Trying to be a man - The United States Air Force - Pt. 2

If you watch enough movies you are bound to see countless portrayals of what life in boot camp is like and I will admit I was scared that it might actually be like that, and perhaps had I chosen the Marines or the Army it very well could have been, but for me, Air Force boot camp was a blast!  When those short six weeks were over I was sent to my first and only base, Travis Air Force Base, in Fairfield, California, bypassing having to go to a Technical School for training.  Although being sent to California was about as far from where I wanted to go (I had requested to be sent to Iceland) I was lucky to bypass school and learn what I needed to simply by on-the-job training. 

Being the quiet and shy guy that I was at the time, and still am to a point, the hardest part of the Air Force for me in the beginning was being thrown into an office of people whom I did not know and having to find my place.  You would think that after a lifetime of moving from place to place that this would have been something that I not only would have been used to, but would have mastered at this point in life.  Luckily there was a lot that I needed to learn and so I was constantly learning new things and all these people around me were there to teach me and help me learn and there was very little time for me to think about how nervous I was being surrounded with so many new faces.

Although my focus when I joined the Air Force was to have some sort of direction in life, life itself began to take on a whole new meaning for me and soon I began to struggle with demons that I have struggled to suppress for years.  My job was fun, I really enjoyed it and I worked hard everyday to learn more and gain the respect of my peers, and did so in many ways.  It seemed, for a while, that I was on the right track, yet things slowly began to fall apart.  I began to notice that the puzzle of life that I thought that I was piecing together had many pieces that, although I put them together, did not exactly fit together and had been forced into their places and were starting to show me so.

President Clinton was in office while I was in the Air Force and it was the height of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era and with each passing day I was struggling more and more with this part of my life....

New Years Eve 2009 / New Years Day 2010

So I'm listening to the news this morning on January 1, 2010 and this is just a collection of what I've heard that I find interesting that has occured in the past 12 hours....some surprises and some not-so-surprises:

BMV Crash
4:15am a BMW going about 90mph crashed into a guard rail, throwing both passengers from the car. One was left dead in the roadway and the other is serious condition at the hospital....beer cans inside and outside of the car....no surprise here.

Liquor Store Robbery
A man dressed as The Lone Ranger robbed a liquor store...no he didn't get away on a horse

Linda Wolf Dead
The most married woman dies at the age of 69, married a total of 23 times....talk about some alimony coming in!

First baby of 2010 for INDY
Born at 1:03AM

Alcohol Sales
We are still in the dark ages here as we remain unable to buy alcohol on Sundays...unless of course you come to The Cheesecake Factory where I will gladly serve you some!!!

Times Square
Over a million people, 20 tons of confetti

Suggested words to be banned in 2010:
Chillaxin
Tweeting
Sexting

The Weather
It's 9 degrees outside!!!

Just for the hell of it......

1. What was the last thing you ate?
    Does coffee count?

2. Where was your profile picture taken?
    It's a cartoon from BuddyPoke on facebook...check it out!

3. Can you play Guitar Hero?
    I don't think I even know what that is...lol

4. Name someone who made you laugh today?
    My Baboy did earlier this morning

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?
    I think I went to bed around 2am after winding down from a busy night at work

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?
    YES!

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
    Yes, New Years Eve 2003 by Little Choy

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you?
    I'm not really sure, they're aren't that many...

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?
    Love can be a funny thing...that's all I'm saying

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?
    It always reminds me of a dog I had in Maine as a kid that we named 'Pepper'

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?
    Just before my grandmother passes away almost three years ago

12. Who took your profile picture?
    I did

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
    Aside from myself I'd have to say 'Brando' my neighbors dog in Chicago

14. Was yesterday better than today?
    It's still to early to tell

15. Can you live a day without TV?
    Yeah if I must

16. Are you upset about anything?
    I'm always upset about something, just part of life I guess

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
    Yes, No, Maybe, I don't know

18. Are you a bad influence?
    If you want me to be...LOL

19. Night out or night in?
    I don't care

20. What items could you not go without during the day?
    Coffee, Pills, Hair Glue, Toothbrush....just to name a few

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
    My Granny the day before she passed away

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
    That my friend should have reminded me about the comedy club he wanted to go to in Chicago a few weeks ago...silly boy!

23. How do you feel about your life right now?
    I don't know

24. Do you hate anyone?
    I don't think so, I hope I don't...they are many people that I dislike to the extreme!

25. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find?
    Nothing interesting

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
    Yes, what are you testing for?

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
    ROFLAMO...YEAH RIGHT!

