Fun times had by most!

Break Your Little Heart - All Time Low

2009-08-02T16:20:00.001-07:00

I am crowd surfing at the 1 minute 14 second mark... I'm awesome.

Quick update from the Med

2009-05-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Just a quick update for you all while I have a moment. I'm hanging out in a little place called Palma De Mallorca, Spain, which is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. I start my terminal vacation in 35 days, and I was promoted to Petty Officer Third Class two days ago.

Hope all is well for you guys.
George

Then don't look in my eyes. Look right here [at my forehead]. It's an old sales trick.

2009-02-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know (and some of you my not know) that every Wednesday at 12pm I am in charge of a prayer meeting here on the ship. Basically it’s a mini service that consists of some worship music, and about a 10-20 minute sermon. Last week I did it on prayer, and its importance, and I rather enjoyed the one that I did, and I wanted to share it with you guys.

How many of you pray? I imagine all of you, how there are some people who pray only at night; some pray throughout the day, but me personally I’m a mixture of the both. I usually have a continuance of prayer all day, then a recap at night, along with any prayer requests I’ve received. My dad always tells me he prays like he eats (and if you know my dad that would make sense).

As followers of Christ, it is not only important that we pray it’s also important the way we do it, like it says in Matthew 6:5-8:

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

So then how should we pray?

Sometimes we can become so complacent with our faith, or when we pray, we’ll pray for the same things, all the time, and that can get us bored with it. Which is not a good thing, prayer is something that you shouldn’t be bored with, so we every now and then need to switch it up a little bit.

We need to be brutally honest with God. We need to tell him what we would like Him to do. He already knows what we want; we just need to tell Him.

Richard C. Trench said, “Prayer is not getting mans will done in heaven, but Gods will done on earth”. We can get so caught up in our own agenda of what we have going on that we’re missing the big picture.

Gods will for us. 1Thessaloninas 5:16-18 says:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Jesus as we all know died on the cross for us. He went to Gethsemane and prayed before the Romans came to arrest Him. He knew what was coming, and what was going to happen, Matthew 26:39 says:

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

If you read the first part of what He said, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me”. So he’s basically saying (in my opinion), that He doesn’t want to do this. He basically is comparing it to a cup that He doesn’t want, and is asking God to take away. But the most important part of this verse (in my opinion) is that last part that He says, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” He knew that was Gods will for Him. Because no matter what Gods will is for any of us we know it’s the right thing. It’s what is supposed to happen.

Sometimes we know what we need to do to answer our prayers, but we’ll pray about it anyways. Often it’s right in front of our face, but we don’t want to do it. It’s not on our agenda, of things we want to put up with, but it’s something that we’d like to be taken care of.

The best thing that we can do when we pray is to ask for Gods will to happen to us, and what we’re praying about or who we’re praying for. Friendships, relationships, the health of someone who is in your family or a friend, no matter what happens, if it comes from God it’s going to be good, because there is nothing bad about Him. We may not see the effects of it, but they’re there. God told Abraham that his offspring would be greater than the stars in the sky, and when he died, his offspring weren’t that many. Now look at us.

I heard someone say once, “Don’t ask God to feed the hungry if you have plenty to eat”. Look at what you’re praying for because sometimes you are the answer to it, you just don’t realize it.

Agritourism is a lot more than a bed and breakfasts. It's going to a farm, showing them around, giving them a bed, giving them breakfast...

2009-02-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

I finished Genesis today.

I am quite proud of myself, it is the first book of the Bible I have read completely. Last year I joined a facebook group, and it's to read the entire Bible in a year. Its February 7th, and I am only one book in and there are 65 books left, I have a little bit of work cut out for me to say the least hahaha.

So I'm about a week into my nice long out to sea period. It's uh... quite something. My friends the Marines are onboard... and I'm not enjoying it. Imagine a gross swarm insect has invaded your house, and they eat everything, not only are they eating everything but they're pooping everywhere. If they where able to work out they'd be using all of your gym equipment.

Last night I got into a "scuffle" if you will with one. I needed to use the bathroom, and I happen to have one outside of my office that I'm in charge of cleaning and what not. I go to use it and there is a cluster of people, now normally I wouldnt have asked but Marines also enjoy standing around for no reason. It went something to this effect:

Me: Are you guys in line for the head? (head is sea slang for bathroom)
Jarhead 1: Uh... umm...
Jarhead 2: No we're just wondering how this door works (pointing to one that leads outside).
Me: Oh you're funny, that's great, because you know I can still secure this head, since I do own it.
Jarhead 2: Dude are you serious?
Me: Yup.
Jarhead 1 and 3: Man you're a dick, F#% you man.
Me: Oh really? Yeah you're right, let me go get the pad lock so no one can use it.

I started to walk away then Jarhead 1 started yelling at me

Me: What?
Jarhead 1: You dont need to be such a jerk, we're just messing with you. You need to apologize to that Marine back there.
Me: Say again?
Jarhead 1: You need to apologize for what you had said.

Then I just walked away. Now you may think that this is not a big deal, it's just a head, but let me lay a few tracks down of things they do (or do not do) when it comes to this:

- Pee on the ground and leave a nice puddle that has a radius of about 10 inches around the toilet
- Dont wash there hands
- When they run out of toilet paper they use the roll it was on, or brown napkins and clog the toilet so then I have to unclog it
- Spit dip down the sink, so when it clogs, I get to unclog that too

I could write a very loooooong list of reasons why I do not personally care for them, however that wouldnt be very productive, so insted I'm going to write a song about it, that way I have a sense of accomplishment.

In other news, I've been sick for the past few days, with a nice sore throat, it has been a lot of fun.

BLOOD ALONE MOVES THE WHEELS OF HISTORY! - Dwight K. Schrute

2009-01-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

Salesmen of north-eastern Pennsylvania, I ask you once more rise and be worthy of this historical hour.
- Dwight K. Schrute
Assistant to the Regional Manager

This is a historical hour. Nay, it is a historical day in this country. A day that few thought they would ever see, and no one would have expected 40 years ago, heck I'll go as far as to sa y 20 years ago.

America is a country that has gone threw a lot of change over the years, this past decade especially, but we stood through it all. This is a very historical day, a day that I never thought I'd live to see. What day is it you ask?

The day we say goodbye to old glory, because the red and blue are coming off and it's being turned into that of the white flag of surrender.

Good luck everyone.

Oh Virginia...

2009-01-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

So today was an interesting one. My flight deck fire fighting qualification had apparently expired so I spent all morning in a class to "relearn" something I had never forgotten. After we where done in the class we went to the practice field and preceded to "fight that fire" as we so clearly yell...

It wasn't bad, I just didn't feel like going since I knew I had to go back to the ship to finish up work, and since I'm staying on the ship tonight it's always never fun to go back.

The past few days have not been very fun to put it plainly. I hate wasting time, especially when I am sitting at my desk doing nothing for three hours straight, and just as I'm about to finally get off (three hours after everyone else on the ship) something comes up all of a sudden that's last minute and people panic because they don't know how to do there own paper work in a timely manner, so I have to jump threw hoops to get people something they don't really deserve... frustration ensues...

I haven't been feeling too hot lately either, I don't know what's going on with my sinuses but it's driving me crazy.

I just cant wait to leave Virginia, that's mainly the problem. I hate this state more than anything in the world, maybe it's because all of my friends and family are back in Michigan. The fact is every time I come back I'm always depressed... especially since I only have 7 months and 1 day until I go on my terminal vacation and a road trip with Mr. Dan Priest. I'm really excited about that.

I also am looking forward to coming home on the 23rd for some Qzar action and Nerf fun, lets go Team Awesome.

Okay I'm done complaining now.

The green card is "touchy feely" and the red card is "Hellen Keller"...

2009-01-02T18:29:00.001-08:00

Thank you for providing the title of this post... you know who you are.

So I have recently discovered the wonderful game that is, "Apples to Apples". I played it for the first time on Christmas at the Sopko house and annual Christmas gathering. I then played it for the second time last night here at Casa de Kane.

Today at Bed, Bath, and Beyond I discovered something that was nothing short of amazing. A version of, "Apples to Apples" I never knew exhsisted.

Apples to Apples: Jewish Edition

With such red cards as:

And such green cards as:

Any one want to play when I come home next?

Old years end...

2008-12-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in our life when we all have to take a serious look at what's going on, what is right and wrong, but more importantly is what we do something that glorifies God. For some people it happens too late.

When I was home, I was evaluating what I had accomplished this year, be it with my job, my family, my friends, or my faith and how I carry myself as a Christian.

I know usually with this time of year, the melancholy feeling of a year almost complete, and the hope that this next year brings something great, something exciting, nad possibly something that has been missing in our lives.

This year I'm taking a new approach at what I want to change about myself, unlike most years. This past year I had been carrying around my resolutions from last New Years Eve, and they're not even close to being completed. I though I was being realistic with those, but this year I'm going into details, not just a general statement where I can manipulate not completing it and it being okay.

This year has been interesting to say the least, and I'll be sad (somewhat) to see it go, however 2009 is a year I've been waiting for. Finally I get to start college, among other things. Thank you all who made 2008 fun, and not so fun.

So without further ado, here is my annual end of the year survey:
In 2008 I...
[x] experienced something new
[x] made new friends
[] found out who your real friends are
[x] lied to your parents
[] snuck out
[] was detained
[] kissed in the rain
[] kissed in a pool
[x] kissed under the stars
[] smoked for the first time
[x] went to a party
[x] had a great time
[x] danced
[] fell in love
[] fell out of love
[x] had a crush on someone
[] changed your sexual preferance
[] swam in the lake
[x] swam in a pool
[] made a snowman
[] went snowboarding
[] went sledding (I tried...)
[] slept in past 2 pm
[x] held someones hand that you care about
[x] had a fling or relationship with someone
[x] tell someone you like them as more than a friend
[x] took pictures
[x] go on vacation
[] go on vacation with a friend
[x] driven a car
[] skinny dipped
[] played strip poker
[] showed someone something where the sun doesn't shine
[x] gone to a movie theater
[] danced in the rain
[] got in a car accident
[] see someone get in a car accident
[] got in a fist fight
[x] laughed until you couldn't breathe
[x] laughed until you cried
[] peed your pants from laughing
[x] had a great year
[x] are going to look back with no regrets
[x] I've slipped out a "lol" in a spoken conversation.
[] Disney movies still make me cry.
[] I've peed from laughing.
[x] I've snorted while laughing.
[x] I've laughed so hard I've cried.
[] I've glued my hand to something
[x] I've laughed till some kind of beverage came out of my nose.
[] I've had my pants rip in public.
[] I've gotten stitches.
[] I've broken a bone.
[] I've had my tonsils removed.
[x] I've sat in a doctors office with a friend.
[] I've had my wisdom teeth removed.
[] I had a serious surgery.
[] I've had chicken pox.
[x] I'm single.
[] I'm in a relationship.
[] I'm engaged.
[] I'm married.
[] I've gone on a blind date.
[x] I miss someone right now.
[] I have a fear of abandonment.
[] I've cheated in a relationship.
[] I've gotten divorced
[] I've had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.
[] I've told someone I loved them when I didn't.
[] I've told someone I didn't love them when I did.
[x] I've kept something from a past relationship.

A lot happens in week...

2008-12-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

I was home for thanksgiving which was awesome, first time in three years I was home for it.

Feast-A-Ganza VII: The Feast Strikes Back was a lot of fun. It was great to see the originators of it, along with a bunch of new faces to hopefully join in the festivities next year. The next projects are, “Festavis: The holiday for the rest of us” and, “Untitled black tie Christmas party event”, hopefully they’ll rock the casbah.

Seeing everyone when I was home was a lot of fun, however there are always people I wish I would have seen, but all and all it was great. The only down side was when my plane almost crashed on the way back to Virginia, so we had to turn around, and head back to Detroit, so I ended up staying in Michigan for an extra night. It wasn’t all bad, I got to go up to Larry Tech and hang out with Tyler and Jeff which is always fun. The next day when I was due to fly out I was selected for special screening and because of that I almost missed my flight which was not fun.

Now I’m back in Virginia, I got here on Monday, and it was after working hours so I had the day off. Most people would have been excited about this, however I was not. I would rather have been back and at work instead of being delayed. Also because of that I was a day behind on work.

So I show up to work on Tuesday and I had duty, so I caught up on what little I could do, and then I went on watch. For the rest of the night I was doing ridiculous stuff that was just a bunch of busy work. The following day, I missed breakfast because we where mustering for something and it was during the breakfast hour, and we where there the entire time. So after I was off duty, I went and grabbed a breakfast sandwich and something for someone I work with, that he asked me to get. No big deal he let me go get my stuff.

Then some drama from another coworker occured because of me doing that again later on that afternoon. I just dont get people sometimes.

Today was alright, nothing out of the usual, I'm hoping tomorrow will be even better, hopfully with what I'm planning it will.

Happy Turkey Day...

2008-11-27T10:48:00.001-08:00

People I'm great full this year (in no particular order):

God
Jesus
My family
My shipmates
The Sopkos
The Hernandezs
The Smiths
The Cryderman clan
The Bakers
The Duckworths
The Molines
The Kanes
The Kruks
The Philips
The Croebers
The McMillans
The Funns
The Cooks
The Freys
Dan
Tyler
Jeff
Stefanie
Amy
Jenny
Jordan
Adam
Matt
Matthew
Jeremy
Ole
Jo

more to come. happy thanksgiving.

