Before The Break

I don't know why I suddenly thought of escaping prison after coming up with that title... :)

Well, on Monday it was PT on your own again, even though STG1 wanted to play volleyball... practically half the class was supposed to be doing PO Indoc. So I did benching with free weights and then a 1.5 mile jog on the elliptical.

We did labs for the Torpedo segment all during class that day. Much less stressful than the last. We all had 100's. On Tuesday after the new lecture we went over, we found out our new standings. I'm now 3rd by .19%, at a 95.26%. Somebody else got a 100 this time. I was able to finish my notes from the first lecture (started Monday, since I was so bored) of 86 slides. There are 4 more, one over a 100 slides, and one with 90 or so... we'll see how this next test goes... and how long we're going to stay in class today before we break for Thanksgiving's 4-day weekend.

Yesterday was also my duty day. STG1 Upchurch had originally had me down for the 12-17, but obviously, I couldn't do that. I told him right away last week, though, so he switched me for the 07-12 Bldg. 52 access (0600-1130). It meant that I'd get the watch out of the way first thing, and that I didn't need to wake up early more than usual, since it landed on a Tuesday. I'd have to miss Quarters... darn. :)

And it went rather well. I had breakfast quick before driving over there, and I was given a chow-relief anyway! Finally! I've done it before where there was no relief and no way to have breakfast either. So I took the time to sit down at the galley and have 2 mugs of hot chocolate and a cup of yogurt. Exactly what I wanted at the time... and for a cheaper price than a single cup at the "Jumpin' Java" stand by the NEX mini mart.

What made everything bearable during the watch was a change-of-command ceremony for the Mobile Mine Warfare Unit. Lots of Chiefs and Officers running around. I had to stare at a bunch of sandwiches, fruit & veggies on tables across the lobby from me, but I also had something to listen to and watch, with people getting ready for it, with the arrival of the CO's, and with the door opened while it was going on. Had to keep the doors and the people passing through quiet, but that was much better than being bored out of my mind. The TSC color guard did very well too. They looked sharp in their white leggings and cords, and reminded me of the one I did in March.

I was relieved on time, had a plate of sandwiches for a very quick lunch, bought a couple snacks at the NEX, and had plenty of time to get to class. Almost done!

Another Week, Another Test

Even with the extra study I put in yesterday morning, and all the legitimate studying I did (doing everything they told us to do), I still made a couple mistakes, one flat-out oops, and one that I should have asked about on the written test we took this morning. So I got a 95%. Still better than my overall grade, but a missed opportunity to gain ground on the class leader. :) Oh, well.

We're taking the practical part of the test on Monday, so I hope I will remember everything.

Special PT this week: on Wednesday we had our first organized PT as a class... STG1 Bouchet played kickball with us on the grass of the softball field. My team lost, but it was a lot of fun. And Thursday, I biked around Harbor Island again. Definitely good to mix it up once in a while.

And my out-of-bounds chit is finally in the process of getting approved. Admin gave me back all the extra paper today (it was really only needed for the school-house approval) and the chit will go up the chain of command like usual. Whew!

Redemption

Well, first thing, Clem came in and gave me my sunglasses back! She had picked them up yesterday! Yay! And then STG1 decided to do the practical in a new way: we'd take a 10 question quiz, with a baseline score of 90%... any questions we got right would add to it. Yesterday, I scored a 92%, so there was a good chance I would improve it. And I did! 100%, to add to my 100% on the written test from Thursday... and this made me move up to 2nd place in the class with a 94.66% overall.

And then we went through the first new lecture as well, so generally, it was a good, useful day.

One of Those Days

I had a sour pickle with my dinner at Panera last night, and that sort of matched my general feeling for the day. I woke up with a sore throat, and I was over-emotional... I must be mid-month on my cycle.

Made a mistake while coming into my watchbill coordinator's office for a signature on my out-of-bounds chit for Thanksgiving and got yelled at, lost my sunglasses at the gym before that, and had an hour-long practical exam, one-on-one, for class that day; otherwise, all we did was sit and wait. And STG1 made us come back after dinner to try and get more people done... and he ended up doing one more (for a total of 4) before realizing it was useless to try to do the last 7 in one hour.

