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I'm going to play basketball at this silly tournament this weekend....for those of you who don't know me personally, it pains me to admit this, but i'm short....and clumsy...and basketball is just not my thing.
So. Keep me in your minds and hearts, as I will be forced to endure an extended game of keep away, which is what basketball is for the short and clumsy souls such as myself.
I have now attended all of my classes at least once except for one. One of them seems like it's going to be hard, which is annoying, because I purposely tried to tip my schedule and schedule all easy A classes so that I wouldn't be stressing and missing sleep on the nights I worked.
Speaking of work, I have been wondering recently if people are born with the disease known as stupidity or if it's conditioned later in life. Is laziness in the genes, or is it simply taught? it's the age old nature vs nurture. Do nincompoops have tumors the size of small watermelons, or are they merely the product of our society?
Nincompoops, btw, is a great and underused word.
I need to utilize the latrine...Current Mood:  contemplative |
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wow
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Jan. 30th, 2008 @ 04:45 am
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so it's almost 5 AM, so this never ending morning is almost to an end and I can go to school and get these tests over with.
I decided to look up training requirements for Air Assault School to see what I'm getting into this summer. Very daunting.
Running 4 miles a day? WHY?
And we have to march 12 miles with 30 pound rucks and an M16 in less than 3 hours. Thats just scary.
When we first get there, theres an obstacle course and if you can't complete it and then run 2 miles in full battle rattle you're automatically out. Can I do this?
I should be running 4 miles a day NOW in preparation. And yeah right. Who has time for that?
Ok...I guess I can start getting ready for school now. Pour myself a big bowl of rice krispies and load them up with sugar. Good times.Current Mood:  nervous |
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So, this weekend was awesome amounts of fun.
I got to go out to CA to visit my best bud in the whole entire world, and as always, had a blast.
Friday we went to Olive Garden (I know, ew, right? But I like to keep the peace) and regardless of the food it was good company. We sampled wine, MarC hassled our waitress for checking our id's, Jenni made her cry, and Jay made dirty jokes that helped me to understand how he had acquired his nickname. Much fun, and I loved MarC and Jay both and thought they were perfect friends for my Jenni.
By the time we were done there we were all pretty much beat and decided to call it a night (Although Jay apparently had other plans). Me and Jenni went back, bonded, and slept.
I woke up early on Saturday, still not on their time, and got to see the beautiful early sun and read for about 3 hours until I decided Jenni was a lazy bum and it was time she joined me.
After Jenni manipulated Rob into thinking he wanted to drive us to breakfast, we jumped in the car whereupon they both discussed explicitly how disagreeable the lack of breakfast places were and how positive they both were there would be one right around the next corner.
The next corner finally came, and it was a cute little place. But the food servers found Rob unworthy and he had to wait until Jenni and I were nearly through with our food before his arrived.
After that, we picked up Jay and MarC and headed to the train station. We walked around, waiting for the train to come, hit up Starbucks for a direly needed energy boost, and almost looked around in a really cool secondhand bookstore. Jenni and Jay of course foiled our plans with their evil slave driving schedule.
MarC and I took it in stride I think, and were the bigger people.
The train ride up was interesting, MarC and I discussed religion, politics, and a number of other things which is taboo to talk about with someone you barely know, but what can I say, I live on the edge.
After arriving in "San Fran" and realizing how stingy these people were with their bathrooms, we got on a bus where Jenni invited a crazy smelly man to rant at us and then I angered him to a point where he was waving around his smelly arms in crazy gestures and felt he had to leave rather than be subject to our presence.
We arrived at Pier 39 relatively unscathed, although perhaps a bit sad at the departure of our new smelly friend. There was a cool breeze which seemed to carry an energy all it's own. We perused through countless stores, (much to Jay's dismay) playing the part of tourist to the fullest.
Jenni and I found some beautiful wolves which we promptly bought for one another, and then lost Jay. I wanted to give him up for dead, but MarC never lost hope that we would at least find his body. I think Jenni did at times, but she valiantly tried to mask her despair.