Game day...

2008-11-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

Today is game day.

The only football game of the year that matters.

University of Michigan v. Ohio State University.

This is the second year I will not be at home for this, last year I was in Chicago, and this year I'm out to sea. There are a few fellow fans of U of M (like myself) onboard, however there are also a few sad, sad souls (fans of OSU). So the smack talking has been in high heat for the past week gearing up for this game. It's exciting stuff.

On a completely unrelated note, I started watching the show Pushing Dasies, and I love it. It's really clever and just a fun watch. Unfortunate for me, like a lot of other shows I get into, they have recently cancelled it. Such is life.

Go U of M.

Fifth times a charm?

2008-11-19T14:59:00.000-08:00

I was able to take a hot shower today for the first time in almost a month. I was pretty excited about that, it felt really good.

So today the promotion results came out for the Navy, and for the fourth time being up for promotion, the first three times I was not promoted, and guess what happend... the fourth time was no differant, I'm positive this is Gods way of telling me I'm ment to get out of the military.

Hey it's begining to snow!

2008-11-18T16:11:00.000-08:00

Oh yes, it's true, it snowed today.

There we are, flying, and out of no where snow flakes.

I love the snow, it's just so beautiful, espically when it's packing snow and it's a fresh blanket that covers everything. It got me in a very Christmas(ie) mood, so I've started to plan how I'm going to decorate the outside of the house this year.

It's exciting stuff.

Alright back to flying now.

Why be good for goodness sake? Just believe in God.

2008-11-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

The other day I was watching the news, and this story came on with this new ad campaign saying, “Why believe in God? Just be good for goodness sake”. The thought was that atheists feel alone during the holiday season, and I can’t understand why, they’re having company with what they believe.

In a study done earlier this year 92% of Americans say they believe they believe in God. Now I can see how people can get offended by saying Merry Christmas to a Buddhist, or Jew, because it’s not apart of what your beliefs.

I believe in freedom of speech, I must I mean I’ve put my life on the line for the past 3 years defending it. With that being said, I have a few things to say...

This time of the hear, the "holiday season" as most people call it is suppose to be a happy, joyous, festive time of year. The holidays they speak of are as follows (some you may heard of, some not):

Thanksgiving - A time where people gather to feast and give thanks.
Feast-A-Ganza - Where you eat left overs from the day before (Thanksgiving) and watch a movie with friends.
Hanukkah - The festivle of lights
Festivus - The holiday for the rest of us
Christmas - Celebrating the birth of Christ and our Resurrection (oops that's not PC... oh well), and getting and receiving presents from Santa
Kwanzaa - celebrate the African heratige...
New Years - Enough said

That's a lot to keep in mind when walking around this time of year, I mean, just saying, "Happy Holidays" to me doesn't cut it. It used to be the thing to say, "Merry Christmas". I know people who aren't even Christians who celebrate Christmas, and saying it to them, they don't get offended. I feel like I could get sued if I said it to the wrong person, and in a world these days where a woman can sue McDonald's for burning herself on a cup of coffee (and winning millions of dollars) because it didn't say, "Warning: Hot liquid". No dur, it's coffee you don't drink it cold!

I believe this is the time of year where we can drop our differences and just practice good will towards men (oops did it again), I mean people...

Now with all of this being said, when is enough, enough? Why is it people go and do things like this, because they're trying to reach people who don't believe? Because they feel like they're alone? I mean honestly, when can we stand up and say, "soak it up and deal with it"?

People saying that God doesn't exist, and saying that the holiday season is not about observing the birth Christ offends me.

Be there by 4:30 'cause I made your reservation...

2008-11-12T04:41:00.000-08:00

Here is something that most people dont know about me, because when I bring anything related to this subject up people think I'm crazy, here we go.

Hi my name is George, and I'm a HUGE fan of The Monkees.

When I was in 8th grade I started a Monkees' tribute band (much like the '64 tribute to the Beatles). One time when I was a Freshman I got into a fist fight about who was better, The Beatles, or The Monkees. I won, and so did The Monkees.

While we where in New York this show called, "Gone Country" came to the ship and filmed an episode. It's a reality TV show that takes celeberties and try to turn them into country music stars. What does this have to do with the Monkees? Here is the cast list for this season:

George Clinton (Grand master of funk)

Taylor Dayne (Former singer, dancer, and actress from the 80's)

Tara Conner (Miss USA 2006)

Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street and A Night at the Roxbury)

Sheila E (Former drummer from Miami Sound Machine and Princes' band)

Justin (What's his name from American Idol season 1)

and drum roll please...

MICKY DOLENZ the former drummer and lead singer of THE MONKEES

It was really cool, we got to eat dinner with all of them, take pictures, talk and hang out with them, and at the end of the night they sat us down, asked us questions about what we do, and then we all had a rock session.

Pictures from NYC day 1

2008-11-06T17:55:00.000-08:00

Paul Rudd and I

Sir Roger Moore
Matt Lauer

Al Roker

Election Day aftermath...

2008-11-05T14:14:00.000-08:00

No comment.

They used to call me the Waco Kid...

2008-11-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

If any of you know the movie, "Blazing Saddles" the title of this entry is from a line that Gene Wilder has in it. He is discribing how he is a washed up "Billy the Kid". I Gene Wilder, espically in a Mel Brooks film. This particular line is from my favorite part of the movie, here is the full monologe:

"it got so that every pissant prairie punk who thought he could shoot a gun would ride into town to try out the Waco Kid. I must've killed more men than Cecil B Demille. Got pretty gritty. I started to hear the word "draw" in my sleep. Then one day, I was just walking down the street, and I heard a voice behind me say, "Reach for it Mister!" I spun around and there I was face to face with a six-year-old kid. Well I just threw my guns down and walked away....little b@$t@rd shot me in the @$$!! ".

How does that have anything to do with what I'm about to post?

Well today my sheet of paper that say's I'm allowed to shoot the M-16 machine gun expired so I had to reshoot the gun. I've been shooting this and other guns for the past 2 and a half years and I have never been injured... until now.

DO NOT WORRY I WAS NOT SHOT!

We're all lined up shooting at our targets and the guy to the left of me, his shells from the bullets are flying at me since they eject to the right of you and I was standing on his right. So here I am trying to focus on my target and I'm being pelted by HOT metal ammuition shells. I'm trying to ignor them but then one hit me in the cheek right under my eye and burned me, then the ear, then hands, arms, etc...

All of this isnt really taking my concentration off of what I'm shooting at. Then I feel one hit the bottom of my neck and stay there for a second. Now you may say to your self that's not a big deal, well I almost dropped my gun because it hurt and then rolled down my back into my shirt burning my shoulder and side.

Three burns later I'm back to aiming and shooting, and once I finished shooting I get the shell out of my shirt and I'm back to normal.

Figures something like that would happen on the last time of shooting.

280 days left, then I'm a free man.

Out to sea day four...

2008-10-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

I cant begin to tell you how many times I've sat down to write this over the past few days. I'm glad it automatically saves.

Okay everybody, time for what's been going on. Yesterday I sat down to write out my post and I was able to upload the pictures but then I fell asleep at my desk and woke up an hour later then decided to go to bed. So here we go.

So two days ago not much happened, just marines marines marines.

Yesterday wasnt too bad of a day actually. If you read my post yesterday about Star Wars and Star Trek you could tell I was excited for a least that part of the day. Infact after you're done reading this, scroll down a little more and you will see my true love for Star Wars.

I spent a majority of the day in Prifly because of flight quarters, which was great. I love that part of my job, the whole launching and recovering of aircraft. With it comes a lot of responsibility, I am also a safety observer up there to ensure that nobody gets injured on the deck.

I also had my prayer meeting which was pretty great. I did a lesson that my friend Andrew had sent me from a while back to do at my new church since I'm now in charge of the "young adult" group, and since I cant be there this Sunday to do that message I figured I'd do it yesterday. It was by far the best prayer meeting I had ever done, and it was about being Holy, and who God wants us to be/how we should act on this earth and strive for perfection even though we know that we'll never reach it here. It was awesome. Thanks Andrew.

So that brings us to today. Today has been pretty good, very, very stressful, but that's nothing out of the ordinary. I was just pounded with some fun to-do list items that have to be complete before Wednesday. I cant wait until July of next year.

All in all though I give these past few days two thumbs up (see below)

This is what I mean when I say I love Star Wars more.

Confessions from a geek...

2008-10-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Here's the skinny...

As long as I can remember the Sci-fi world has always been a part of my life. I can't remember a time when Star Wars wasn't there. Oh Star Wars, I love you. The jawas, sand people, ewoks, droids, I LOVE it all. I have every action figure from when they where re released. I love Star Wars.

Now here is the confession, something about me little people know. When I lived in Dayton, every Friday night my parents would order Marion's Pizza (which is literally the best pizza in the world) and we would watch Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Hi, my name is George and I'm a closet Star Trek fan.

Now before you go off the handle, I am NOT a Trekkie. I have never read one book, nor am I a die hard fan of the TV show. When it comes to the movies, I've seen every one, a few times.
Star Wars is still my favorite and always will be, it's Star Wars for Pete's' sake how could it not?

I will admit this though, as I'm sitting here reading the Entertainment Weekly for this week, with the Star Trek cover and the inside on the new movie, the prequel of all things Star Trek, my excitement is that of the final instalment of Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith. When it comes to movies, or stories, anything I love back stories, and that's what this is, a back story for the original crew of the USS Enterprise, and now that I'm serving in the Navy, having been in close working distance of the real Enterprise for the past few years, my excitement is peaked.

I cant wait for the summer of 2009.

Will your system be alright when you dream of home tonight?

2008-10-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

I hate marines. Let me say this again, I HATE marines. All they do is stand in line for meals, when they're not doing that they're all using every machine in the gym, when they're not doing that they're loidering around, and when they're not doing that, they're using up every head (or bathroom for those nautically challenged) and stinking it up.

The past few days have been not bad at all. I had a pretty spectacular weekend, I went to dunkin doughnuts and church, so it was all around awesome.

The weather is starting to get colder now, and I'm loving every second of it. I LOVE cold weather. Why is that you ask? Oh because I get to wear my scarfs, speaking of I have a friend of mine kniting me a NEW one. I'm very, very excited about that. Scarfs, sweaters, courdaroy jacket, and chuck taylors, what else does one need for the winter? The answer is snow, but other than that, nothing.

For some reason the first day out to sea is always exciting, and after that, it just kind of goes down hill... I dont know why, maybe because everything gets old, but I promise that with this underway I will do my best to keep this updated daily, and possibly a "Photo of the day" thing... my goal is to see a (conventional) whale and capture that on film.

Well, the photo of the day thing might be a few and far between because I need to find a battery charger for my camera since it just died... oh well, we'll see what happens. Stay tuned.

I cant help to be, part of my own philosophy...

2008-10-19T04:54:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, this is not the first time I have sat down and started to write a post since the last one. Infact I have many posts saved into my draft folder because I would start one, get writers block, and finally after I had completed the post (usually a day or two later) I would reread it, and then realize what I had written about was no longer relevant. One of these days I will post them under a title called, "The no longer relevant posts" just so I can post them, however today is not one of those days.

So there has been quite a bit that has happened since then, some you may have read about on other peoples blogs, some you may not have. Since there is so much to update on, let's just go back a week.

Last Saturday I was home, and to be quite frank, it rocked hardcore. It was the wedding of the year with Adam and Katelyn Duckworth. The wedding was just perfect for them, and I'm so thankful that I was there to witness it. The reception that followed was nothing short of amazing. I mean if my wedding is a fraction of how great theres was, I will be quite content. I have a list of "bests of" that I wrote out which will be published under "The no longer relevant posts" so stay tuned for that, it's pretty funny.

After the wedding and reception we went back to Jordan's house where we watched Elf. Well, I should really say only myself and one other person actually watched it because everyone else fell asleep, none the less it was a great time.

Sunday brought Kids Street, one kid in particular who was on his own agenda who I had to constantly keep an eye on, and Andrew climbing a wall made out of plywood. After church Tyler and I went out to get some Tim Horton's which is always good. Then I decided to have a little gathering at me casa to which only a few people came, thank you to those who showed up, althought it was horrible planning on my part and a few people didnt find out till a few days later.

Monday was calm, didnt really do much of anything, except at night when I hung out with Jeff and Tyler which was a treat as always.

Tuesday wasn't much of anything during the day, I was suppose to go out to lunch but had to switch it to Wednesday morning. That night I had decided to have some more people over and I had a record amount show up for that week. We did a bonfire and watch most of Raiders of the Lost Ark, because some people hadn't seen it. It was great.

Wednesday I had breakfast with Andrew, lunch with my brother, and then I left to get back here.

Thursday was nothing but a pain.

Friday was even worse than thrusday.

Saturday I worked which was GREAT! *sarcasm*sarcasm*sarcasm* Actually night was pretty good, I went to Dunkin' Doughnuts and had some coffee, while I worked on my message that I was going to do today at the church I've been going to.

Today, I would have gone to church and did my message, however they (big brother) decided to let me stand duty insted so I have spent all day on the ship, and this week is looking like absolute no fun at all. Oh well, what are you doing to do.

This week is looking seriously horrible, I'm not excited at all, but now I'm on my way to bed now, it's going to be a loooooong day tomorrow.