But I did get a letter from my husband, just like the kind he sent to me in boot camp, to commemorate the end of it, one year later. I think I read it about a dozen times while we were waiting in class. And my friends Linda and James sent me a very sweet Veteran's Day card! Along with these two wonderful surprises, the SD symphony tickets to Vivaldi's Four Seasons and The Sleeping Beauty also arrived. And all I checked the mail for was the possibility of my phone bill! :)

This morning I did much better, but I was really tired from not being able to go to sleep very soon last night. Got to Quarters just on time (not bad for getting up 20 minutes before) and didn't even need to stand the NSU inspection, since I had an "outstanding" last week on my blues.

A Watch, of Sorts

Woke up for the phone-in muster even before my alarm, but my alarm ensured it. :) Didn't get back to sleep either! Decided to work out at the gym on base before my watch at 1130, and that opened at 1000. Put in a good half-hour's work (bench press, sit-ups, elliptical, and bike), showered and changed into my NSU's and showed up on the Quarterdeck, only to find out that they didn't have a phone to give me. "I'll just use your recall number if I need you. Have a nice day." That was okay with me! I'm glad I worked out to make the trip to base worthwhile!

I did stay in my uniform for the duration of my watch, until 1630, when I simply called in to verify I didn't need to show up again for no reason. :) Good thing too... I was finishing a movie at home and it was raining cats and dogs outside.

Stand-Down; Test

"Here's health to you and to our Corps..."
Happy 236th Birthday, Marines.

Yesterday's PT was yet again, on our own. Never once have we had any semblance of structured workouts. I did more bench pressing, but I got tired faster. Did some core exercises as well, and called that good for the day.

After finishing the last lecture yesterday, and having a comprehensive study time, today we took the test, and that was all, except for a brief field day. I was the only one in the class to get a 100%! Just shows you that I should have turned my heart over to the Lord faster than I did. I asked questions about everything that was confusing... and it helped. I also didn't worry as much this time, and didn't take comprehensive notes.

Since we are entering the holiday season, with a 3-day weekend tomorrow, a 4-day for Thanksgiving in two weeks, and the big 17-day allowable span for Christmas, we were given a safety brief focusing on distracted driving, the recent statistics from Captain's Masts, the "Holiday Blues", and sexual assault & harassment. Chief Cruz kept all the females afterwords to reassure us that we shouldn't let the males talk down to us about being in the Navy. Okay. Hasn't been a problem for me. But it included all the female students on this base, and after noticing it was about 12 to a row, and 10 rows, I've finally got a figure on how many of us there are, compared to the males: I'd figure there are at least 4 or 5 times that many males here in a student status.

All said, it only took 2 hours and was one of the better safety briefs I've endured. It kept moving along just fine.

Retired, Finally.

I'm a big fan of Days Inn... the Norman, OK branch is especially dear to me. I even told them so after offering to replace their battered and faded Old Glory. It was in such a state... pink, white and sky blue. And there were literally pieces missing from the torn ends.

I stayed and helped the man take it down and put the new one up, the one that I had purchased from the NEX. I didn't want to trust an establishment like that with retiring an old flag, so I asked to take it home myself where I could fold it properly and make sure it gets burned in honor. I was afraid they'd throw it in the trash. The clips were so rusty and stiff, it required a pliers to open and close them.

Apparently, they had been receiving several complaints from people... and no wonder: much of their business is from families coming to their son's Marine boot camp graduation. MCRD is only a few blocks from my house, and Days Inn is less than a ten-minute walk from my door. They had also been flying the Corps's flag, and that was just as pink... with one big tear on the end. At my suggestion, they let me take that one too. I can guarantee that no one related to the Marine family would be impressed with such a display. In that situation, better none. I hope they buy a new one though. It bothered me because I pass it all the time, and my eyes are naturally drawn to flags. There was nothing else to be done.