While a million scenarios played in my mind of Jay's unfortunate and early demise, I enjoyed watching the sea lions attack eachother and slumber in the sun.
However, my speculation of whether we should have Jay cremated or simply throw his body over the pier was cut short. MarC had found him alive (much to my surprise and Jenni's pleasure) so we had no need to worry ourselves over ways to transport his dead body.
We then decided after Jay's close call, the Pier was much to dangerous a place to stay so we headed out to see the world...or the nearby surrounding area anyways.
There was a round table discussion over whether or not we should hike to some tower, but it was decided inappropriate due to the lack of hiking material. Everybody had left their walking sticks at home and no one had remembered to bring a real elvish rope. We were completely unprepared.
So instead, we walked down the road and ran into some colorful people. Literally, there was the pink whore...I call her Pinkor. And the golden man who smoked. I called him Tar Breath. And the blue man who lacked any distinguishing characteristics besides being blue, so he just goes by The Blue Man.
It was very cool to see the culture that was so deeply entrenched in the streets of this city.
We walked into a bajillion stores. Jenni Jay and MarC drew straws and MarC lost so he got stuck babysitting me as I explored the different stores and discussed buying extravagantly priced stuff.
Luckily, he happens to have a fortune just like me, so he fell right into the discussion of which would best best for the living room, the 12 foot horse or the 8 foot lion.
We decided to eat at the Rain Forest Cafe, as MarC had never experienced it before. So we made reservations, called Christine to inform her her presence was desired, and walked some more as we waited.
Of course we hit a chocolate store, where Jenni and MarC made cooing noises of utter delight and drooled, and Jay, being much more practical than the other two, actually BOUGHT chocolate to mop up their drool with.
MarC is excused for having not bought chocolate at the first store as he was saving to buy some at another, whereby buying Jenni and himself an excuse to tour yet another candy store.
We reached a point where we thought we would stop and rest for a bit, near a small beach with happy playing children and a nice breeze. We weren't sitting there long before the attack began. Large monstrous birds, with glowing red eyes and chilling caw's, advancing on us all at once.
Jenni MarC and Jay remained under some sort of spell, no doubt cast by the wicked birds, and couldn't see them for the danger they were. I had the presence of mind however to leave, and they followed.
A moment later, we all began to wonder if Jay really had died and we were all just a part of his heaven, as car after fancy car began arriving for a car show. Now it was Jay's turn to coo with delight, and MarC and I thought it was very inconsiderate of him to die and make heaven without something to entertain the rest of us, so we set out on a search for the holy grail or a foosball table, whichever came first.
After we found a foosball table, I schooled MarC on technique, style, and good sportsmanlike behaviour. He beat me twice.
We left there, MarC feeling very humble after my lesson to him I believe, and continued in our exploration, wondering into a music store where we pondered the uses of odd looking musical instruments and tried to think of a suitable diversion to lure away the counter lady carefully watching to make sure nothing was touched.
We visited an art store, where I had to explain to MarC who Barbara Streisand was and he explained to me how the only cool Canadian was Michael Douglas whose picture wasn't there.
Then we actually did have a very interesting conversation and he explained to me how Canadians view Americans and why...and I just want you Americans to know, you're not looking to hot over here, not from where my Canadian friend and I are standing. Not hot at all.
Then he told me all about Ronald Reagan, and we attempted to make the Bush Man scare us but were to formidable for his kind of cowardice, and everytime we passed he merely hid behind his bush. We showed him!
We put together a puzzle in a museum, and took a picture of our handiwork and got my alcy best friend a shot glass and then met the others.
Christine had arrived! There was much rejoicing throughout the land, it was kinda like something out of Lion King, all the animals bellowing at the same time, to show Christine their respect. I wanted her to make them shut up by the end of the meal but she seemed more interested in conquering the volcano.
We ate, Jenni drank(which wasn't entirely her fault, as I did force her to drink my drink which I picked out and made her and Christine get as well which none of us enjoyed...), and all were Merry. But we made Pippin stay home this time. :-(
Jay developed a bad head ache, probably some kind of a side affect from dying, and we all stayed away so we didn't get his death cooties.