That sounds like a pretty good idea, I'll give you the moon...

PICTURES!

2008-09-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

Bears.Beets.Battlestar galactica.

2008-09-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

Okay so there I was just sitting at my desk minding my own buisness, the door was open to my office and in walks this kid from a differant division. He's the mail carrier for his, and my division.

So in he walks with a lot of mail, one box, a few packages, and he's looking at me, I look right back at him.

"What?" I finally ask.

"Take the box" he says.

I do, and I'm a little confused on what it might be. I cautiously grab a razor blade, and open it up. Then before I pulled the bags off of the item in the bag to see what it is, I realize I know what it is.

My new Dwight K. Schrute bobble head doll.

Oh yes. Right after my last one took a plunge I ordered a new one, this one is differant though, it is the special edition comic-con Dwight. Insted of his suit coat, shirt, and tie he has a grey shirt on it. Pictures to come.

my day is complete.

Okay time for an update...

2008-09-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

I've been out to sea for a few days, and I really havent had the change to update. Nothing out of the usual, just working as always, busy, busy, busy.

Not much of an update to give, I've been studying for the ACT's when I'm not working, and that's about it.

Update

2008-09-19T04:20:00.000-07:00

My fellow readers:

An update is coming soon, everytime I've sat down and started to write one, I would go away for a little bit, and what I was writing about had become irrelivent. So stay paitent, because it's in the works.

Out to sea day 8...

2008-09-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Okay so something really horrible has happend to my desk figures. My Dwight bobble head from The Office has taken a fall, and now is in three pieces. I am broken up horribly about this. I had accidentally knocked him off of my desk and SMACK! Three piece Dwight.

Out to sea day 7...

2008-09-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

Welp, this is fun... nothing like hanging out, out to sea, just enjoying the waves.

Nothing has been going on. I haven't updated because there is nothing to update about. I'm just really bored right now, and one of the few things I want to do, I cant... why is that you ask? Oh because I don't have it on board with me. What is it you ask? Watch, It's a Wonderful Life.

My favorite movie. I start to watch it usually around this time of the year. And no it is not a Christmas movie, at least I don't think it is since only very little of it takes place on (or around) Christmas. In my opinion there is no better character in any movie ever made that George Bailey, I mean just look at that name George. What a great name. Not only that, but

You see we're starting to enter my favorite season, Fall, which leads to my second favorite season, Winter. There is nothing like winter, especially the first snow fall. Everything is just so peaceful and serene, I love it.

Happy 19th Birthday Sam, hopefully I'll be around for one of them at some point in time.

I love you.

Out to sea day 4 and finally an update... kind of...

2008-09-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

Luke 12:13-22 says:

“13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 16And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

This passage is what I did my prayer meeting on yesterday. You see, I never prepare what my message more than 15 minutes (usually) in advance, what I do is, I pray about what’s going on in my life, and I ask God to direct me in what I’m suppose to share and talk about to these people.

This one parable was true to how I’ve been living over the past week. You see, as you could tell by the title of this blog, I’m out to sea working on relief work. It was unexpected, it ruined plans I had, but that’s the nature of the beast. So naturally I went looking for things to read, and entertain myself with while I was gone, when we first started hearing rumors or leaving. So I did what any self respecting Batman fan would do. I went to a few comic book shops and bought some Batman comics.

I ended up going through the ones I bought in the first few days I bought them. So I went and bought some more.

Before I had realized it I was wrapped up in these possessions. Meaningless things that have no bearing on what matters as a Christian, and that is bringing heaven to earth as best as possible, and bringing glory to God.

I was so wrapped up in the Batman universe that I didn’t realize that slowly loosing my focus on God. On what matters. The fact that I was reading my bible less, and spending less time with Him.

I was becoming too possessive. I’m not saying that having possessions are bad by any means, what I’m saying is, none of it matters because you need to be having your focus on God. You need to find that balance, and I’m still working on that.

Speaking of possessions how many of you readers read the entire Sunday news paper or at least has read it? How many of you know someone who will read the whole paper?

Did you know there are more words in the Sunday paper than in the entire New Testament?

I’ve read the whole paper one time, and after I found that out, I felt horrible. I wasted my time reading something trivial, when I could have read that instead. I’ve have yet to read the whole of the New Testament, but I’m working on it. That does bring a thought to mind though…

If someone can read the paper in one Sunday, why can’t I read the New Testament in a week?

That is my challenge to you, read it in a week. See how far you can get if you didn’t read the whole thing, mark it, and try again next week. Don’t be so possessive about the things you own, just glorify God. Be rich with him and share Him to everyone. Introduce Him to your friends and family if they dont know Him.

It's been one week...

2008-08-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'd like to start with another Batman related item. I just became the proud owner of an issue of, "The Gotham Times" thanks to the wonderful people at ebay. It is one of three papers, and I intend on buying the other two. I am already winning a bid on numero two and three. I know what youre thinking because I'm thinking the same, "Man I'm just so awesome, and not a dork/geek at all".

Now on two what has been going on the past week:

Nothing. I mailed out a few things that needed to be mailed out, I had duty on Wednesday, stayed on the ship Thursday, and went to the Kane household on Friday. Thursday was interesting enough. It was the ships picnic, and one of my co-workers got himself into some trouble, but all and all, it wasnt too bad of a day. I wanted to see The Dark Knight again, but that didnt happen. So insted, I just hung out on the ship, and talked on the phone.

Saturday... well, that was not too bad either. I went to a farmers market for the first time and found a local coffee maker. The guy is really cool, so I got a free sample of his stuff, and I really like it. So when he gets his website back up and running I'm going to joing the coffee of the month club, and as Cousin Eddie puts it, "It's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year long". Granted he was talking about jelly, but we'll see what happens. That was pretty much it to Saturday other than talking to the Rockstar.

Sunday, well, Sunday was fun, I tried out a brand new church here. It's a methodist one, and other than the fact that I was one of the youngest people there (except for about 5 other people... maybe) it was a lot of fun. I really enjoy people who are in there twilight years, because I think/act a lot like them... for the most part. I like how my sister puts it, "When you where born, you came out with a grandpa sweater on". It ends up these people have been praying for a youngin' to come in and try and start a youth group thing, so we'll see what God has in store. I think I'm going to try and start one, and we'll see what happens. I'll be praying for it, if you'd like to also I would appreciate it.

So I've been reading, "Gone with the Wind" and I've got to tell you, at first I thought it was too long and drawn out, I mean once you finally finish up one day (after 5 chapters) I felt like I was getting no where in the book. But since half way through chapter 6, it's gotten great. Like I'm excited to read it when I get home later tonight.

Today, well, not much is going on, work was alright, dealing with a little bit of fallout still, but thats to be expected, and now I'm just counting days until the Rockstar comes to visit.

What doesnt kill you simply makes you... stranger

2008-08-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

This is the wonderful poster I bought the other day...

I love it, I'm so glad they finally got the Joker right, and heartbroken at what happened after the fact...

Why so serious?

Okie dokie arty-chokie

2008-08-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

So, here we go.

As you can see I have a profile picture up, finally. That has been a struggle since I opened this blog up. It hasnt been that fun, you see I'd try and get it, didnt work, try again, still not working, try a few more times, same result. Finally I'm about to give up on it, and I try it one last time, BAM! It works. Whos excited? This guy.

So lets have a recap of this past weekend shall we?

It started with Friday, I was suppose to go out to lunch with someone, but due to special circumstances, and me getting into a little bit of trouble at work (nothing big or important) we had to cancel. So then it went straight onto moving a friend of mine. Gannon and I helped him by just throwing stuff into a UHaul truck and then when we where on our way to his house to unload it, we where side tracked. One of Gannons coworkers called him for help when their brakes on the car they where driving locked up and almost caused a collision. So we went and helped them, by the time we where done, it was time for him to get ready for a wedding. So we headed back to his house and when him, and his wife went to the wedding, I stayed and watched the kids.

That was fun for the most part.

Saturday was... well... yeah. Myself and the Kane clan went to Busch Gardens and met up with one of there neighbors. After they dumped one of there kids on us, and we where done in the childrens area, we decided to leave. No roller coaster, just kid play time. Oh well, I guess it happens, we get one free ticked a year if you're in the military, and I had no previous plans on using it, so yeah.

After that we got back, rented some movies, I bought a Dark Knight movie poster of the joker (picture to come) and am going to be hanging it in my room very soon.

After watching Balls of Fury (Great rediculous movie with Christopher Walken), I talked to the Rockstar and she told me about the time she had with my family yesterday.

That brings us to today. So far nothing, I was going to go to church this morning but I didnt wake up in time, I'm still a little upset about that.

Alright took long enough but here it is...

2008-08-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

So, finally an overdue update right? Well, I suppose I should start from the beginning since that’s usually a great place to start.

So I went out to sea on Wednesday, and was suppose to be back in port on Thursday at 1200, and I had a flight to catch at 3:50, and it took off at 4:20. That should have been simple enough, however, what I’ve come to realize that things that SEEM simple enough, never really are. So what happens is, our time was changed for sometime around 3. I found out about this the day we left, so I voice my concern with my chain of command about how I’m not going to make my flight. So I spend pretty much all morning before we pulled out on the phone with The Rockstar and we’re trying to find a different flight for me. Just in case.

So we decided finally that we're not going to get me a second ticket, just pray and remain faithful. So I'm stressing out over the next day and a half, we pull in, I'm the first person off my ship, get to the airport, and make the flight as the door is closing on the plane. GOD IS GREAT.

So I make it home and my mom, dad, and the Rockstar where there to greet me. We went out to dinner at the Cracker Barrel, which was fun, and then Miss Rockstar and I schooled my mom and brother in a game of monopoly.

The next day I had breakfast with Andrew as usual, and then headed off to Indiana with bulldog and the Rockstar. That was interesting. I was the navigator, and did that matter? Not really. We took the same detour three times, and for some reason, the idea was stuck in a head that we where suppose to take 109 insted of 24 West (which we had taken the entire way and no mention of 109 where in the directions). All and all we made it safely over the river, and threw the woods to grandmothers house, and this was just great.

I finally got to meet her family. I loved every second of it. Thats all I can really say, I loved it, and I'm so glad that we went and did that. We celebrated my one year left in the Navy with a cake that the rockstar and her mom went and found for me, she suffered my going threw a comic book shop with great enthiusiasm, and we both ate wings at BDUBS and smeared our faces as usual.

We watched the opening of the olympics and commented how everything was going so well, and because if they didnt the Chinese government would have the people who messed up shot. Played some eucher, and had some hamburgers on a grill. I was really sad to leave, and come back here, but it's alright because she's coming out to visit, and I'm so excited about that!

Okay so I wanted to write this post a few days ago, but I have not gotten the chance. Now I’m pretty sure most of you (if not most than a majority) could relate to this. Okay, here, we go.

At work, I rarely enjoy myself, and usually (on a very busy day which are most days) everything has gone wrong by -0730. I mean everything. Paper work has been lost, people are u/a, other people want to curse out my master chief that are lower ranking and he gets mad and lets us know, someone is claiming I didn’t file something properly when they’re the idiots who messed it up, I mean everything. However there is hope for those of us who take part in that morning ritual. A right of passage in the Benson family, when a boy truly becomes a man. Not drinking alcohol in the morning to cope with the pain, no. Instead, grabbing that mug, going over and filling it with that nice, brown, smooth, sweet, sweet tasting, satisfying, wake me up before you go-go, fresh cup of coffee.

That’s right, the first cup of coffee for the day.

Personally, when I am sitting there in my desk, or up in Primary Flight Control and we had just started flight operations in the early morning hours and I need to wake up, world war three could be breaking out, but as that first gulp touches my lips, goes through my taste buds, and down to my stomach, all I hear is that serene morning sound that you used to find in old Disney cartoons. People will stand there and call my name for about 10 minutes and it’s not that I’m ignoring them, no. I’m just so focused on that cup, because for those precious few moments, all is right in the world.

It’s like when Ralphie got his Red Rider Beebe gun in the movie A Christmas Story. You see I never used to like drinking coffee, in fact for the first 20 years of my life I hated it. The closer I ever had been to liking it was when my dad and I would go down the street to food town, and he’d go and to the coffee isle, grab the bag with beans in it, and while they’d be grinding that smell, oh that beautiful aroma, would just fill the area, and I would just sit there and smile.

You I started thinking about that post on Tuesday morning when I was sitting in my office worrying about getting my new military ID because it expires on Sunday, and since I’m going to be home then I would have literally no time to get it done. So I said a prayer about getting it done, and had my first cup of the day, during those beautiful few minutes sitting there in my chair not a care in the world, master chief walks in, and says, Benson grab your stuff, I need a new ID an you’re coming with m” prayer answered. So I had enjoyed my cup, and had n answered prayer in the matter of 10 minutes. Great start to a day.

So then we went to the ID place, and there was a very, VERY long line. So after about waiting there for a half hour, I realized that I left something I needed at the office to get my ID. SO I sprint back (half way across base) to my ship, and grab it, and sprint all the way back. Round trip guess-ta-mate, I’d say 25-30 minutes. I come back, sweating like a dog in heat, and there had been no change to the line. So I’m sitting next to master chief, and he leans over and says, hot enough for you? Or did you decide to take a swim?”. He thinks he’s so funny sometimes I swear.

