First, let me say, I'm imagining you all getting together today with your friends and families, having hamburgers and hot dogs, deviled eggs, chips, watermelon, homemade ice cream, chocolate cake, etc. I celebrated the 4th by venturing out and having BBQ pork spare ribs with pinto beans for lunch! My first meal that did not involve chicken and mashed potatoes! I even had a piece of strawberry cake! YIPPEE!!! I managed to consume it in a mere 9 minutes!!! Don't forget... that includes the three 8 ounce glasses of water I must drink at every meal. I wonder if they have a marathon for eating? I might be a Boston qualifier??
My observations so far....
1. These young people need to take a chill pill. Maybe I'm too old for this? I have a really poor attitude about giving a rat's ass sometimes. I can't seem to care if my name tag is perfectly centered above my right pocket, or my shoelaces are tucked into my shoes, or my captain's bars are exactly one inch above the bottom of my collar perfectly centered and parallel. If I get yelled at, honestly, I don't really care too much. I've learned: I am not as anal retentive/OCD as I thought I was.
2. I have accepted a most prestigious position here at COT: Official Flight Postal Officer. Yes, friends, I volunteered for the least labor intensive, yet highly responsible position (read with sarcasm). My goal here is to do as little as possible and sleep as much as I can. This position affords me the opportunity to get into my car about one or two times per week (cool, huh!) and drive to the post office to pick up the mail for all 330 people (there will be another person with me), bring it back, and then get the mail for the 16 people in my flight. If you are interested in sending me any cards (hint, hint) the address is as follows:
Capt. Amanda McCorkindale, COT 09-05 India
550 E. Maxwell Blvd. #9000
Maxwell, AFB, AL 36112-500
Yes, folks, I've always said that I wanted to go to India someday. God has a great sense of humor! I'm in a flight (group of 16) called "India." If this is anything like the real India, I ain't goin'!
3. The alarm goes off at 4:30am regardless of if it is a duty day or not. I know this because the speaker for the sound system is situated directly outside my window.
As always, not much time so I need to get back to "studying." I've been screwing off on the internet (I am sooooo glad I bought this broadband card for my computer!). I might even enjoy a cup of coffee! ;)
Thank you all for your postings. Please, keep sending them. I need all the encouragment I can get right now. Even though thinking about you all makes me start to cry. No time for that.
OK, sister-you're not even close: I happen to know (don't even ask) that the world record for hot dog eating was set today and he ate 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. You just keep working on it...
ReplyDeleteGlad you got a little down time. I just went back and read Marge's comment on your first post--I so need to meet her!
A little breathing meditation from Thich Nhat Hanh: "Breathing in, I calm my body, Breathing out, I smile." Are you allowed to smile? I'm trying to picture you getting yelled at and I'm having a hard time imagining...
Hang in there and keep posting!!
Melissa
Hey El Cap-i-tan! It's so good to read your posts and know you're doing well in spite of an over-abundance of mashed potatoes and screamers.
ReplyDeleteMy brother is one of those people who carefully measures and aligns his name tag and stripes and blah blah blah....perhaps when you get to San Antonio you can visit with him and he can give you some insight as to why it's important to some military folks. You still won't give a rat's ass but at least you might have an idea of why other people do!
Looking forward to your next post!
Captain! WOW!! Jon and I are sitting here reading your blog and laughing about how you aren't as OCD as you originally thought you were. It makes me happy to know there are people who are a lot more OCD than me!
ReplyDeleteHang in there! Thinking about you and will continue to keep in touch!
Can't wait to read more! Glad you took that broadband card.
If it helps, I didn't do anything amazing for the Fourth. I sat in a park and read a book.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to ask you about the psychology of the armed forces. Basic training is specifically designed to take away a certain measure of individuality from troops. They have to break people down to a certain extent in order to make a good soldier. I wonder how that factors into the psychological preparedness for warfare. It probably helps.
I think it's also the Stockholm Syndrome at work.
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