We went outside where we happened upon this AMAZING performance, like watching a dance, but all he had was spray paint and a blank canvas. Christine and I made cooing sounds of utter delight, and it really was just that cool.
Upon realizing he was selling these works of art for only 10 dollars, we both decided we wanted one then watched as all the good ones were snatched up while we were deliberating. At which point, we swallowed our fear and indecision (and indigestion) and pounced on two, and then after more deliberation and swapping, settled on some really cool ones.
Jenni by this point had caught some of Jay's death illness. She forgot to stay away from his cooties and there you have it. They both wanted to leave, but Christine and I wanted to stay (we were still glowing from our delighted cooing) and since MarC had lost earlier when they drew straws, he had to stay to babysit.
MarC, Christine and I did more walking around, discovered some new shops and appreciated all the different ways artistic people manage to express themselves, whether it be by a particularly poignant and message filled sculpture, or a Birthday Card.
MarC then bravely brought up the hike to the tower once more. We took inventory of ourselves, and decided we would have to attempt the quest, and that we would not be able to face ourselves if we faltered in this challenge.
Christine sang words of encouragement and I sang words of woe and MarC really didn't sing at all. There were times when we were thwarted, an impenetrable wall where we thought there would be a street, a steep mountain when our legs begged for a gentle valley.
But we persevered, and we made it to the tower. It was worth the walk. The view was breath taking, and I was reminded that not all things created by man had to be ugly. Some can be beautiful, if not natural.
Christine and MarC took pictures and we made the long journey back, without wands or brooms or any flying cars to assist us.
Once there, we bade Christine farewell and good luck, for she must go on alone and now the truly perilous part of the night had begun. We were in a race against time itself, and time is indeed an unyeilding and cruel master.
MarC and I used all of our combined wits and talents to obtain transportation, and found ourselves to be sorely wanting. Defeat was on the horizon, and it was going to be a bitter night of disappointments if we had risked so much for a our quest only to be denied passage home.
When suddenly, a knight in a shining yellow cab picked us up. He raced through the streets of San Francisco with total disregard for his (and our) safety. He fought the law and the law didn't win. Respect for this stranger mounted in MarC and myself as we realized that we had now met out very own fairy cab driver, and he was indeed going to get us to the train by midnight.
We rushed onto the train just in time, and fell into our seats with sighs of relief.
Christine meanwhile was facing perils of unspeakable danger of her own. MarC and I both felt the heavy weight of her trials on our chests, knowing if she did not escape the city our own narrow victory would be hollow and meaningless.
We spoke in hushed subdued tones, feeling the mounting tension rise as our bladders begged to be emptied and are hearts became even more heavy with concern for Christine. Jenni's phone rang.
It was Christine, telling us of her own harrowing adventure, in which she had to run down her own transportation, and evaluate who was to be trusted and who was not. She finally found a native who turned into a good guide, and friend in a time of need. We spoke over the phone until she was home, and I was much relieved when we finally knew she was home and safe.
MarC and I arrived at home safely as well and both felt the gratitude one can only feel after knowing they had been granted a second chance, a miracle had been performed and all of your worst fears had dissolved into laughter and relief.
I told Jenni of my harrowing journey and then we both fell asleep.
The next day we spent the morning bumbling around online and enjoying one another's company, until it was time for me to leave. Jenni drove and I felt the sadness one always feels when they know they are leaving part of themselves very far away and not always easily accessible, and unprotected without you there.
We said our good-bye's, and I left, sad but happy to have had any time at all with my amazing best friend, who among everyone never disappoints me, and her very fun and interesting friends.
Recap: Christine, MarC and Jay are awesome. Jenni is the coolest person in the entire world. (there you are bud. Just for old times sake.)Current Mood:  tired |
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May. 26th, 2007 @ 09:59 pm
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sooo...I don't know if you guys noticed....but this thing isn't so 'live' anymore....it's really kinda dead....