So we’re waiting there for about another hour, and finally we’re up to do the ID. I’m sitting there, and it’s finally an opportunity to engage in a conversation with someone. So I take full advantage, it went something like this:

Me: How are you doing today?
ID Person I’m good, you?
Me: I’m great now.
(awkward pause. She’s the same rank as me, and in an even worse rate than myself. A deck seaman, they have crappy hours and do even crappier jobs)
Me: So how where you lucky enough to lad this sweet job?
ID Person: This is my pregnancy tour.
(Awkward pause)
Me: Oh…. That’s cool.
ID Person: Yeah... Whatever
Me: So, are you trying to get a new job?
ID Person: Yeah I’m trying to become a paper pusher.
Me: Why?
(She starts getting annoyed)ID Person: Because I hate my other job.
Me: Being a mother?
ID Person: No…. deck seaman.
Me: Right…. I should have known…
ID Person: Yes, you should have. Okay time to take your ID photo.
Me: Can I smile for it?
ID Person: What?
Me: Can… I… Smile for it?
ID Person: Are you serious or are you just retarded?
Me: Both depending on the day.
ID Person: Um… I don’t see why not… so… yeah sure why not.
Me: Cool.

I hope that experience was as much fun for her as it was for me. You see I waited for a few hours to get that done, when it didn’t take that long, she just wasn’t wanting to work that day, so I kind of had fun with that, if you couldn’t tell by the conversation. So we get out and master chief grabs my ID , sees me smiling like an idiot, and says, “Well Benson, it fits you”.

It was a pretty sweet adventure.

Holy update Batman!

2008-08-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was a pretty good one. Right now the way things are looking is, I'm moving into a house with a friend of mine from the ship. Him and his wife and three kids... So far, so good. That's where I've been this weekend.

Friday:

I went to a going away lunch for my friend Joanne who is getting out of the Navy next week, after that I went to see The Dark Knight with my friend Gannon (who I'm moving in with), we went to the Imax theater here and it was AWESOME! Oh my gosh, I have no idea why you wouldnt want to see that movie not on an Imax screen. I love Batman so much. It was a good mix. After that, we went to the mall where I picked up the animated adventures of Batman from the early 90's. That was a great trip down memory lane, I used to watch that after Power Rangers (season one aka, the good season) when I lived with my grandma and grandpa during first grade. After that, I for the life of me cant tell you what we did other than I talked to Randi throughout the day, and then during our last conversation I mumbled something about The Joker doing something, realized what I said but it was too late, she caught it and, I have yet to live it down...oh well.

Saturday:
I woke up to the little boy Ethen in my room picking up all of my stuff saying, "whats this George" and throwing it around. Then he jumped on my... well... you get the picture. So from that point on I was up. So I decided to do some yard work while the family went out for a walk. So I grabbed the weed wacker, and went to town on the back yard. That was fun. After that, the family came home with some doughnuts, had a few, and Gannon, Ethen, and I went fishing. It was pretty fun, my weapon of choice was the pink barbie pole owned by Kenna, the oldest. It was about two and a half, maybe three feet long, and all pink. Excpet for the purple flowers on it. So after not catching any fish we decided to call it a day. After that we went and rented Drillbit Taylor, which was pretty good. See I'm not a huge Owen Wilson fan, but I liked him in this one. Not too shabby. After thatI pretty much did nothing for the rest of the night, other than the usual, talked to Randi.

Today:
I slept with my door locked to avoid any waking up before I had to. Got out of bed, made some waffles, took a shower, talked to Randi, jumped on the computer, do you remember Sclub7? I do, they used to have there own tv show on WB on saturday mornings like 6 years ago, anyways I found a video of tehres on youtube and watched it... that was funny. Then I watched some Batman cartoons with Ethen, and then ate some dinner, got a hair cut by a friend of ours, showered, and now I'm updating while Ethen is running around with a Superman tee shirt on acting like he's flying and all I want to do is yell, "traitor, we where watching Batman earlier!"

Welp thats pretty much it from me, I have duty tomorrow and thats it.

What not to do...

2008-07-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Alright, so today I'm up in flight deck triage, returing my maintence cards (which are one of the banes of my existance), and one of the medical corpman comes up to me and says, "Benson, have you had your shot yet?" and I'm thinking to myself, what is he talking about. So I tell him how I'm up to date in all of my shots.

So he goes away for a few minutes and comes back and says, "See HM3 for your PPD shot". I HATE this shot. The test to see if I have teburculosys. The shot that they barley put the needle into your skin and put all the medice right under the surface of it shot. How about a back story?

Some of you may know this, however most of you dont. I used to be absolutly terrified of needles. When I was sixteen my mom and a nurse had to hold me down so I could get a shot. It was just a normal, regular shot.

This all changed with boot camp. The first week of boot camp is all medical stuff. You get your medical record rebuilt... from scratch. So you have to walk down this passage way with about 10 guys on each side of you, and they're giving you shots in each arm. Regular needles, and air compressed needles. SO my way of thinking was, "I'm a man, I'm in the Navy, I wont freak out with a needle". So after repressing all of my fear of needles during boot camp, I kind of got over my fear.

Fast forward to deployment last year.

We're in medical and having to get our shots updated along with a new one. After getting this new one done, I wanted to cry under my desk. It hurt SO BAD.

So getting back to today, I was informed I had to get a shot. So I go and get in line, and by the time I'm up there I had been waiting for a few minutes. So I was thinking to myself, "I should have some fun" so I act like I'm a nervous to get the shot, and right before they go to put the needle in, like right as the person is about to poke threw the skin, I let out this HUGE scream. I thought it was hilarious, however the person doing the shot did not. With that being said, that is something I will never do again.

Even though it was hiliarious.

Oh! The places you'll go...

2008-07-28T09:26:00.001-07:00

So here I am today, I had to wake up very, very early this morning, and I went to bed around 11ish, and we flew up until about an hour and a half ago, and what happens? I am told we have to paint something that we painted last month because some idiot painted over our paint job with a differant color.

(5 hours pass)

Well just who got done painting? THIS GUY!

Nothing is really going on, so nothing really new to report. However if you want something good to read go to Randi's blog (aka The Rockstar) and read her most recent post. It's about a date that we went on when I was home, and the waitress from another planet.

Peace and chicken grease.

Heat of the moment...

2008-07-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

the best part of waking up, is maxwell house coffee in your custom painted coffee cup...

so not a whole lot has been going on at work, I just thought I'd throw up a picture of me and my favorite travel coffee mug.

I should be heading home sooner rather than later, and exploring the exotic land of Fort Wayne, IN. I'm not gonna lie, I'm really excited to do so. More than that though, I cant wait for Randi and I to school some people in Euchre, and make my parents cry when we beat them in Monopoly.

This trip is going to be fun. It will not be anywhere near as long, which is really upsetting, but I'm just happy I'll be able to spend time with her before she moves to Cali...

Back in VA and haze grey, and underway...

2008-07-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

So, a lot has happened since I updated last... lets think about this past week:

When I got back from being out to sea I went home on leave and was greeted at the airport by a beautiful woman, and from there went to dinner and hung out at my house. The next day we went up to Jackson for a rehearsal dinner and a wedding on Saturday. I really enjoyed myself at that. Got to meet a lot of really cool new people and, just had a lot of fun.

I saw Get Smart which was a lot of fun. That movie is very, very funny. So funny that I was truly laughing (some of you refer to this as, the lady killers laugh). Randi was kind enough to put her hand over my mouth to muffle the sound, that didn't work though.

Was it embarrassing? Probably. Did I care? I just have one thing to say, "Chuck Norris with a bee-bee gun".

Also while I was home I learned how to play the game Euchre. That was fun. After learning, I admit I lost a few games with my partner, but came back to school unsuspecting family members of my partner... fun times.

A trip to the Toledo Zoo proved interesting. A Jimmy Buffett concert with Big George proved to be a lot of fun. An a double date to see The Dark Knight was great. I wish I had more time at home, because quite frankly it was the best vacation I've ever had.

I could really go for some honey bunches of oats....

2008-07-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

I emailed this to someone earlier, but I felt it was such a good phrase, and it sums up what is going on right now in my job so well I've decided to use it agian.

I have met the Joker to my Batman.

I am now working with/for someone who not only doesnt listen, but because he thinks so highly of himself and the position he's in, it automatically qualifies him as knowing everything. Not only this but he yells at me for him not knowing something when (one of) my primary jobs is to teach him. But if he doesnt listen, how will he learn? Like that phrase? I read it from a chinese proverb book.

Somewhere, beyond the sea...

2008-07-08T22:05:00.000-07:00

Ahoy all!

I'm alive, and just wanted to take a second to update this and tell you guys that I can not wait to start my vacation. Safari's, festivals, awesomeness... It's gonna rock, and roll. Nay, it will rock the proverbial casaba.

Today was an extremely long day, and tomorrow will be longer I'm sure but I promise I will update.

Alrighty George out

The times, they are a changin'....

2008-07-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

While being in Boston, I've had some time (too much time) to myself. Time to think about what was going on in my life, what God is trying to show me, and I've realized that there are things that need to change. Things that the more I think about, the more they bother me, where the didnt earlier this week. He works in mysterious ways, and I love it.

I ask for your prayers to help me overcome these obsticals in my way.

2008-07-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

American Revolution War 25,000 KIA 25,000 Wounded
War of 1812 20,000 KIA 4,505 Wounded
Mexican-American War 13,283 KIA 4,152 Wounded
Civil War 624,511 KIA 281,881 Wounded
Spanish American War 2,466 KIA 2,930 Wounded
World War I 204,002 KIA 320,518 Wounded
World War II 670,846 KIA 1,076,245 Wounded
Korean War 36,516 KIA 103,284 Wounded
Vietnam War 153,303 KIA 211,454 Wounded
Gulf War I 299 KIA 467 Wounded
Gulf War II* 42,396 KIA 46,409 Wounded

1,792,622*KIA 2,076,845*Wounded
3,869,467* Total
*Numbers subject to change due to ongoing conflict

That is the price of freedom. That's not even every conflict that the United States has been involved in. Those are only the ones that people know about, the "major" ones. Some of them are my friends, some are my family members.

See, whether you agree with what goes on, or not, no matter what time period it is, we will always be there to protect you. I've been spit on (and at), almost peed on, had garbage thrown at me, my life threatened, called babykiller, and anything else you can probably think of. It's not an easy job that we do here, but that’s what it is. It's our job. We go when they say go, and do what they say to do. We do this because we want to, either for our entire life, or for a four year stint like me. I'm proud to wear the uniform of my country; I have nothing but pride in what I do with my job. I may complain about it, but who doesn’t?

See (unless you know someone in the military), people don’t realize how long we spend away from our families, and if you're married and have kids how much that can strain a relationship. I spend more time away from the people I really care about then I do with them. It's not easy, and sure, it's only for a short period of time, but do you know how much can change in that time? When I left my sister was a sophomore in high school, this year she starts her sophomore year of college. I missed her high school graduation because I was in Kuwait. It's not an easy thing, but someone has to do it.

In every one of those conflicts I listed above, I've had a family member actively involved. War cries rang out and filled them with patriotism, "Remember the Maine", "Don’t forget Pearl Harbor", "Taxation without Representation", those are just a few.

Yesterday was the one year mark since I had come home from the Middle East. Today is the second Independence Day since I've become a veteran of a foreign war. Today I celebrate it in Boston, MA, home to the USS Constitution, Paul Revere, John Adams, Sam Adams, the Sons of Liberty, Boston Tea Party, and Bunker Hill. Bunker Hill is where the revolution started, the first skirmish between the British and Americans.

I (personally) don’t do this job for a thank you. I do it because I love the freedoms and opportunity this country gives you. I do it so I don’t have to worry about walking down the street and someone stopping me to check for travel papers. I do it so my family can go to the mall safely, so Dan can go to school without worries. So Randi can become a pastor. So Diane can do her crafts however she wants to. So my church can worship together freely and without worrying anything will happen to them. So Lori can create whatever art she wants to.

Sure it gets frustrating that whenever I go out to sea my life is on pause, and everyone else is still going without dropping a beat, yeah it sucks when people that I'm friends with back home die and I cant go home to the funeral because I need to be here doing my job so you guys can sleep soundly at night.

If you see a veteran today, say thank you, take today and celebrate the freedoms this country offers you today. Try and hold onto this patriotism for the rest of the year. Thats my challenge for you.

Happy Independence Day.

Happy Independance Day.

For Boston...

2008-07-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

For Boston for Boston, we sing our proud refrain for Boston for Boston 'tis wisdom's earthly fame
for here are all one and our hearts are true and the towers on the heights reach the heavens own blue.
for boston for boston 'til the echoes ring again!

For Boston for Boston thy glory is our own
for Boston for Boston 'tis here that truth is known
and ever with a right shall our heirs be found 'til time shall be no more and thy work is crowned
for Boston for Boston thy glory is our own!

I've been waiting to come here for years now. The only problem is there is no Dropkick Murphys show...

Oh well! I'm here anyways!

Two in one?

2008-06-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Okay so here is the other part of the post that I said would be coming... I know two in one day... Yeah buddy!

Now the pictures to the left of the screen, that is what your chapel looks like. Who's that standing up there infront of everyone? Oh yeah, thats me... the first one is of me doing the welcoming

This one would be introducing the chior/telling everyone to get there Bibles out and flipping to the scripture I was about to read. This service was so awesome. Not just because I was able to help out like that, but you could feel His presence in the room. It was by far one of the best worship services I've ever been to. God is good!

