Lists

Everyone who has met my mother knows she loves lists and calendars. Back before Facebook made it possible to invite everyone to Thanksgiving, mom had a physical calendar with her own organization system. Gold stars were for days off, Silver for paydays, Green for nail appointments; you get the idea. ~With the advent of the Google Calendar, it has been a slow transition to a digital world.

I inherited her affinity to lists and calendars.

I didn't realize how useful calendar and lists are until I started real life. Most days were a carbon copy of the last (school 5 days a week turned into work 5 days a week). Now I have appointments to handle and people to meet at specific times, thing to carry around and notes to write down Oi Ve! I need organization!

In leu of this revelation, I have a list of things to do when I am home. (I will censor it for the sake of my wife)

1.  Kiss my wife
2.  Meet my 5 month old daughter
3.  Shower and Shave
4.  Eat sushi
5.  Eat food
6.  Nap
7.  Movies!!
8.  Extended Family time
9.  Find a Job
10. Enroll in College


 

Rough Day

You know those times when you needed to knock on wood, and you obviously didn't? That was yesterday. I remember telling my wife that I had nothing to blog about, I should've said knock on wood.

I knew I was heading downtown today so I went to withdraw money from the ATM. I went through all the poorly worded choices, entered my amount, and a receipt popped out. The ATM went to home screen. I looked at the receipt and there was a denial code stating to pickup card. Its late and the banks here. Are not open, so I call MY bank. When I get the woman from the bank I explain my troubles and she tells me that some punk British hacker tried to buy the newest dubstep from Napster with my account. (my words not hers). So the cards shut off and will be destroyed, meanwhile I'm stuck with my on post money card. Which is not the worse thing ever, but when you need something like lunch downtown, you are out of luck. How did I survive? Lots of I owe yous. Much loves from here.

Its been awhile

Its been awhile, and I am haaving a hard time writing anything that does not sound incredibley stupid. I read my wife's blog all the time, and she kicks butt in the writing department. She makes it seem so easy too! Like, just put words down on the screen and BAM! you have a great composition. I on the other hand, struggle without using pictures to illustrate.

Many people know how a soldier looks. If you are by the University of Utah near lunch time, you may see a  few dressed in there tan boots and there matching pants and shirts. There are a few common practices in the ACU uniform that most are not aware of.

Thank you Mr. Joe Snuffy for modeling the uniform for me

A. Carry a memo pad here, just in case your OIC/NCOIC starts rattling off random to do lists
B. Quick reach to your Challenge coin, for when your buddies want a drink.
C. This one is the awkward one, you know in the WWII movies when someone is dying and the give their best friend a letter to give to his wife. Place that letter in this pocket, along with your personals (wallet)
D. Pens. Three of them, if you have to read and correct memos you better have a red pen, all others have a black pen.
E. Your Secret badges clipped here when not in use.
F. Your Safety reflective belt is rolled up here, for easy access when you are walking around base after dark.

Much to everyone's surprise, I have a defense mechanism what I call "delay in emotions,"  it's not that I don't feel emotions. I wait until later to feel them. When I left on my mission, it took me nearly 8 weeks before I felt homesick. This time I lasted 4 months before I feel the yearning to be home. Granted, my life has moved so fast, I don't know what normalcy is, heavens, I have a child! I know I want to go to a place where I am not confined to a bed or work. This place is slowly shrinking as the weeks go back and i want a place to stretch out!! And please, I want a Friggin descent Hamburger!!!!!

Home Substitutes

While away on my long adventures, I have seen people get packages with items that make this place feel like home. Mitchell gets a box of food that look like it came from the Asian market (seriously, i didn't know they had shrimp chips). Coon gets clothes from American Eagle so he can dress like he did back home. I have a slightly skewed way of looking at things, I try to find things here that remind me of home. It is far cheaper, and easily accessible. Like the Lavender smelling dryer sheets so my bedding smells like a field of flowers (I have a lot of girls in my life OK?), but i think the cleverest ideas came from the Dining Facility. To the novice looker, I just ordered a grilled/boiled chicken breast with a side of broccoli and cheese. when I combined these items together and close my eyes. . . . BAM! I am back in the Sandy house on a Sunday afternoon with dad making Chicken Di Van, 6 chicken breasts because his son will eat two of them! The latest concoction of home loving came when I was craving the fried potato wedges and baked beans combo. Too easy, Chicken breast again, side of fries, side of baked beans add barbeque sauce. When I eat this, I am transported to the countless times we tried to sneak our way over the the frying pan to eat some potatoes. I have found the solution for recreating all of my home, but the subtle substitute keep me sane while I am away.

Bond, James Bond

So I totally broke down and found a copy of Skyfall from the UK, and I don't even feel guilty about watching it! Sparing any plot spoilers, I will say it was an epic ending to a well deserved character development. The conversation when the credits rolled was "So this movie has to be before Dr. No right?" CORRECT!!! This is our List of Jame Bond movies in chronological order, so that the stories mesh as well as possible. Casino Royale/ QoS is where James Bond gets his 00 status. The next group of movies are all recent; however, they all contain Judy Dench as "M" {group those together}. The only thing that needs to be addressed (and it is a minor inconsistency) is 007 had to trade out his Beretta in Dr. No for another Walther PPK, and what happened to his DB5? So here is the list Enjoy.

Casino Royale (Daniel Craig) -- 2006
Quantum of Solance (Daniel Craig) --2006
Golden Eye (Pierce Brosnan) -- 1995
Tomorrow Never Dies (Pierce Brosnan) -- 1997
The World is Not Enough (Pierce Brosnan) -- 1999
Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnan) -- 2002
Skyfall (Daniel Craig) -- 2012

Dr. No (Sean Connery) -- 1962
From Russia with Love (Sean Connery) -- 1963
Goldfinger (Sean Connery) -- 1964
Thunderball (Sean Connery) -- 1965
You Only Live Twice (Sean Connery) -- 1967
On His Majesty's Secret Service (George Lazenby) -- 1969
Diamonds are Forever (Sean Connery) -- 1971
Live and Let Die (Roger Moore) -- 1973
The Man with the Golden Gun (Roger Moore) -- 1974
The Spy who Loved Me (Roger Moore) -- 1977
Moonraker (Roger Moore) -- 1979
For Your Eyes Only (Roger Moore) -- 1981
Octopussy (Roger Moore) -- 1983
A View to a Kill (Roger Moore) -- 1985
The Living Daylights (Timothy Dalton) -- 1987
License to Kill (Timothy Dalton) -- 1989

Missing: The otter half

There is a strange sensation I get, it occurs more frequently now, that makes my heart feel heavy and my body feel like lead. I get this sensation when my body tries to snap me back into reality and the realization that I am not with you. Every now and then when my day has died down, when I smell something familiar, or just randomly throughout the day; my mind sends me to another time and place where I am with you and we are happy together. I faintly remember how it feels to have you laying on my chest, or in my arms. If I think real hard with my eyes shut, I can feel the kiss we had in the elevator so long ago. I love these moments; however, as hard as it is to grasp them, it is that much harder to keep them. Then suddenly, my heart sinks and I realize I am here and you are there.

Missing: my other half