Tonight is also my one-year anniversary of starting Battle Stations. I should log what I have written in my training guide sometime soon. :)

Change-Over

Arrived at Quarters this morning with my sleeves still rolled up. Two weeks ago, I had randomly shown up with them down because of the cool morning temperatures, but because of the ranks, everyone has to be the same and had to have them up.

Well, yesterday, apparently, was the change-over from Whites to Blues, and with that, sleeves are supposed to be worn down. So thank the Lord, I was able to cover my chilled arms!

The Marines don't change dress uniforms like we do, but they change from a summer (desert) digital camouflage uniform to a winter (woodland green) digital camouflage uniform. Don't think it affects my brother Zac this year though... he is in Afghanistan.

As for Friday's and Monday's classes... we didn't do much. Bet I can expect more of the same today and tomorrow. Lots of searching for answers to review questions from some material that we weren't presented with (what is the point?!). So it gets a little frustrating.

Duty Day, Wednesday

... And my watch was technically this morning, on Thursday, the 05-07 (0430-0630) duty driver. And what that meant was I had to get up early and arrive in my NWU (digital) for 0630 muster, Wed. morning, and get up earlier and arrive in my NSU (khaki & black), and pick up the Quarterdeck's cell phone in order to be available to drive anyone who needed it between those hours. It is one of the best watches, though. I went back to my car and decided on getting something small at Denny's. Got a little OJ and their $2 biscuit & gravy w/egg. Sat and read in Philippians & Psalms, and also the 3 Beatrix Potter books I got the other day. I even drove-through Mc'D's for a $2 oatmeal. When I got back to overflow parking, I only had an hour left. Did FB on my phone, and discovered that my high-school friend Laura (married a couple years ago and working for the Lord in the Philippines - in Leyte) is 13 weeks pregnant! Needless to say, watch went really fast and I was soon back in bed and was able to sleep for a couple more hours.

Wednesday itself was pretty normal, I suppose. I didn't catch any sleep after muster, did some bike-riding along Harbor Island for a half-hour and bench-pressing back on base for PT, and then fell asleep during parts of that animated and narrated 45 minute slide show in class. They tell me I provided entertainment for the class, especially when my elbow slipped off the table. lol

This means that my next duty day will fall on the 1st anniversary of my boot camp graduation, Saturday, November 12.

PS...
Just learned in class, from The Navy Times, that Applebee's has free entrees for active duty military on Friday the 11th. I will indeed have to go there, especially since that's where we went to eat for my first civilian meal after graduation, Friday the 12th, last year.

I was almost late for PT, but not really. Benched with Baldwin, did 48 reps at 65lbs, this time (55lbs yesterday and last week). Then I did 3/4 mile on the elliptical in 7 min., and 1.6 miles on the bike in 8, burning 140 calories total, according to the machines.

Today we did lots of note-taking and gossiping... I did the former, and pretty much everyone else the latter. Around 1530, the teachers finally came back and went hard-core into Target Motion Analysis... and we did some formulas and math... I never took Trig, but thankfully this is the really basic kind. It all made sense in the end, which is good.

Inspection

Making sure our uniforms are all ready for changeover from whites to blues... I haven't put them on since I transferred here on February 8th. Brings back memories indeed!























...and STG1 Bouchet (who took over our class today from STG2 Akins) gave me (along with 2 others) an outstanding (because the creases on my shoes were polished and my ribbons were straight). Most had an excellent, and there were a couple "good"s.










Rating badge and close up of one of the four buttons.




I took all these in the mirror in my room, then flipped them in Paint, so they look like someone was taking one of me... that and the "USN" on my cover (and the set up of the room) would look right. :)

Otherwise, in class we went over one of the easier programs... both lectures and the lab, and I finished the notes for both while my classmates shot the breeze for nearly the entire time.

I love this schedule! The inspection was at quarters (0730), but then we had nothing until class at noon. I was able to go home and change (as well as have brunch) before returning.