I can not imagine doing anything cooler in life for a job, working in the word. I cant wait to go to school.

Nothing else is really going on, just waiting around to hit port. I go home in a few days, and like I said below, I'm very, very excited about it. I am in dire need of that vacation, and it's going to rock better than an 80's hair band... not that, that would be hard to do, I'm just saying, it's gonna be zopity. Especially one night in particular.

Alright all, I've gotta be getting down to the rack and getting some shut eye for the evening. I'll write more soon.

third times a charm...

2008-06-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Blogger,

Why wont you let me update this post? This is the third time, please stop playing with my emotions.

Cordially
George

Okay, so I just check my blog for the first time in two days, I wrote a post two days ago, and thought I published it, here is what it was:

I’m finally out of New Jersey. I have never had so much loathing for a state in my life, but how could I from the state that brought us such greats as Kevin Smith, Bruce Springsteen, and Bon Jovi? Well I’m not a stoner, he’s not my boss, and I’m not an 80s kid… that maybe the reason… that and there are more reasons, but I don’t want to go into them. Those are some of the main ones.

So not much is going on, I’m just sitting out here… in the middle of the ocean… haze grey and underway one might say. You know I like being out to sea, but I do enjoy being home more, especially if there is more going on. I can not wait to go on leave. I’ve got a pretty packed schedule thus far, and you know what, I’m very, very excited about it. A wedding, cedar point, a safari, a festival, monopoly, jimmy buffett with my dad. It’s going to rock.

Alright I’ll write more later.

Riveting post wasn’t it? I know you’re begging for more. Okay twist my arm, here I go.

So, my dad isn’t what you’d call “technologically savvy”. I just received my first email from him yesterday, and this is what it said:

dear mike,

i'm a little worried about ya. i heard some kid fell off the short yellow school bus and i know you don't always wear your helmet. so i hope you're well.

love,
dad

I love my dad for reasons like that. He always tries to make me laugh no matter the situation.

So here is some pretty sweet news. Tomorrow I am going to be doing the welcoming speech for our church service on the ship, as well as reading the scripture. It’s Isaiah 43:14-28 and Matthew 6:26-34. I’m so PUMPED about this! God is so great, I can not WAIT to serve Him tomorrow with everyone else on my ship!

Alright, I’ve got to get to bed now, I’ll update again tomorrow and let you know how it went.

New Joisey... sucks

2008-06-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

I love how God uses people when we least expect it.

You see I have duty today, and much like other duty days, I have watch. I had watch earlier and I was out in the HOT sun for over 4 hours this afternoon and about two hours ago I found out I have another watch, from midnight to four in the morning, then I get to get up and work tomorrow. JOY!

This entire time I found this out i was less than happy to say the least. I'm sick of people not standing watch and me getting screwed with two of them... ALL THE TIME.

See it had not occured to me that lately I've been praying for paitences (among other things). I run into a guy on the ship as I was getting some caffeen so I can stay awake and he asked me why I looked so upset. So I told him, and told him how I've been trying to figure out what He's been trying to teach me with two and a half years of double watches, then he said it.

Paitences.

God is giving me the opportunity to be paitent and I'm blowing it famously. It's just so amazing how we (atleast myself) can be so blinded by whats going on, and not realize what actually is the cause of all of it.

I just thought I'd share that since I havent updated for a few days.

Ps.
I hate New Jersy.

Haze grey and underway... again!

2008-06-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I'm out to sea today, and not in too good of a mood, and right when I was in the middle of sending out an email, a guy knocks on my office door, and says "Benson you've got mail" and I'm like what? Who would I be getting mail from? So then I get it and the return address says Margaritaville. Then I get really thrown off because I've never had anything shipped to the ship from a Jimmy Buffett website, everything goes to my house. So I open it up and what do I find?

THIS!!!

When I saw this I about pooped myself. I can not begin to discribe how excited I was/am about it. It's my litte piece of joy since my email inbox is not going to be filling up over the next few days... but that happens, it's for a better cause.

This isnt really that much of a post, but there will be a better one coming either tomorrow night, or Sunday, stay tuned for some pictures to come here on the bad boy of a blog!

Is that a good enough update? :*);)8)

Bu-bu-bu bummm, dum dee dum....

2008-06-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

You cant tell by reading that, but it's the Indiana Jones theme... why you ask? Oh because I'm doing a marathon of them. Last night was Raiders of the Lost Ark, tonight is Temple of Doom, and tomorrow is Last Crusade... and yes I'll probably go out Tuesday night and pay to see Kingdom of the Crystal Skull... again. I love these movies.

I know it's pathetic, but I honestly dont care. These make me want to hop on a cargo ship, and just travel the world, and have all sorts of adventures... is there anything wrong with that?

Honestly how sweet would it be to live that life of travel? That's my dream job.

Enough with that.

So fathers day is Sunday and I have no idea what I'm going to do for my dad. Not that it matters because I've not been home for it for the past three years now, but still, one day I'd like to be able to celebrate things with them again... oh well.

I found out it's cheeper for me to go to an out of state school than it is to go to one in Michigan, not that I'm really upset about that, but I just found it interesting. Oh well.

So I did change my layout completely. I didnt want to at first but it would only let me change like 6 colors and the font, so then I was like screw this, and changed the entire thing... still not too sure about it, but we'll see what happens I guess.

new layout?

2008-06-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to change the layout of the ol'e blog... what do you think?

india mike yankee mike bravo

2008-06-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

Since receiving numerous emails, and one comment here is what "bug" is.

Most people call it the "roach coach", it's official name is the "mobile canteen" I call it "bug", because the people who work in it are dirty and look like bugs, but they make the best hamburgers next to my own... and I really want one now...

I hope that helps.

2008-06-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

So I'm out to sea again. It's a pretty fun time with one exception. There is no bug.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, its back to work I go...

2008-05-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

So here's the deal, I'm back in big bad Virginia, I had my little 5 days of leave, and I must say, it is the best vacation I've ever had. Let me tell you what happened...

Wednesday- I flew home, got in Detroit at around 6ish, then went to see my mom at the hospital because she was working, then my dad and I got some White Castle, then we went home. Tyler came over to watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (since he hadnt seen it and needed to see it before we went to Indiana Jones 4), then I dressed up like Indy (because I'm cool). Morgan and Matt came over, the brought the gift of burger king with them, we finished the movie, then met Heather at the movies.

Thursday- Midnight we watched INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. I love those movies. After going to bed and waking up again I went to Maggies Cafe, ate some breakfast and people watched. Then Jake "J-luv" joined me. From there we went and did a tour of the schools starting at Temperance, then BJHS to see Mr. Robinson, and finally ended on the high school to see a few teachers. I ran into Dave who we made plans to hang out at my house later that night, and Mr. Murphy. I mentioned to him that I was going to be in Jackson Friday morning threw Sunday evening and that we should do something. So I go home, mow my lawn (oh and mowing the lawn and texting at the same time is not as easy as you'd think), and then waited for Dave to come over. Part of why I like coming home so much is so I can hang out with Dave and my dad, always a good time, espically when they start there story telling. That lasts through the night.

Now for the weekend, or as I like to call it:
"The finest Jackson has to offer 3 day tour '08"
Friday- I get up, shower, iron my uniform for Sunday, and another shirt, then hit the road. I made it to Jackson a little after 12, met up with Randi and then ate lunch with her and her roommate. After that, we (Randi and I) went to what is commonly refered to as, "The Scare Home". I must admit after hearing about this place, and it's inhabitits for a while, I was quite excited to visit it and meet the locals. I had been warned that only two other people that have been there with her had enjoyed it. When we got there it was like something I had never imagined, and I really enjoyed it. After we where done we went to this place called Art 634 which is a local "Michigan Art Gallery". It was pretty neat. The woman who ran one of the shops in it had the same pair of Chucks on that I did so we started talking, I mentioned how I wanted to wear them to a wedding and she interpreted it as Randi and myself being engaged. That was funny, but what was funnier was the reaction from the both of us I think. Needless to say she found out that wasnt the case. We went back to her apartment and then decided to find a park to go walk around. We found a Putt-Putting course insted and I lost pretty badly. Thats all I want to say about it... After that we decided to go and get some wings, so we went to this place called Wing Station, waited for a few minutes to get our seats and then decided to order 40 wings. Yes 40. So during our eating there was this family who was sitting next to us, and there children there, and one was standing up and the mother who was with the group looked at her and bellowed in a mans voice, and I mean deep mans voice, rattle your bones mans voice, "SIT DOWN". Those of us who looked away where laughing, and those who stared at her where in shock. It was quite great. After that we tried to make the tail end of a car show, but missed it pretty much completely. So after wondering around downtown Jackson for a hour or so, we saw a fountian, and an old movie theatre which looked like the inside of the theatre from Phantom of the Opera. So after that we went back and watched Becoming Jane. End of tour day 1.

Saturday- The best day of the trip. We woke up and pretty much lounged around for a few hours. Randi was kind enough to make me some monkey bread for breakfast which was so good. I've had a huge craving for it, for a little while and it quenched it. Once we mustered up the energy to leave, we went to this place where you painted your own pottery, so I picked out a travel mug and she got a regular coffee cup, and we painted them. After that we decided we wanted to get osme wings again, so we went back and got some more. I love wings. So after that we decided to head back, so once we got back we layed around again, did some reading, and then she made me some chicken tacos, which where really, really good. My first time having them and I'll probably have some more again. Little did we know how much was going to be going on that weekend when I showed up, I picked the best time to go. It ends up there was a Memorial Day celibration at Cascades Falls Park. So we decided to do the "green thing" and walked there, the weather was perfect, and when we got there, the band was playing, and there where so many people out and about. It was great. So we go and run into Hilary who is the newly crowned Jackson Rose Queen. So we talked to her for a few, and I was shown the wonderful color changing falls. After that we sat and watched the band, and then the fireworks, and walked back. There where some great conversations that where had, and just so much fun. I bought a postcard from the Jackson gift shop that had a picture of the prison and that said, "Jackson Prison, having so much fun, wish you where here", and a trucker hat that said Cascades Falls, Jackson Michigan. After all that was over, I decided to school her in Indiana Jones since she had never seen it. So we watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. End of tour day 2.

Sunday- Woke up at 6 something , put on the ol'e uniform and we went to church. It was such a great service, and a great experiance getting to know the people she had talked so much about. After that we went to a graduation party and kicked it back to T-town. Once we came back we met up with my family at my aunts house for a few minutes and then left to go see Indy 4 (yes I saw it again), and so we did that, everyone loved it which I was very relieved to hear, then we went back to my house and schooled my parents in Monopoly. Then did some more reading, and called it a night. The tour ended on day 3 at 6 pm.

Monday- Had breakfast with Andrew and had another great conversation, then he showed me how is basement was coming along and got to see Emily and Ailey which was great. Then I went home and hung with the family, then she came over and we hung out for a little bit. She left, I ate with my family, saw Diane and Morgan, and left.

Best vacation ever.

I can count my abc's all the way to potato...

2008-05-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

A- Attached or Single? Single
B- Best Friend? Dan
C- Cake or pie? Cake, I've only had pie a few times
D- Day of Choice? anyday between Thursday and Sunday
E- Essential Item? water
F- Favorite Color? Blue or green
G- Gummy bears or worms? Worms
H- Hometown? temperance
I- Favorite Indulgence? hang time I guess
J- January or July? January because it's my birthday... July is nice too
K- Kids? not yet
L- Life isn't complete without? faith
M- Marriage date? whenever my future wife decides it is
N- Number of brothers and sisters? 2
O- Oranges or apples? Oranges
P- Phobias and fears? snakes
Q- Quote? it's not the years, it's the mileage - Indiana Jones
R- Reason to smile? hang time
S- Season of Choice? Fall
T- Tag 3 people- dan priest, ken fun, and BJ
U- Unknown facts about me? my stomach doesnt produce enough acid so i usually get a stomach ache after each meal
V- Vegetable- not yet and hopefully never will be
W- Worst habit? biting my nails, especially when i'm nervous
X- X-ray or Ultrasound? neither if I can help it
Y- Your favorite food? hamburger
Z- Zodiac Sign? Aquarius

Yesterday, Today, and Forever...

2008-05-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

Alright, so here's the deal(ie) yo... I hate stoopid people, espically when they think that they know everything when really they dont. I swear sometimes working here is like being around a few thousand teenagers.

Today my dad has his first art expo at the Monroe Exposition Center, also known as the place the Monroe County Fair is held at. I am really happy for him, I'm glad to see he's finally able to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Alright so a week from today I will have seen Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull atleast twice. Who's excited about this? I am... and the rest of the world, but mainly this guy... shut up I'm cool.

I tell you what, it has been one of those days, I really dont eat too much junk anymore, but I'm about to tear into a Butterfinger because I really think I deserve one after today. I'm not going to dive into it too much because I dont want to rehash it all, but just know it sucked.

I dont think I can begin to discribe how excited I am to go home on Wednesday. I mean I say that everytime, but honestly, Indiana Jones 4, a trip up northeast-ish, hangtime, honestly, I think this is going to be a very, very good trip. I'm very excited like I said.

Thanks for the memories...

2008-05-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Alright, so this past week/weekend was a great one. I'd like to start off by saying that.