28. What song is stuck in your head right now?
    I'm listening to Lady Gaga right now, so there are several

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?
    Someone really tall, I live on the second floor

30. Want to have grandkids before you’re 50?
    Not an issue for me thank you!

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow?
    Go to the doctor

32. Do you think too much or too little?
    Oh good grief I wish I could shut off my brain, WAY TOO MUCH!

33. Do you smile a lot?
    Nope, but I try to at work

Trying to be a man - The United States Air Force -P1

Growing up as a "Military Brat" I remember more than anything telling myself that I would never be a part of the Armed Forces as an adult.  I think that for people in my position that was a common theme whereas for people in my twilight zone would have wanted to do the complete opposite.  Before I say another word I feel that I should say that I was beyond proud to serve, have the up most respect for those that have and still are serving, and have absolutetly no regret in my decision to serve my country!  My father spent over twenty years in the United States Navy and I am so proud of his choice to due so.  I have friends and family that have served in various branches and no matter how small a single job (such as mine was) may seem to the average person, it takes every single person in every single position to make it all work.....regardless of how we may feel at the time of what is and is not necessary.  For some the military is a way out of the world that they have grown up in that seems to be worthless, for others it is a true duty that they feel they must serve, and yet for others still (as it was for me) a way of  searching for direction and a way of making their father and/or mother proud.

With each generation comes an expectation of the next generation and that expectation, sadly, is based on the generation that came before them.  That always leaves someone left holding the bag and not sure what to do with it.  The wonderful thing is that with each passing generation we have learned something, whether we meant to or not.  I remember a wonderful friend from Iceland, Ricky Rynearson, whom I never would have though would be the incredible member of the Air Force that he is today.  We have sporadically kept in contact over the past twenty years and though I know very little about his life now, I do know that he has become one hell of a man! 

My journey into the military came from desperation and lack of direction, through no ones fault.  For whatever reason the years of moving around and never having stability took their toll on me and left me at an impasse of which I did not know what to do or where to go to find out.  Lest anyone should start to read this and think that I am attempting to make excuses for all the crap that is in my life, I am not, this blog started and still remains at this point, way of catching my friends, former school mates and those who give a shit up on the past twenty years of my life. 

I joined the Air Force for several reasons and the most of which was to have someone give me some direction because I did not know how to direct myself.  There are so many other aspects and emotions that have yet to be explored in my writing I find it very hard to stay focused on specifics yet I will try.  Being shy and quiet in high school I learned what I was good at, took that knowledge and still followed someone else in hopes of it all working out.  After all it always had for mom and dad. 

Route 18 - Indianapolis - Part B

The Starbucks Stalker - You would not need to go very far here in Indianapolis to find a Starbucks coffee shop.  As with 7-Eleven stores in Pensacola, Florida; they seem to be on every street corner.  Here in the Nora area of the north side there is one inside of Target and yet another one across the parking lot in the neighboring strip mall.  Luckily for me there is also one across from The Cheesecake Factory , where I work in the Fashion Mall.  Though you will find the same types of coffee drinks, pastries, espresso and various overpriced machines to make such drinks in the comfort of your own home; I wonder if all Starbucks come with their own personal Stalker such as the particular stores I mentioned above.  I will see this guy on the bus from time to time, and from what I can gather, he simply travels from one Starbucks store to another throughout the day.  He is never drinking coffee, only sitting outside drinking water; or standing if he is smoking a cigarette, which is pretty much 99% of the time.  The first couple time I noticed him I thought nothing of it, but then as I pass one or more Starbucks through each day, he is always there.  He has an air of creepiness about him yet seems pretty harmless and every so often I am tempted to ask him what his story is.  Usually, however, though he begins to talk to the invisible people around him and I just walk away.

The Broadripple Brewpub Babe - The Broadripple Brewpub will be celebrating its twentieth anniversary at some point in 2010.  I have personally never been there and I doubt that I ever will, but you never know.  According to their website they open at 11am everyday for lunch, and every morning there is a woman waiting at the bus stop I sometimes use around 8am waiting to head in that direction, wearing not only a brewpub 10th anniversary t-shift, but a short black servers apron as well.  Perhaps this lovely lady has been with them since the doors opened almost twenty years ago, thus accounting for the lack of care or concern in the way she presents herself at this point.  The bandanna which attempts to keep her hair under control is not to be outdone by the cut-off at the knee blue jeans, with many well worn through holes or the apron which is long overdue for a trip to the washing machine.  Now I do not describe this "babe" to insult her in as much as I cannot imagine what I would do if I were to visit an eating establishment and she were to walk up to my table as my server.   As with the Starbucks Stalker this woman enjoys her friends that only she is able to see; though she speaks much more vulgar with them than he does.

