my hair when my head hurts...
Some people ask how I can be away from my family like this, and that's a tough one to answer. For the most part, I just live a strange double life. My desk is covered with pictures of the family, my computer is filled with pictures of the kids, I get stories every day about what mischief the kids are up to that day. For the most part, it works to think about the fact that this is a temporary situation and that I'll be home in just a couple more weeks.
I can't wait to be home.
K
Sunday, February 06, 2005
A bed! A real bed!!
I had overnight liberty Friday/Saturday. I got a room at the Hilton Singapore, which is easily the nicest hotel I've stayed in. The hotel itself was gorgeous inside, with a shopping center of really nice shops (Bulgari, Chanel, Gucci, Cartier, etc.). My room was awesome - great bathtub (big enough for me to fit!), really high ceilings, stocked fridge, a TV that pulled out of the cabinet it was in, a desk, a nice stuffed chair...and then there was the bed.
The enormous, gigantic, humongous, BIG, king sized bed. I believe that was the first time I've even slept in a king sized bed! It was the best bed ever. It was so huge that I could sleep sideways in the bed (which I did all night). There were two gigantic pillows that I could snuggle with, and a fabulous down blanket that was so soft and cuddy that I never wanted to get up. When I finally did get moving, I felt so great (though that could have been the remaining alcohol in my system), and I felt wonderful all day long. Then last night, I came back to the ship and slept in the cupboard that is my rack and woke up this morning with the same problems with my neck that I JUST got done with physical therapy for. Now I know for sure that it's because of my rack - too bad I can't do anything about it!
That's all for now...we'll be back underway soon enough and that means we'll be even closer to home!!
K
I had overnight liberty Friday/Saturday. I got a room at the Hilton Singapore, which is easily the nicest hotel I've stayed in. The hotel itself was gorgeous inside, with a shopping center of really nice shops (Bulgari, Chanel, Gucci, Cartier, etc.). My room was awesome - great bathtub (big enough for me to fit!), really high ceilings, stocked fridge, a TV that pulled out of the cabinet it was in, a desk, a nice stuffed chair...and then there was the bed.
The enormous, gigantic, humongous, BIG, king sized bed. I believe that was the first time I've even slept in a king sized bed! It was the best bed ever. It was so huge that I could sleep sideways in the bed (which I did all night). There were two gigantic pillows that I could snuggle with, and a fabulous down blanket that was so soft and cuddy that I never wanted to get up. When I finally did get moving, I felt so great (though that could have been the remaining alcohol in my system), and I felt wonderful all day long. Then last night, I came back to the ship and slept in the cupboard that is my rack and woke up this morning with the same problems with my neck that I JUST got done with physical therapy for. Now I know for sure that it's because of my rack - too bad I can't do anything about it!
That's all for now...we'll be back underway soon enough and that means we'll be even closer to home!!
K
Friday, February 04, 2005
Yay! blogger is unblocked :)
We're pulling into Singapore right now and should be dockside shortly...if all goes well, my time here will be uneventful and there won't be much to update.
However, should my plans go awry, I'm sure you'll read about the caning of a US servicemember in the newspapers!
K
We're pulling into Singapore right now and should be dockside shortly...if all goes well, my time here will be uneventful and there won't be much to update.
However, should my plans go awry, I'm sure you'll read about the caning of a US servicemember in the newspapers!
K
Oh no!!
My blog has been put on the list of unacceptable websites per the ADP policy! This doesn't apply to only my blog; it's all xxx.blogspot.com addresses. I figure it's only a matter of time before they block blogger.com which would mean I wouldn't be able to update my blog! The horror!
Speaking of horror, the galley is running out of all things decent. They're even out of almost all types of soda now, and we've had the same type of chickeny food every day for the last week or so, and the same beefy food every day alternating with the chickeny stuff.
Thank god we pull into Singapore tomorrow and hopefully we'll get some good food then. I've heard that they serve really good stuff on the last leg home; I don't know if that means starting on our way home from Singapore or if we'll have to wait til Hawaii. Probably not til after Hawaii, though - we are having all the Tigers (family members) onload in Hawaii and I'm sure they'll want to impress them and serve them great stuff so that we all look like we exaggerate about the food. Granted, the food usually does taste decent - in fact, there have been more times the food has been great than it has been terrible, it's just the whole recycled food bit gets old very quickly.
Looking forward to a few days off the ship - no concrete plans just yet, which is actually kind of nice. We are all so ready to get back to the land for a few days. I am far, far too big for this place - whoever designed it must have been no taller than 5'9". I even get bruises in the bathroom stalls! I got a nice one getting up from making my bed the other day when my back got jarred into the rack opposite of me and caught on the foot step for climbing up. And a nice one from standing up from a table where the height of the table and the height of the chairs didn't quite match up and caught my leg in between. Yeah, OW! I'm not sure if I bruise easily or if I'm just really that clumsy...most people tend to think it's #1 but I know myself and I'm pretty sure it's #2...