Lets start with last week shall we? Yes I think so. I was out to sea, and thats pretty much all I have to say about that.

Friday was some friends from high schools wedding, and I flew in just in time to make the reception so I was pretty happy about that. I didnt stay that long because I had to take care of a family issue, and I had pressing plans with another friend who was in from out of town and we had made plans to hang out. So after the family thing was done, we hung out, and I gotta say, it was great.

Saturday I went to a soccer game, and it was a brutal one. It was really good though, great way to spend Saturday morning, and I am still happy that I was invited. After that I went out with a friend to pick up a mothers day present and a new monopoly game since I was scheduled to make Cole cry by beating him so bad with the aliance. However some people had decided to make an assumption here and there, so that fell threw, however I did play a very rousing game of Pictionary and kicked major butt. After that I was introduced to the Wii... I really, really liked it. That was pretty much all of Saturday.

Sunday was fun, I really enjoy going home to church because usually the sermon speaks directly to me and this time was no exception. After that I went out with Hays and kinda just hung out/last minute mothers day things, and then went out to dinner with my family. The best part of the night though was later on. After 14 years my parents finally let me play Monopoly with them. It was a team game, and my partner and I rocked the casbah, others may not say that, but the original game ended when my dad went to sleep.

That pretty much brings me up to now, and this time next week I should be home, and soon to watch INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. I shushed a friends mom when that preview came on, I still feel bad for it. I'm pretty excited.

Haze grey and underway...

2008-05-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

So, for the first time since last summer, we're out to sea. Am I happy about this? Yes, however there are a few things I can not do while out here, but things like planning, and replanning I am allowed to do, so that's what I'll be doing to keep myself busy, unlike usual :*)

I was on duty yesterday, fortunatly I did not have a watch, however I was stuck doing a few peoples jobs. But that's just the nature of the beast. Yesterday went by pretty fast, it's like 7 hours just disappeared and dont know where they went, but that happens I guess... oh well I'm not complaining.

I have a to do list while I'm out here of differant types of pictures I have to take, and will most likely put them in the order of which they have been written down, so I hope you enjoy them... that is if I'm not being lazy enough to put them up.

So there was this one time that I was told to put these two eight foot tall, four foot wide black canvas sheets up in this room thats painted black, and there's no light on, and I had to make sure they where put up in the right spots. That was fun. I just got done doing that... oh joy!

Welp, I have a little bit of planning to do still so if anything interesting happens I'll write tomorrow, or I'll do it anyways so that some of you can have an update.

No real point to this one.

2008-05-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

So last night was a very late night. I pulled an all nighter. Six hours of greatness is why I was up all night. Would I have changed it for anything? No. :*)

Well I just got off the phone with my dad, we talked for about an hour and a half. It was really good. Him and I always have really good conversations, he's one of the lucky few I can talk to for long periods of time... of course by comparison a hour and a half is not that long compared to other conversations I've had.

Can I just say I'm really excited for summer? I mean whats not to love about it? Picinics, swimming, outdoor activities, it's just all so great.

This weekend has not been very productive for me. Well I take that back, I dont feel like I've done very much physically this weekend. Oh well.

This entry is not really exciting. I felt like updating it, but I have nothing really to say other than Cole is going to cry like the day he was born.

Peace Dawggs.

Be holy, because I am holy

2008-05-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

So today was pretty great. Every Monday-Friday we have a prayer meeting, and Monday the Chaplian asked me to lead it and I of course said yes. Now this is the second or third one I've led, and my turn out until today was bagel. Today I had one person show up, and it was great. I had forgotton I was asked to lead this one until about 45 minutes before I was suppose to go and do it. So I threw together a quick message about glorifying God while in the Navy and how it can be hard sometimes. I also used some of Jesus' teachings as examples.

I'm not gonna lie, it was really off the cuff. Redundent at times because I was stumbling for what to say, but none the less it was a great experiance. Not to mention we spent about 45 just glorifying and sharing testimony. I can not wait to do it again.

Speaking of things I cant wait for, The Office is on tonight... my one vice it seems like. I'll never forget the episode Pam and Jim went to that gazebo. It was pretty schweet. Yeah I said (typed) schweet. :*). What?

So I went to Target and I bought a coffee mug. I love it. It's not as cool as the CTU one I had for like a year and a half but it's still pretty sweet. I love target.

The End.

Quote time

2008-04-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

"I wanted to pick up my bible and throw it at them and say, 'Leave room for the Holy Spirit'"

When I heard that, I started laughing very, very hard. I just wanted to share that.

I'm a new soul, I came to this strange world...

2008-04-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

I'm not gonna lie, today was a good day. I had a great conversation on the phone, and it has just put me in a really great mood because I was not ever expecting to hear somethings that where said.

Yesterday and the day before I was hanging out with my friends down here Gannon, his wife, and three children. It was a lot of fun, the oldest daughter (who's like 4) asked me to sing and dance with her which is not something I normally do but it was fun anyways.

Yesterday I went to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens which was really, really nice. I had no idea that place exhisted so that was cool.

Not much else going on, it's about 100 degrees in my office so I'm sweating pretty nice. I'll probably give a better update tomorrow after church.

Wire my mouth shut

2008-04-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

What should I be doing right now? Studying for my four hour oral board tomorrow, but since I've developed a headache from two hours of nonstop studying I think it's time for a break.

So here's whats been going on, Monday was an alright day, Tuesday was the longest day I've had since July. It hurt physically, mentally, and everything else. Plust I had duty so as soon as I was done with my 14 hour work day I (pretty much) rolled right into watch.

Today I went to the dentist because my jaw is out of whack and cracks all the time, and locks open (on occasion) and I have to his it back into place, so they told me that the only way to fix it really is to wire it shut for two weeks... yay.

But in other news, I'm currently in the process of planning something awesome for the next time I come home, so stay tuned for that, hints may be posted here as to what it is... or is not.

Welp back to studying I suppose.

What does Gods praises look like to you?

2008-04-20T15:26:00.000-07:00

So I have felt pretty much worthless all weekend because I cant think of anything in particular that I've done that was really worth while. I've had some great conversations, went to church, watched a really good movie, and hung out in downtown Norfolk all day yesterday, but that's about it.

I was asked this morning, "What does Gods praises look like to you?". This is a good question. What does Gods praises look like to you? To me it comes in a few different ways. So I just thought I'd ask you that question, let you think about it for a while.

I'd like to point out (not that I'm counting down or anything) that Indiana Jones 4 comes out in one month and two days... I know I'm awesome.

Last night I was up until 3:45(ish) am, and I was really enjoying myself. That is the latest I've stayed up in a while, I cant remember the last time I stayed up that late. I think that's why I feel so lazy today, but was it worth it? Yes. Yes it was.

Today it was raining really, really hard out, but the thing that upset me the most is that the sun was shining and it had to have been 75 degrees out. I hate it when the weather messes with my head like that.

Do you ever just feel like this?:

Miss Scarlet in the study with the blog comments

2008-04-19T04:09:00.000-07:00

So remember that one time when I wasn't suppose to have duty yesterday but I did anyways? I do it was SWEET. So I stayed up till about 2:30 this morning talking on the phone, which I never do, but I did anyways knowing full well I had to be up at 6. So I finally go to bed, wake up what feels like minutes later, get dressed, brushed my teeth, shaved, walked up stairs to my office, started working on something, they call away a muster for E-5 and below, I go down there only to find that I'm not on duty anymore. They secured my section sometime in the middle of the night and didnt tell anyone... AWESOME. I was pretty excited about that, knowing that instead of sitting here I could still be sleeping. Which I'm going to do in a few minutes.

Moving on....

So four years ago I had another blog, and there was a period when Lucas Wells and Brittney Hernandez started dating that some random person targeted my blog to leave me hate comments. Now only a few people in Soiree actually cared about those two dating, I was not one of them. I didnt know who Lucas was, and I had just met Brittney so I could care less, I just kinda sat in the corner and chilled out with Dan Priest, we move to the beat of our own drums.

Now, because other people where writing things on there little blogs and xangas about not wanting those two to be together or whatever (like I said I didnt care about that), SOMEONE who shall remain nameless started posting random hate comments on my blog. I never mentioned anything about those two on it, until I made Brittney cry my senior year, but thats a whole year later. So these comments lasted for a little bit, and they would always be anonymous and they would really burn my biscuits because they where just flat out mean, and I (for once) wasnt doing anything. So time goes on, this person targets more and more, and I get more and more annoyed to the point where a few things happen, and it was just not cool.

So I found out within the past few days who it was and I gotta say, at first I was a little taken back, especially since I didnt know them then, but once I got over the initial shock of it all, I thought it was really, really funny. I mean had I had known during the time this whole thing was going on, I dont know what I would have done, but now, wow, it's pretty darn funny. So I would really like it if this person (you know who you are) would stop worrying about whether or not I'm still upset about it, because if I was, then it would be really, really childish.

I'm pretty sure the only person that reads this thing that would remember when that happened is Dan, so Dan that part was for you... and the person(s) involved.

Alright I'm off to bed... again

You dont das make the boss man frown

2008-04-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

I was shreadding documents earlier today while at work, and watching Fox News with someone and they where interviewing a few of the females who are from the raided pyligomyst ranch and this conversation ensued with someone and myself:

Guy: Benson, thats what you're going to do when you get out isnt it, start a colony and do all sorts of freaky sh*t?
Me: What? No, thats not how I roll.
Guy: That one has 14 kids, you know she's got some skill.
Me: Or they just did it 14 times...
Guy: Then why would he keep coming back huh?

So I'm sitting here listening to music and the song, "Ol' Man River" pops up on the playlist. It's an interesting song to begin with, here are the lyrics:

Here we all work long the mississippi
Here we all work while the white folk play
Pullin them boats from the dawn till sunset
Gettin no rest till the judgment day
Dont look up and dont look down
You dont das make the boss man frown
Bend your knees and bow your head
And pull that rope until your dead
Let me go way from the mississippi
Let me go way from the white man boss
Show me that stream called the river jordan
Thats the old stream that I long to cross.
Ol man river, that ol man river
He dont say nothin, but he must know somethin
He just keeps rollin, he keeps on rollin along
He dont plant tatters, and he dont plant cotton
And them what plants em, are soon forgotten
But ol man river, just keeps rollin along
You and me, we sweat and strain
Body all achin and racked with pain
Tote that barge and lift that bail
You get a little drunk and you lands in jail
I gets weary, and sick of trying
Im tired of livin, but Im scared of dyin
But ol man river, he just keeps rolin along

Incase you havnt figured it out, it suppose to be black man singing it, but why is my version so interesting? Because it's Frank Sinatra, the Chairman of the Board himself... I just thought I'd share that.

God knows I've gotta break free...

2008-04-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Okay so I just got off watch becasue I have duty today, and I get to go back on in four hours... whos excited? Not this guy.

So I was home this weekend, and for those of you I saw, it was great to have seen you. Didnt really do too much, Saturday I went to Sommerset Mall with Tyler and his mom and sister, after that I went home, took care of a few things and that was that. Not a bad weekend all and all. Watched Sweeny Todd, saw little Aaron "Ace Rubicon" Majewski, went to church, it was a good time.

HOWEVER my flight back... a differant story. To start off, we where delayed, but once that was done I was sat next to a 300lb woman who wheezed and complainied about the fact that we where running late... fun stuff!

Alright so now I'm gonna go now and color in my Veggie Tales coloring book that someone gave me today... shut up I'm cool.

Remember that one time when...

2008-04-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

Okay so, I came home tonight, and what normally should have been an easy 20 minute ride from the airport to Lawernce Tech. To stay with Tyler for the night did not turn out that way... buckle your seat belts becasue we're going for a ride...

So, we pulled out of the parking garage and decided that we wanted to go to Summorset Mall (which according to Tyler is a great one). The whole trip there from the airport should have taken about a half an hour. This was not the case. So we get on the interstate, and we start trucking it there, and Tyler had to pee (that comes into play later).

So what happens is we get into absolute gridlock. We where bumper to bumper for about two hours all and all. So about a half hour into it, he's complaining how bad he has to pee, and I'm squeezing his bladder, and making referances to how great it is to pee when you need to. While the entire time trying to convince him to pee in a Gatoraide bottle. He says he wont do it.

SO about a hour and a half into it, we moved maybe a quater mile, and I had finally convinced him to pee in the bottle. So Jeff, the other passenger in the car, had deicded to take the drivers seat, so we had a chinese fire drill, and the door Tyler needed to go into shut, and I locked him out of the car for a few seconds, which was really funny. So once we let him back in, he finally got started and peed into the bottle.

So after he did his buisness, we let them switch seats again, so I had to lock him out of his own car again... I know I'm mean, but it was too funny not to do it. So once we made it finally threw the traffic, only to find out that there was a 23 car pile up, and we where on the wrong interstate, and in the wrong direction.

So we went to Carabou Coffee to regroup, only to find out we where in Novi, and that a Mongolian BBQ was in the area. So after calling information to ask directions how to get there, we only then realized we had no idea where we where, what streets where around, and al that other fun stuff.

So after looking we made it there, and had quite possibily the gayest waiter in the world, who I kept calling sweetie.

Ate some great food, and then we finally made it to "Larry Tech" which is where I am updating this...

I'll write more tomorrow.

I wanna be there, I wanna go back down and die beside the sea there....

