Still alive...

... I've just been out of touch with everything recently. Work and school full time is waaaay harder than I remember it to be, maybe because I haven't done this much for four years. Of course, four years ago I didn't have much of a life outside the Marine Corps other than a few favorite friends. Now, I want to do so much and there always seems to be a test or some homework or laundry or cooking, ...or something.

I've only got time to write this because I got a mild concussion yesterday at work and have been out since then, not that that's a particularly productive state of being. I still have a monster headache.

Not much of a life update, huh? I'm running my butt into the ground, in summary ; )

Finally! I am reconnected to the internet!

Boy, that was a long time.... but I am finally back on the net on a normal basis, and I'll be resuming normal communications. Well, as normal as it gets around here ; )

Things have been interesting, things have changed drastically... and I'd like to thank everyone reading this for their patience and support as I reorganized, well, everything. Hopefully the new order of things will settle in easier from now on, and I'll be back out and about on a regular basis again! I've missed fire, and dancing, and drinking (lol) and I look forward to getting back to all that post haste.

If you're reading this and have no idea what I'm talking about, drop me a line. I promise I'll answer this time!

First day of firearms/handgun class

So, I had my first range day of class today. I've gotten a lot of sh*t from my instructors, naturally, because I'm a Marine yet never shot a handgun. I'd only ever shot things the size of an M-16 and up. (I should mention they were pretty impressed with the grenade launcher.)

So, we get out to the range; I've got a .38 special of some unremembered variety, and 100 rounds. I've displayed some aspects of Marine-ness so far, I guess, because I didn't leave my revolver on the table even when they told me I could, I reverently carry my gun pointed to the ground with a pistol grip, trigger finger straight, instead of idlely letting it swing by carrying it from the top with the cyclinder dangling like the rest of the class. I'm stunned by the closeness to our targets... only ten yards, and they tried to move us up further! Fortunately the whole class declined the offer.

So, I load my anonymous .38, take careful aim, breathe, and squeeze. And squeeze. And squeeze. My first shot is a tad high left. 12 rounds later, my hand is tense and shaking. I keep trying. It doesn't take a whole lot of brains to identify the problem. I anticipate the gun firing about 3/8ths of an inch before it actually does. I call over my instructor, describe the problem, and ask for a different gun. This time, I get a Smith & Wesson .38. What a difference! My shots center themselves, and I start shooting at a black hole I've created in the center of my target. My instructors compliment me on my lack of flinch. I ask for a clean target just to verify the remarkable improvement.

The result: 35 rounds shot, all but three in the center 5-point oval. You can actually see where I changed my aiming point because I got tired of shooting at a black hole. There are three groupings in the picture,resulting from this. I outshot my entire class on the first day I've ever tried to fire a handgun. I guess all that rifle stuff applies to handguns after all.

This is going to be a great class. There are only two things in my life, after all, that I am truly good at. The first is fixing engines/ fabricating stuff. And the second is shooting. Apparently that includes handguns also.

I guess it's my turn to be tolerant...

How the tables have turned... at work today, I was trying to explain to co-worker who was not a mechanic (he was a welder) why the valves on diesel had to be adjusted... anyway, he told me that they only word in my entire explanation he understood was "engine," so I offered to draw him a picture. He laughed and said, "Sure, why don't you?"

Well, it sounded like fun, so I drew up a three minute sketch on some grid paper of the cam shaft, lobes, lifters, tappets, set screws, rocker arms, valve stems, valve spring, valve seats, cylinder, cylinder liner, piston, piston rings, rods, end caps, and the crankshaft. Simple, easy to explain. I went looking for him, kind of giggling. Turns out, I didn't find him (it was late and he'd gone home for the day), but I did find my boss. And he seemed so shocked that I knew what all this stuff was, and understood it well enough to explain it to someone else! It made me kind of mad, since I'd already told them I was an engine mechanic in my last job. Not openly mad, of course, I just didn't get why they wouldn't have believed me.