I am alive and kicking at Myspace, if you just happen to be losery like me and have followed the crowd there, look me up on it.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=104129231 |
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Sep. 21st, 2006 @ 10:24 am
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Aight. I'm bored like, so I've decided to scrape some rust off this old thing and make an entry.
Anybody even out there anymore? Hello? Heeeelllllloooooo? Besides the crickets and that echo? No? Alright then.
Today is the 21st, which means I have 13 days and a wake up and I'm home. This is just better than peanut butter and jelly. It's the best thing ever.
The military has been a great experience for me. I went in a little bit embarrassed I was joining the army to pay for my college, but I'm coming out extremely proud to be part of something so dedicated to freedom and America.
I've made alot of friends here with alot of interesting characters. People I normally wouldn't have given a second look I would trust to have my back in a combat situation, and thats really cool and weird too.
I hope everything is going well with all of you. And the crickets, who are actually reading this. They've always been my loyal companions.
I did something to jack up my knee this morning while pacing a girl whose having issues passing her PT test. Hopefully that will go away. I swear, I just go hop from one injury to the next.
Gimme a holler if you're still alive. |
| » Excerpts from twenty-second letter, dated July 18, 2006 to Jenni |
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Dear Jenni,
Do you have any idea how close we are? 15 days and a wake up til Family Day, and I'll get to see you all. I'm so excited!
This is probly the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Not ya know ... the exercises, or the training. But the being away from home, the discipline, not being able to talk to you all when I want. That part has been so incredibly hard.
I can't wait til AIT. A laptop, a cell phone, I'll be in HEAVEN!
This would all be so much more manageable if I could talk to you about it at the end of every day.
Today has been pretty good. Our final PT test is tomorrow, so they've been taking it pretty easy on us.
We watched part of some HBO mini-series called Band of Brothers. It was interesting but just too violent. Not like narrow movie violent you know, but like, whole movie is about a war therefore a new character dies in every scene violent.
And violence just ... disgusts me. I mean, why?
Like the other day, we were in line for chow and someone spotted a lizard. So one of the guys picks up a rock and says he's going to kill it and it's just like, what the flying flip?! Why? Just because it's a lesser life form and it wandered into your line of vision you have the right to kill it?
I think the army is supposed to have the opposite effect on me, and I'm supposed to become some crazy psycho killing machine, but it's just made me so much more aware of how little value those around me place on life, and how important it is to me not to become like that.
Not everyone here is crazy psycho killers. I talked to a couple others the other day who were just like me.
But there are more of them than us, and the army is on their side.
Every living organism should mean something to you, I don't care who you are. That's life. That's something you can't make, and you shouldn't be able to just take it whenver you feel like it.
Maybe I'm just being hyper-sensitive, but it's just sad. Life, it's a miracle. I'm still amazed at the complexity of a leaf on a tree.
But some of these people look at pictures of people torn apart by IED's and they laugh. It's sick.
I miss you so much Varda.
When I look into the horizon and see a beautiful sunrise so many times I wish you were there to appreciate it with me.
Or sometimes, when I'm outside and I feel one of those perfect breezes, I wish my hair were down being tossed by the wind and you were there too, just smelling life, breathing it in.
I better stop before I get all mushy. I love you dear one.
To Infinity and Beyond,
Nicole
Jul. 31st, 2006 @ 07:39 pm
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| » Excerpts from twenty-first letter, undated to Jenni |
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Dear Jenni,
I'm back! White Stix is over! Blue Phase started today.
1 week of training and 1 week of Victory Forge and then it's over basically. The last week is just processing and stuff.
White Stix would have been crazy fun if I hadn't been so tired and drained feeling the whole time.
On Day 1 we trained on how to spot and react to an IED (improvised explosive device).
We broke our squads into teams and then went on missions. Halfway through the mission BOOM! and we all jump down and we're getting fired on.
We had lasers attached to our weapons, our keutars (erm, helmets) and our LCE (utility belts) so if we got "shot" it beeped and we had to play dead. My squad did awesome. We suffered one casualty, but that's not so bad when you take into account that we came out with 4 EPU's and killed dead everyone else.