2008-04-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm coming home tomorrow, and I'm very excited about that. Detroit Friday night with T-Hays, and then home Saturday. Nothing is more exciting then that feeling... I think something else is going on but I cant remember what it was... hum... if only something was to jog my memory... oh well.

Saw the new episode of The Office tonight, and was completely giddy during the entire thing. I dont think words can discribe how happy I was/am about that.

A'ight homies, peace.

With a tin cup as a chalice...

2008-04-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

So today I actually got off a little early, and went to Cheeseburger in Paradise. It was so great, I love that place. Great atmosphere, great music, great food and drinks, it was what I needed.

Tomorrow THE OFFICE HAS A BRAND NEW EPISODE! I'm pretty excited about that. The only year during my enlistment I'm finally able to watch a regular season of television, get caught up on everything, and what happens? A writers strike. What are the odds...

I bought two more Jimmy Buffett CD's today, so that was pretty cool, and I finished writing my first sermon, which needs some editing, but none the less, I cant wait to get started with that part when we start going back out to sea. Leading prayer meetings, and on occasion delivering sermons if I feel like it. I'm very, very excited about that. All and all a pretty successful day.

I really want some monkey bread though...

Yes I am a pirate 200 years too late....

2008-04-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

So in my (not so many) years on this Earth, would I ever imagine I'd hear something quite as... what is the word, umm, unique as this. Now I warn you this may be offensive to some, and here we go:

Guy: Thats right Benson, marry someone who is ugly, but smart. That way you never have to worry about her cheating on you, and she can get the job with the cash flow, so you can stay home all day and she'll be your cash cow.

Me: If thats the case, why are you here and not doing some civilian job, or atleast stay at home and have her as your, "cash cow" (yes I did do finger quotations during the converstation).

Guy: Well, because I'm an idiot, and she didnt get really ugly until a year ago.

Me: What? That doesnt make any sense.

Guy: Yeah it does, the day after the honeymoon she stopped wearing makeup.

It was really awkward. Not only was the converstation just awkward to have in general, but to make it that much better, I couldnt really take him serioius, since he's whiter than me and more thugged out than Snoop Dogg. I just thought I'd share that.

So I was watching the Travel Channel earlier, and I see that they have a new host for Cash & Treasure. Kinda threw me off. I know I said this in my last post, bu honestly, how awesome woudl it be to work for them. I mean hosting would be great, but heck, I dont care if I where the boom michraphone operator, you still get some sweet travel.

A rose by anyother name...

2008-04-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Question:

If we where married, and had two boys, would you let me name one Nimrod and the other Ace Rubicon?

So I'm pretty upset that Chuck Heston died... I blame Dr. Zaius, not this "sickness", that darn dirty ape just wouldn't keep his hands off him.

Alright, I have a confession to make. I love 80's music. More importantly the song, "Video Killed the Radio Star". Have you ever seen that video? YouTube, do it, do it now! IT'S SO AWESOMELY BAD!

But the only thing better than 80s music the first time it's released, is when punk bands cover it, because they think, "hey this song sucks, so we'll cover it and make it awesome" but they just end up making it equally as bad, if not more so.. it love this cycle because it never ends.

So I'm reading a book right now called, "The Bible Unearthed" which is an archaeological look at where the Garden of Eden could have been, Canaan, and a bunch of other places in the Old Testament, and I'm really liking it. You see if (for some reason) I cant be a Youth Minister, or do something in the word, my second dream job would be as a host on the travel channel (or discovery) going to the Holy Land, and just doing specials on them, there is so much to do, and cover, it's amazing... and doing it on someone elses dime would be great so I dont have to pay for it... I'm just a poor government employee.

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

2008-04-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I was pretty much worthless, I slept all day. Not that I'm really upset about that, because I needed the rest, but I almost felt bad... oh well..

There was a point where I was not asleep, and me and my friend Pedro went to go see "21". The movie was a lot better than I thought it would be, I mean I doubt I'll see it again, but it was still pretty good none the less.

I'll be home in less than a week, and I cant begin to discribe how happy I am about that, I'm in very much need of a break, and to just do nothing. Happy Times.

So today I'm on duty, and I'm not too happy about that (surprise surprise), right now I only have one watch, but I doubt it'll stay like that for too long, thats just how they roll. Its raining, cold, 20 mile an hour winds, and I get to walk around outside for 4 hours tonight... very excited am I.

Welp I'm out gangsta'

I got a feelin', and it's called the blues...

2008-04-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from seeing a musical. It's called "Hank Williams: Lost Highways". All I have to say is, I'm glad I'm not Hank Williams. For someone who died at age 29, had 10 years in the spotlight, with music that he wrote that changed a lot of how people wrote it, for Country and Western, he had a crappy life. Cronic back problems, alcoholic, pills, ect... it would have sucked.

Needless to say though, it was one of the best musicals I've seen. I mean I really dont like a whole lot of country music, and since all the music in the show was Hank Williams songs, but still yet, if you have the oppotunity to see it, then see it.

Here is the picture I promised from my last post I believe:

I have tomorrow off. I dont think I can begin to discribe how happy I am I get to sleep in. I havnt slept in since, well, sometime in mid-March. I plan on doing as little as possible, probably take some pictures of what Norfolk looks like and put up on this bad boy... eh?

Lets see, since it's still Friday, that means one week till I go home, one week till a birthday, one week till I get to see everyone that I want to see... I'm very excited.

So I really dont feel like going all the way down to my rack and going to sleep... espically since the berthing is full of drunken idiots. Oh well...

Alright, welp, peace out my dawggs, I'll holla at ya'll to-mara 'ight?

"Learn to play all our hunches..."

2008-04-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

God has made something very clear to me. It was made very clear to me a few weeks ago. It is going to be tough, and thats all I can really say.

I cant wait to come home, work is really starting to get to me. It's rare when it happens but when it does, oh boy does it ever. See since I live onboard, I can never get away from it. I try not to let it bug me, but then it starts to even more.

I cant wait to start college.

On the bright side though, The Office starts up again a week from today. Who has two thumbs and is excited about that? (Point thumbs at myself) THIS GUY!

So I have this mini statue of Don Quhote on my desk that I bought in Cadiz, Spain on my way back from the Middle East, and no one (except three people) that is in my department knows who it is. So I decided to alter it. About three months ago one of the pilots on my ship gave me a miniature Darth Vader helmet and I had planned on velcroing it to the top of my computer monitor, but after the last person who walked in and said, "Whats that thing in the suit of armor" I decided I had had enough of people asking me who that was.

The statue (I will put a picture up of it soon) is a suit of armor, with a spear, shield, and Don's head. So I started thinking, what can I do to get people to stop asking me who this guy is? Then a lightning bolt hit my brain.

Put the Darth Vader head on the statue. So I did. And it is awesome.

So now when people come in they see on my desk:

A Dwight K. Schrute bobble head
Tribal woman pen holder
A guy in a metal suit of armor with a Darth Vader mask

One guy said, "Man Benson you've got some issues".

They just dont understand...

"Can a match box? No but a tin can..."

2008-04-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

Today I was taking information from a new check-in, and she told me I had a sad smile. What on earth does that mean? I have never heard that before.

On another note, I'd just like to say, that the Shrek movies are quite possibly the most clever animated movies I've seen. I mean really, every time I watch the movies I always catch something I never noticed before.

So today was probably the most bring day I've had all year. So I decided I wanted to browse around wikipedia. You know what I found out? Captain Hook's real name is James Matthew "B". I found that out on his page. I know it can be edited by anyone but still, how weird is that? So then I was thinking what can I create a wikipedia page about? But George, what do you know about anything? Why that answer is easy silly.

Myself.

Thats right, I'm going to attempt to create a wikipedia page about myself. Why? Just because I can.

After re-reading this post I realized how pointless it was, I promise I'll have something better for you tomorrow. I'm off to bed... because I'm old and 0430 comes fast.

"Two for one? I think so..."

2008-04-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

So, as you may have heard I broke my glasses the other day... yeah... thats alright though, because I picked up my new pair about an hour ago, and I was like hey, I should put up a picture to show people how sweet they are. There is only one problem with this.

The self portrait.

I HATE self portraits. Uno: I feel like an idiot when I take them. El Two-O: I dont like pictures of myself so I have a harder time trying to do it/pick one out. C: I feel even more pathetic when I actually put the picture up. But none the less here they are:

What do you think?

"I wash my hands of this wierdness..."

2008-04-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Have I ever said how much I love The Bible. It's just so cool. Last night I was reading more of Genesis, after the flood, Noah's family is being fruitful and replenishing the earth with people, and one of his offspring's offspring's, offspring's has the best name I've ever read. It's up there with Uz (which is another offspring). Now, after I was done reading, I just kind of sat there, and thought to myself, "hey if I have kids, I wonder if my wife would let me name him this". What is this amazing name you ask?

Nimrod.

Yes. That is correct, Nimrod.

I mean how many people do you now named Nimrod? "hey Nimrod how's it goin?" Honestly, how cool would that be?

On a completely other note, here is something most people dont know. In the Navy there is something called Duty. What duty is, so people can go on liberty (leave the ship/work and any other time off is considered liberty) there has to be a group that sleeps on the ship, cleans, stands watch, or in other words, does the every day duties so the ship can run.

I am almost always stuck on two watches every duty day. What that means is, for 8 hours (4 hour intervals) every duty day, I am walking in a GIANT oval on the flight deck, with my rifle making sure the Taliban doesnt jump out of the water. Normally I dont have a problem doing this, I mean I have to be here anyways, so why should I care right? Well, Saturday I had duty, and I'm walking my happy butt around the deck, and I'm an hour into it. What happens? I have to pee. It hit me like a sock full of quarters in the bladder. By the end of my four hours up there I was completely hunched over, pants button undone, and taking baby steps.

I've never had to pee this bad before in my life. And of course this entire time I'm looking at water, and trying not to think about having to go, or anything related to that subject, but when you're trying not to think about it, you think about it more am I right? So I finally get relieved, I turned in my gun, and I make my way to the bathroom, what happens? I all of a sudden do not have to go anymore. It was the weirdest thing! And it really did not make me very happy. But oh well such is life. Just thought I'd share that.

So in conclusion, Nimrod would be a great name for a kid.

"Another wake, another time of premature goodbyes..."

2008-03-31T08:29:00.000-07:00

So today started off as a good morning, which is unusual for a Monday here on the ship. People where in a pretty good mood which was kinda weird. So There I am working on my paperwork, doing the stuff like I usually do, and Fox and Friends Early Edition (because all we watch while working is Fox News or the History Channel) comes on and one of the morning's top stories was about a Army Sergent named Keith M Maupin who was taken as a Prisoner of War on April 9th, 2004.

Now it is from my experience (over the past few years) that not many people care about the military. See I stopped caring what other people thought a while ago. I dont take anything personal anymore, because once I actually realized that I'm protecting the right for people to spit on me, attempt to pee on me, call me "Baby Killer", and yell "You blood for oil son of a bitch" (which they've all done). When those one or two people come up and thank me for what I'm doing, I'm taken back. It's my job. I dont expect thank yous for doing it. But that's not what this post is about.

This is about Sergent Keith Matthew Maupin.

Now, for most of you, this name is meaningless. Why does this guy stand out and the other names dont? Well his remains where found today in Iraq. But George, why do you care about this? Well other than the fact that he was a brother in arms, I've been caring his name on my right wrist with a POW bracelet for the past year and a half. My morning took a turn at that statement. I was really upset. I still am. I mean I didnt expect him to come back, but there's always that little bit of hope, not only that, his poor family living with this for almost four years. This is the times that I care about how people treat service members. Only those who have been to the Middle East know what it's like, and know what we put up with over there. When I was in Bahrain, I was talking with this guy who compared the Saddam regime to the book 1984. Sgt. Maupin, from Ohio, is on his way home to get the funeral he deserves.

I removed the bracelet from my wrist, and it feels naked. So tonight before you go to bed, say a prayer for Sgt. Maupins family please.

"Illusions Michael, illusions..."

2008-03-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a boy whos name was George Michael. He lived in a magical place, a place where the streets are paved with blacktop, and there are almost no potholes. This magical land is called Norfolk.

One day, after a month of debating whether or not he wanted a new pair of glasses or a brand new 80gb iPod. He finally came to the decision that he wanted a new iPod. He justified this because he needed to listen to music as he worked out.

So one sunny afternoon he left his wonderful yacht that he lives on, to go to the store. Once he was there he ran into his friend Stephen who worked in the electronic department and he said, "Stephen, today's the day!". Stephen grabbed the iPod and, to this day when it was presented to him, George Michael swears, "I heard Beethoven's 9Th symphony playing in the background".

After he payed the price for it, they opened it up to look at it, and marvel in all it's glory. "Would you like the receipt in the bag?" Stephen asked, "Yes please" George Michael replied.

After about 30 minutes of messing around with the iPod George Michael departed the store and on his way out, threw away the bag in the trash can.

As George Michael was approaching his yacht, he has to go threw a security check point turn style. He swiped his I.D. badge, waited for the green light and clicking noise that signifies he has clearance to go threw. Once he got it, he walked threw the rotating turn style and just then, "WHAM-BO-BAM!".

The turn style stopped, and George Michael's face ran right into the metal pole!

He stepped back, soaked in what just happened to him, picked up his glasses, put them on, but they fell off. "Why was this?" He wondered. It was because he had broken them in half. Literally. He gathered his pieces, then realized what he did, and immediately checked to see if anyone saw him.