But it has been pointed out to me that what I do isn't exactly normal, especially not normal for a girl, and maybe I should cut them some slack for not believing me. It's not like they see this every day, and employers should be skeptical of anything they see on a resume until it's been proven.

I guess I just proved it. And it is a strange thing to be the one who needs to be more tolerant.

Vegas!

Just got back from Vegas, which was a perfect mini-vacation from everything (I know, I know, I was unemployed for the past two months, what could I need to escape?). But I did need it; and while if I'm not actually any better than I was last week, I am certainly more relaxed. Sometimes you just need to be out of your environment. And sometimes you need a killer slurpee of doom. And a kamikaze. And lots more.

Today was also the first day of my firearms class, where I found out that an AR-15 isn't even legal for competition shooting in California. This state is so, so -*edited for PC*-. But at least I get to go shooting every Saturday for the whole semester.

And...! I got 6 inches hacked off my hair! It totally needed it, so I did it. And I had it colored too, though it turned out way redder than I wanted, but it still looks pretty cool. I'll have to get pictures of it. So, to summarize, I look totally different. When I went back to the receptionist's desk at the salon she didn't even recognize me .

A better day than usual...

Yesterday, unusually, was a pretty damn good day. Despite having three job interviews(!). My first interview was a phone interview with a cogen company in Corona (while Chip's well-trained cat had a very loud litter box party in the next room, jumping and kicking litter everywhere), my second interview was in person for a mobile diesel mechanic position, and my third interview was fate.

This job was made for me... engine r&r, welding, fabrication, fixing, wiring, ...and one of my favorite people from when I was in the Marines. I was just crawling off of a piece of machinery I'd been looking at, when I looked to my left and Holy crap! There's Chris, a guy I've known since the A school days of Pensacola. And then C school at North Island. And then the very same unit at Miramar. Weird, weird, weird.

And this job is so right up my alley. They might offer me less than I used to make. That's okay. I plan on proving my worth. I wish I could start tomorrow.

And then, to top off my day, I get to go to Sabrina's class, then Bellydance Super Stars, then have some really great sushi... I didn't get home until 2am, but it was a beautiful day.

Now if only I could just get over being so &^$&^% shy with people I hardly know, I'll be doing great. Where did that interview-girl personality go?

5 beat weave, and oh how I love the job search...

Job search first... so I get an email that a company would like to have a phone interview with me at 3pm. I rearrange my whole day, email back and forth for much longer than I'd like, study the company's website, and prepare myself mentally for the interview... and they don't call.

I've relearned tuning my guitar by harmonics, and learned the 5 beat weave with my poi in the time waiting for them to call. I finally get a call at 4:45, jump so bad I nearly drop my guitar, set it down none-too-gently so I can get up to get the phone... and it's just the doctor's office's automated message reminding me of my appointment tomorrow.

At least I can 5 beat weave now. That's about all I've gotten done all day. Grrrrrr.

Coachella, anyone?

So, while the official line-up won't be announced until Monday, 91x has confirmed Depeche Mode headlining on Saturday, and the reunion of the Smashing Pumpkins on Sunday. How could I not go??? I've already got my ticket.

So, who else? I don't wanna go by myself ; )

The Plague

Finally... a day where I actually feel functional. The past 5 days have been hell, starting with Sunday morning. Fever (103.5!), chills, puking, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, headache, ears so stuffy they can't pop... ugh. I haven't been this sick in a long, long time. I must have had three different illnesses at once. I slept for nearly 24 hours straight the first day.

Soooo, I've got some catching up to do. If you sent me a message, called, emailed, whatever, I'll start getting back to you. I've got a lot of catching up to do from the five days I was out.

And, in the middle of all that, my baby horse arrived. Which is wonderful, but I think going out to receive her and take care of her added some days to my recovery.

Talk to everyone soon!