K
My blog has been put on the list of unacceptable websites per the ADP policy! This doesn't apply to only my blog; it's all xxx.blogspot.com addresses. I figure it's only a matter of time before they block blogger.com which would mean I wouldn't be able to update my blog! The horror!
Speaking of horror, the galley is running out of all things decent. They're even out of almost all types of soda now, and we've had the same type of chickeny food every day for the last week or so, and the same beefy food every day alternating with the chickeny stuff.
Thank god we pull into Singapore tomorrow and hopefully we'll get some good food then. I've heard that they serve really good stuff on the last leg home; I don't know if that means starting on our way home from Singapore or if we'll have to wait til Hawaii. Probably not til after Hawaii, though - we are having all the Tigers (family members) onload in Hawaii and I'm sure they'll want to impress them and serve them great stuff so that we all look like we exaggerate about the food. Granted, the food usually does taste decent - in fact, there have been more times the food has been great than it has been terrible, it's just the whole recycled food bit gets old very quickly.
Looking forward to a few days off the ship - no concrete plans just yet, which is actually kind of nice. We are all so ready to get back to the land for a few days. I am far, far too big for this place - whoever designed it must have been no taller than 5'9". I even get bruises in the bathroom stalls! I got a nice one getting up from making my bed the other day when my back got jarred into the rack opposite of me and caught on the foot step for climbing up. And a nice one from standing up from a table where the height of the table and the height of the chairs didn't quite match up and caught my leg in between. Yeah, OW! I'm not sure if I bruise easily or if I'm just really that clumsy...most people tend to think it's #1 but I know myself and I'm pretty sure it's #2...
K
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Final figures...
We finished our part in the tsunami relief effort this week. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to help out - even if it did result in an extension on our part. I can't think of a better reason to be extended than for humanitarian assistance.
The final figures are in on what we did while we were there. The LINCOLN alone flew 1116 missions, transported 2006 passengers (medical evacuees, media, other militaries' personnel, etc.), and transported over 2.2 million pounds of food/water. The total for all the military assistance in support of Operation Unified Assistance (there were 2 battlegroups out, which meant about 10 ships at any given time) was 1727 missions flown, 2990 passengers, and 5.6 million pounds in relief supplies.
It makes me very proud to have been able to be part of this. The helicopter squadrons and medical personnel were the most utilized people in all of this and did an incredible job, but everyone here did a great job, whether they left the ship or not.
K
We finished our part in the tsunami relief effort this week. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to help out - even if it did result in an extension on our part. I can't think of a better reason to be extended than for humanitarian assistance.
The final figures are in on what we did while we were there. The LINCOLN alone flew 1116 missions, transported 2006 passengers (medical evacuees, media, other militaries' personnel, etc.), and transported over 2.2 million pounds of food/water. The total for all the military assistance in support of Operation Unified Assistance (there were 2 battlegroups out, which meant about 10 ships at any given time) was 1727 missions flown, 2990 passengers, and 5.6 million pounds in relief supplies.
It makes me very proud to have been able to be part of this. The helicopter squadrons and medical personnel were the most utilized people in all of this and did an incredible job, but everyone here did a great job, whether they left the ship or not.
K
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Oh joy, oh joy...
The answer to "What will I do with my free time?" has been answered.
Lucky, lucky me: I've been voluntold that I am going to be the team leader for the "DC Olympics" for my repair locker. DC is damage control, which is all things to fix the ship in the event of a fire/flood/catastrophe - things like firefighting, dewatering, pipe patching, etc. The repair locker is one of 10 lockers throughout the ship that contains all the equipment necessary to do these tasks.
See, the thing is, I hate fixing stuff. I have never, ever liked repairing things. I suppose this is good, but I HATE FIXING STUFF!
So now, because I don't have enough to do with ESWS studying, I get to learn all this stuff on top of it. Oy.
The answer to "What will I do with my free time?" has been answered.
Lucky, lucky me: I've been voluntold that I am going to be the team leader for the "DC Olympics" for my repair locker. DC is damage control, which is all things to fix the ship in the event of a fire/flood/catastrophe - things like firefighting, dewatering, pipe patching, etc. The repair locker is one of 10 lockers throughout the ship that contains all the equipment necessary to do these tasks.
See, the thing is, I hate fixing stuff. I have never, ever liked repairing things. I suppose this is good, but I HATE FIXING STUFF!
So now, because I don't have enough to do with ESWS studying, I get to learn all this stuff on top of it. Oy.