There where four people right behind him the entire time.

He then realized that he'd have to take back the iPod to get a new pair of glasses, so he reached into his pocket to grab the receipt. But it wasnt in there. Then he realized it was in the bag he threw away. George Michael ran back to the store, just after the garbage man cleaned out the can and threw it in the truck.

He was hosed. He now had to use his credit card.

Upset at all of this, "I'll just do it tomorrow, and go home to put music in my iPod and relax" he thinks to himself. So this time he successfully makes it threw the turn style, climbs aboard his yacht, sits at his computer, plugs in his iPod, and what happened?

You guessed it.

A box popped up on his desktop reading:
"You must have iTunes version 7.4.0 in order to use the iPod 'iPod'".

He had version 7.3.9.

Fed up he decides to go to bed.

The next day he emails his friend Joy, paraphrasing what happened so she didnt laugh at him, and she sends him some links to pick out new frames and says she'd be able to help him pick out new frames at around 3ish if he sent her picture text messages.

So he decides to go that afternoon and pick out new glasses. With her help, he picked out the glasses, and now goes and picks them up on Tuesday.

So he was able to get new glasses and an iPod, even though he wont be able to pay off his credit card this month now...

The End.

Fins to the left, Fins to the right....

2008-03-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so for those of you who have known me for a long time, know that I am a Parrothead (for those of you not in the know that is a Jimmy Buffett fan). Although I have never bee to a concert, that will change on July 17th. Since I spent his 50th birthday in the Middle East last year, I decided to make up for it and take him to this concert. It's times like this I'm glad he has no idea how to use the computer so he could find this out, so it will remain a surprise.

Next Post:
I'll tell you how I broke my glasses by running into a metal pole. Stay tuned, same bat-time, same bat-channel.

And how can you know in just three days?

2008-03-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

You just can I suppose. And the best part? I'm the only one that gets it.

I'd like to take a minute before I start this entry to make a little shout out to one Miss Randi Baker for holding the record of the most comments since the start of this blog. Congrats Miss Baker.

Okay, so getting back to what I was about to start talking about right up in here...

So I bought my plane ticket for coming home on the 11th of April, and made sure that I had a flight that takes off in Norfolk, and lands in Detroit in one sitting. Why is this you ask? Oh let me tell you a little story about when I came home the last time.

Once upon a time a guy named George was trying to get home on the 23rd of February so he could go and see Grease at his high school since he was in Kuwait the previous year, and out to sea the year before and could finally make it to go see a show. His flight was suppose to take off at 3.10p, from Norfolk, land at Charlotte, NC at 4.30pmfor a connection flight to Detroit at 7.10pm and be home at 8.50pm. Sounds easy right? George thought the same thing however this proved rather difficult.

You see George made it to Charolette on time, however his flight was delayed an hour, which was not great, but he could live with it.

7.45pm rolled around and the plane still had not shown up.

8.05pm the plane finally shows up, but without a pilot.

8.20pm They're notified the pilot is in Atlanta, GA and they where finding a replacement pilot.

The flight was pushed back to 8.45pm.

9.10pm The flight is cancelled due to lack of crew, and are instructed to go pick up our bags at gate C-1, then procced back threw security to the front gates to re-route our flight.

9.40pm He realized gate C-1 doesnt exist so I go back to the counter and they said his bag is in luggage claim.

9.50pm George got to the ticket counter after he had been on the phone looking for flights, and discovered one left for Cleveland (three hours away) at 10.05pm so he asked for that flight since there where 6 tickets left, and what happens, "Sir you're not in the 30 minute window".

He lost it.

"Listen lady, I'm in the military, I'm going to be back here again on Sunday, US AIRWAYS has really screwed up my weekend so get me on the friggin flight!" he said.

She types away, hands me my boarding pass, and says, "I hope you can run Sir because I'm not calling the gate". Not that that matters any because his flight was delayed a hour and a half. So he finally left Charolette at 11.30pm. It's suppose to be a 2 and a half hour flight.

They caught a tailwind and made it there in 55 minutes. His ride was still two hours away, and he didnt walk into his kitchen until 4.30am Saturday morning. His flight back was delayed 2 hours going to Norfolk 28 hours later... thats why George flys direct now.

Turn, turn, turn....

2008-03-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

For those of you wanting to go out and see a movie this Saint Patrick Day's weekend, and you feel like going to the theaters, I recommend Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who". Very, very good for a laugh.

"Her beauty and the moonlight over threw ya..."

Do you ever just feel like you've had a case of the Monday's for a long time, and for some reason you cant shake it?

I talked to the wonderful people at Indiana Weslyenn University and they're sending me all of my application things in the mail. Pretty excited about that.

So I was talking to my dad the other night on the phone, and he sounded very meloncholy (more so than usual), and I asked him if everything was alright. He told me that it wasnt, and that a friend of his had passed away. I had never met this friend of his, and it was back when he was a raft guide, and I naturally felt sorry for him, and everyone effected. Maybe it's just me, but after I hear someone has died, I start thinking about everyone else who as passed on, and I really try not to, but I cant help it. So then we started talking about my grandparents (his mom and dad who have been gone for a while), he told me a few stories I never knew.

Well anyways after we were done talking about that, we started about how much everything has changed, and how differant than it was "planned". You see, for those of you who dont know, I was suppose to go to college after high school insted of the military... according to my dad atleast. That didnt go as planned. Life happens.

A lot of people that I know on the ship are getting married, and having kids, and the crazy thing is, they're my age. 21 (which still doenst seem right). You know, I still from a great time to time thinking about the past year. My 6 month "pleasure cruise", and what has widley been debated as the best night of my life. I've thought about that day every day since it happened... and I honestly wish I didnt.

I hate Virginia. All I have time to do here is think, which I suppose isnt all bad, I get to sort some things out... only 1 year 4 months and 27 days until I'm free... not that I'm counting down or anything... which reminds me I'm back to living on the ship, so that means I can no longer check Facebook, so I will not be reading your comments/messages/anything else so just email me at bensong@lhd5.navy.mil but in order for you to know that you'd have to read my notes on facebook... and since i never tag anyone i doubt they get read, we shall see.

I finally finished watching "Dan in Real Life". First time I had seen it since the first time I saw it in theatres, in Indiana. Fun time. I really enjoy Steve Carell, and those types of movies. I prefer comedies with pain behind the laughter, is that wrong? I mean dont get me wrong, Anchorman, and movies like that I love, but I have a stronger connection to those types of comidies. Does that make any sense? No? I didnt think so.

Well I'm off to bed, on a lighter note The Office comes back into full action on April 10th and I'm very, very excited about that. Much-o excited-o.

Happy Saint Patricks Day everyone.
George

Geri´s game

2008-02-21T14:18:00.001-08:00

This is why I love pixar.... this and bugs life but mainly this, because I hope this is me when I'm old

Italy

2008-02-17T15:10:00.000-08:00

So the pictures below are from when I was in Italy last year, and I just thought I'd share them.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-02-14T20:55:00.001-08:00

Indiana Jones has been a huge part of my life... and all I can say is I'm filled with anticipation and excitement for this movie.....

A book you should read

2008-01-31T19:36:00.001-08:00

So I frequent Barnes and Nobles a lot, and talk to my friend BJ who is (in my opinion) my number one go to friend for books to read. She has not yet steered me wrong from books to read, which is quite amazing because usually I don like books that people tell me I should read. The most recent of which is "An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England" and quite frankley, its great so go to the library and get it, because it (so far) is a great book.

Question:

2008-01-13T18:28:00.000-08:00

So I really enjoy action movies, espically the Die Hard movies. In fact my favorite action movie "tough guy" would have to be John McClane. Now, having said that, if you know me, you know my undying love for 24 and Jack Bauer, so I got to thinking of the ultimate cinareo. They met. So I ask you, what do you think would happen if Jack Bauer and John McClane got together?

Peaceful easy feeling

2008-01-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

I was talking to a very good friend of mine/partner in crime from time to time, and he was kinda venting to me, figuring a few things out, and I felt really bad for him, and after the conversation it really got me thinking about when I first left for boot camp, and when I was gearing up for the Middle East, and there where a few passages that I read, and re-read from time to time that helped keep me calm, and oddly enough at peace with everything that was going on and I thought I'd just share them.

be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged, for he LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9

to everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
a time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal ...
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

oh yeah....

2008-01-03T12:56:00.000-08:00

Okay, so here's the skinny yo. I'm in a pretty good mood since I just bought a silver skinny tie.... i love ebay.

So I'll be home from the 22nd-28th i do believe, and at some point in time i'm going to throw myself a little birthday party, however there will be a theme, ready for this? EMO. you have to come dressed as an emo kid.... either that or black tie, i dont know any ideas? please share them if you have them.... until then here is this picture i recieved in an email this morning from someone awesome:

Auld Lang Syne...

2007-12-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

A new year falls on us in a few hours, and like many I am recounting and rethinking everything that has occured over this past year with meloncholy, misty eyes, and a sence of knowing I actually did something worth while.

This entire year has gone by so fast. Its hard to sum it up, its been full of travel, excitment, friendship, split second decisions, harsh reprocushions, new friends, old friends, loss, uncertanty, long watch's with heavy flack jackets, things I want to express but cant because you'll never understand, and the oddest of all, the regaining of something that I thought was long gone, hope. I cant even begin to tell you how far away the first part of this year seems.

With as much bad as this year has brought, I have had quite a lot of good. I was in a relationship (although it didnt last long) that I learned a lot from it, and it was one of the best parts of my year. When it ended I was upset, but everything happens for a reason, and what He wants goes. Hopefully in time we can become friends, but until then I wont stress anything.

With the help of one great person I discovred the wonder and beauty that are: The Office, David Hasselhoff music videos, birthday doughnuts, and much, much more.

I was able to become closer to friends from back home, and catch up in person with people that I hadnt talked to face to face in a few years, which was nothing short of amazing. I made new friends which I'll never forget, and left some people behind that will always live on.

I'm still having a hard time believing that Sam graduated high school. Out of all of the things I missed while I was over seas, that has been the hardest one to live with. After my senior year, I just kinda cut, run, and abandoned her. I've missed everything that she's done over the past few years. Two milestone birthdays (16 and 18), High School Graduation, final chior concert, drama banquet, everything. Now when I go home I dont believe that she's the same person from when I left. I may not agree with her on a lot of things anymore, but it doesnt stop me from being extremely proud of her like I am.

The most important thing about this year though is how much I've grown in my faith, and God has taught me so much, I just love it. I cant really discribe it, but I love Him. Thats all I have to say about that.

Thank you everyone, for everything you've all done for me this year, most of you dont even realize you did something, but you did.

So without further adou, here is my anual end of the year survey:
In 2007 I.. 
[x] experienced something new
[x] made new friends
[x] found out who your real friends are
[x] lied to your parents
[] snuck out
[x] was detained
[] kissed in the rain
[] kissed in a pool
[x] kissed under the stars
[x] smoked for the first time
[x] went to a party
[x] had the time of your life
[x] danced
[] fell in love
[] fell out of love
[x] had a crush on someone
[] changed your sexual preferance
[x] swam in the lake
[x] swam in a pool
[] made a snowman
[x] went snowboarding
[] went sledding
[x] slept in past 2 pm
[x] held someones hand that you care about
[x] had a fling or relationship with someone
[x] tell someone you like them as more than a friend
[x] take pictures
[x] go on vacation
[] go on vacation with a friend
[x] driven a car
[] skinny dipped
[] played strip poker
[] showed someone something where the sun doesn't shine
[x] gone to a movie theater
[] danced in the rain
[x] got in a car accident
[x] see someone get in a car accident
[x] got in a fist fight
[x] laughed until you couldn't breathe
[x] laughed until you cried
[] peed your pants from laughing
[x] had an amazing year (I’m not sure if amazing is the word, but 2007 is one for the books)
[x] are going to look back with no regrets
[] I've slipped out a "lol" in a spoken conversation.
[] Disney movies still make me cry.
[] I've peed from laughing.
[x] I've snorted while laughing.
[x] I've laughed so hard I've cried.
[] I've glued my hand to something
[x] I've laughed till some kind of beverage came out of my nose.
[x] I've had my pants rip in public.
[x] I've gotten stitches.
[x] I've broken a bone.
[] I've had my tonsils removed.
[] I've sat in a doctors office with a friend.
[] I've had my wisdom teeth removed.
[] I had a serious surgery.
[] I've had chicken pox.
[x] I'm single.
[] I'm in a relationship.
[] I'm engaged.
[] I'm married.
[] I've gone on a blind date.
[x] I miss someone right now.
[] I have a fear of abandonment.
[] I've cheated in a relationship.
[] I've gotten divorced
[x] I've had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.
[] I've told someone I loved them when I didn't.
[x] I've told someone I didn't love them when I did.
[x] I've kept something from a past relationship.

Fact:

2007-12-29T17:12:00.000-08:00

This is my second Blog, and I hope this one goes much better than the other one did.

So I'm back in Virginia, just kinda hanging out and I think to myself, "Hey George, you need to make another blog, and just keep that one rolling, so you can give people a better insite to your life." So here it is.

I dont plan on updating every day, more like a once a week thing, unless I have random thoughts, then I'll throw them in... Until then, please enjoy this picture that was taken earlier this year while i was working...