There's a Storm A Comin'

Wow, so much has happened since the last post.....
My squadron, the 338th Dark Knights are here the longest for training. We also have the highest test scores within the triangle(the campus area is called the triangle) so for some reason people in the 338th feel that they can drink alcohol underage and then drive a car. However the mississippi law enforcement community as well as Keesler AFB security forces division feel otherwise. More Dark Knights have been caught w/ DUIs than any other squadron in the triangle so we had to have a mandatory alcohol awareness training on our day off. It was long and useless in my opinion. The info given is the same info everyone heard before prom night in highschool and during their D.A.R.E. program in middle school. My view is that the people who are going to drink alcohol irresponsibly & underage are going to do it no matter what repititious lecture you give them. Some people need lectures on basic decision making not the effects of alcohol.

Then after the breifing I had to go pull floor gaurd @ the squadron for 6 hours. My duties being to make sure no one lights the building on fire or does anything crazy. It is useless for the most part seeing as how per a MTL(military training leader) there has never been such an act in the history of any AF training installation. But if people in the Army would do it to their buildings, obviously people the in the AF would do it to their buildings. On a serious note, I see their point but living in the dorm my peers and I know that the floor gaurd shift is uncalled for.

Finally my weekend started on Friday night @ 6:15, I went to Cajun's fabulous fried chicken buffet and it was out of this world good. My friend Henderson joined me and let me tell you that restaurant lost $ when we walked through those doors. Then we went to the mall and I purchased the John Cusack film "Say Anything" which is such a ridulously great movie I suggest everyone see it. Anyone who really knows me, really knows about my past and who I am as a person will agree that I am the main character Lloyd Dobbs. He is I as I am him. He is a warrior of optimism, long winded but good with words, loves music(he listens to the replacements for god sakes), kick boxes, is a gentemen, friends w/ mostly women & knows them better then most men, is known as the all around nice guy. People, is that not me?

On Saturday I volunteered with some other people from my squadron painting bleachers, snack shacks, and bathrooms @ a local pee wee football feild. It was a lot of fun and very rewarding. Being able to work outside, play with some of the little kids, and see and someplace that I had yet to go was awesome.

Today the entire gulfcoast is preparing for the arrival of Katrina. She is expected to set down overnight Sunday into Monday morning so we will be sheltering tonight after formation most likely. W/ 175 mph winds she is going to be a bitch. Yeah base clean up. I am going to round off this very long blog entry - Do yourself a favor and rent the movie "Say Anything" and off I go into total confinement for the next 24-36 hours.

Two Reminders from the Divine

Although I was raised going to church with my mother most people who know me know that I am not a particularly religious person. I lean more towards the spiritual side of things versus organized doctrine. Anyways what happened today was definitely effected by some sort of higher power let me tell you!
Today was my block test for block 4: IP addressing. I had a really good grasp on the classwork & homework but when I was given the appraisal I did not really know where to start or how to build an IP address from some network id or any of the other jargon that was crammed into my brain. It was also found that a few other people felt the same way I did so at least I was not the only one.
After going over the homework and asking the teacher a number of questions the test started and I was totally 'out of control' was we like to say in the Air Force. The test was a learning experience in that I could have studied alot more than I had. Anyways I was sure that I was going to fail and get either washed back in the block or even worse yet very realistic discharge. But I finished the test and the teacher said that I barely passed - which I barely did w/ a 70. A higher power of some sort was looking down on me because man should I have failed this test. My heart was just preparing itself for a puncture and my guts psyching themselves into getting kicked out. But I passed so I will be going onto block 5 with all of my friends. After looking back over the test I dont understand how I passed other than having a divine light shed a little brighter over certain educated guesses that I made.
Later in the day - I just thought it was kind of funny. I was sitting for the bus to arrive while there was a huge thunder & rain storm forming. Contemplating the test earlier in the day I just had the thought of how the 'divine being' showed himself to me today by allowing me pass that test. As I got onto the bus the downpoor started and there were rolls & rolls of thunder. Grabbing a seat I saw a flash of lightning and I thought "oh thats just another reminder of who helped me pass today."

Duty Discipline Motivation

Starting the Journal on My Birthday

My life consists of 0330 formations where I not only condition my body but prepare my mind for the tasks at hand for the 13 hour work day that is to come. Haste is usually the word that defines my life during the weekdays. Before entering the Air Force it was important to me to get in as much into the day as I could. Having gone through basic military training I now understand what Gandalf means when he says "...show the meaning of haste." It is true that in the military one does more before 8:00am than most civilians due in their whole day. With all the verses, choruses and bridges that compose my day I felt it would be appropriate to start a blog -
Inspired by E. Horne.