These are just two of the many people I have so far come into contact with on Route 18, there are several more and I will share them with you from time to time.                                              

Route 18 - Indianapolis - Part A

I find it utterly amazing how different public transportation can be from one city to another, not to mention how the demographics change so immensely from smaller towns to larger cities and even more so in the major metropolis areas of the country.  I am not claiming to be an expert on public transportation, but I most certainly know the good from the bad, the safe from the dangerous, the clean from the not-so-clean and the one constant that I have found in any city when using PT(Public Transportation) and that is the common everyday strange person, wacko, crazy person....well you get the idea.  They are everywhere and depending on who you are, they are you!  Obviously what is strange to one person may not be so strange to someone else, but you would have to agree that sometimes, not matter how much you may not want to say it, some people are just out there!

     Indianapolis is a very spread out city and there are many neighborhoods North, South, East & West that people needs to get too and from on a daily basis and therefore you might think that PT system, IndyGo, would be quite extensive and very adequate for a city in upwards two-million people and ranking in as the 23rd largest city in US.  Think again!!  It blows and not a good blow either.  Take a look at the system route map and you will see it is like a spider.  Almost, if not every single route goes through downtown and that is pretty much the only place to make transfers.  The majority of the routes run Northwest and Northeast from downtown with no connecting routes once you get further and further north, although the routes become further and further apart....totally stupid.

     Somehow it seems that in most cities the Northside and Southside are total polar opposites in the types of neighborhoods, safety, demographics and people in general that occupy these areas.  So by this assumption you would think that the Northside of a city would have less oddball people that say the Southside.  I am here to tell you that is not the case here in Indianapolis and the bus route that I use the most, Route 18 is a perfect example of how the freaks are everywhere!

Coming Back To Reality

If living in Iceland was the break from reality that I wish everyone was able to experience, then setting foot back in the states was certainly a wake-up call.  I remember after graduating high school thinking that now I was free and there was no one to tell me what to do and I was now able to do whatever I chose to do.  I am still unsure why no one told me that those thoughts were completely ridiculous and so untrue, though I am pretty sure that the reality actually was that various people had spent years attempting to make me aware of this fact of life and I in my infinate lack of wisdom decided not to listen.  

My father flew back with me on my initial return to states, stayed for a couple of days and helped me to find a car.  We both had learned years earlier that my knowledge of anything mechanical and whether or not it was a good vehicle soley relied on his experise.  With, I am sure, a splite sense of pride as well as doubts and fears he sent me on my way to Flordia where my two best friends were waiting for me.  Looking back now I wish that there had been a three day indoctrination when returning to the states as there had been when we first went to Iceland.  If I remember correctly it was not more than three or four months before all three of us realized that we had gotten ourselves in over our heads.  Stubborn as I was, and still am, after a few weeks of staying with my best friend Eddie at his parents house, I ventured out on my own, rented my own apartment, had a job and within the month realized that I was in trouble.

     I am sure that although I thought it was a wonderful surprise to just show up back in Virginia at my parents house shortly after their return to the states, for them it was probably more of a situation to deal with.  My insistence on leaving Iceland before them and having my dad go through all the extra motions of having my belongings sent to Florida, which now he had to travel with me back to retrieve and bring back to Virginia, was at best the first, though not the last time he would save my ass from myself.

     The one logical and rational decision I had made at this point in my life was to join the military, more so to get away from home than anything, yet thinking that I was a making a very determined and good decision for myself.  Though my parents were very proud of my decision I certainly did not make the next few months any easier on anyone by being back under their roof.  As I began to look for a job while I waited for new year to ring in and to be sent off to boot-camp, I also began to sink into a depression that I had no clue as how to deal with.  I began to realize how much I missed the kids that I had worked with in Iceland and during my brief stint in Florida while volunteering at the Youth Center at NAS Pensacola.  I was able to fill that void by finding a job working at LaPetite Academy in nearby Chesapeake.

      Working at the academy gave the opportunity to work with children again and to save up the money to pay a trip back up to Iceland for Christmas, which was not cheap by any means.  I do not know if anyone in my family really understood how important that was for me, nor any of my friends really knew either with a few exceptions.  I think having been able to learn so much about myself from those kids, and the friendships I made not only with them but with several of the parents made it neccessary to see them again, and in some cases knowing that I would never see any of them again.  

Things were a little different working at La Petite, I was after all back in the states and not on a military base, so the rules were a lot different.  I was still lucky enough to work with a great group of kids and when the time came fours months later to leave and head off to boot-camp, I can not say that is was easy.  I am pretty sure that when I returned home briefly after graduating boot-camp I went to the academy first to see the kids before I even went to my house.