The next day we practiced entering cities and clearing houses, and worked on the appropriate way to deal with the native civilians.
That night was NIC at Night (NIC = Night Infiltration Course).
We had to low crawl the length of 3 football fields with our IBAs on (something Bulletproof Armor. Not sure what hte I stands for. But they're vests with bulletproof plates in them and those suckers are heavy). And they were shooting live rounds over our heads ... it was crazy.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
I wrote all of that on Wednesday and lost this letter. Today is Sunday and I got to talk to you! I love talking to you. I feel good today. It's almost over now ... almost.
Go ahead and get me that laptop. [credit card info] Ok. So go ahead and order that for me please, and bring it with you to my graduation. Do you have enough time? If not, don't worry about it. If so, that's cool.
Ok. I gotta go. I LOVE YOU!!!
~Nicole
Jul. 31st, 2006 @ 07:31 pm
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| » Excerpts from twentieth letter, undated to Jenni |
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Dear Jenni,
Today has been a lot better than yesterday. I haven't been yelled at at all (not by my drill sergeants anyways).
Tomorrow I'm taking Hunter with my to the minimall. I'm not sure if we'll make phone calls though, it depends on how she is.
Right now I'm snacking on some peanut M&Ms and waiting for my fireguard shift to end so I can go to sleep.
Earlier today I threw two live hand grenades. So much fun.
The standing in line for 3 hours afterwards wasn't, but ya gotta take the good with the bad ya know?
2 1/2 more weeks and this will all be over. I kind of think I'm gonna miss this, but right now I just want it to end.
2 packs of strawberry Bubblicious
(5 pieces in each pack)
1 Big bag of Strawbursts and Skittles
OR
$5 worth of cookies
I know there was stuff I wanted to reply to in your last letter but I can't remember any of it now.
I'm gonna try to write John back tomorrow. His letter was cute.
Crap! Drill Sergeant, gotta go, I'll finish tomorrow!
Tomorrow it is. I'm at sick call, waiting on my shot. DS Valdez said I needed a shot for my poison ivy cuz it's gotten so bad.
Then me and Hunter are going to the mini-mall. I wasn't planning on trying any of this again but she really wants to so I'm making an exception.
What I hate is the waiting. You know how ADD I am, and you have to wait for hours upon hours to be seen by anyone at sick call.
Almond M&Ms
2x Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews
Mini Snickers
Jolly Ranchers
But I don't think I'll make it through Victory Forge if I don't get rid of this poison ivy so here I am. We leave for it in a week, so I won't be sending any mail out that week, just so ya know.
Good Lord. Mail call after that is going to be horrible, because we won't get any that whole week.
Tomorrow I have to go back to the range. We're going to shoot a bunch of other weapons, like a saw gun and a grenade launcher. I mean, some people get so psyched up about this stuff, but why? It's just ... boring. Pull the trigger, boom, reload, shoot again. There's no story there! Nothing interesting going on.
Maybe I'm just being a girl, but I'm not all about this destruction, killing, shooting stuff.
I love you. I miss you so much dear friend.
Love,
Nicole
Jul. 31st, 2006 @ 06:33 pm
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| » Excerpts from nineteenth letter, dated July 13, 2006 to Jenni |
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Dearest and most beloved friend,
I just got 3 letters from you and I got to talk to you (for a very brief time) today.
If I get to make phone calls on Sunday you're it because I have so much I want to talk to you about right now. I'm just going to go in order of what's on my mind.
I'm sorry if I haven't been getting the letters out, they just haven't been giving us any personal time here lately.
Right now it's lights out and everyone else is sleeping but I'm sacrificing for you because you're just that special.
I've decided the 'meat' in the MRE's tastes a lot like your dog food meat you eat. You'd like it a lot.
Uhm. AIT. Yeah, I'll be able to hang out with ya'll most all of Saturday and Sunday, but Sunday night I report back.
Don't change your plans if it'll make things too difficult for you. It's not a big deal.
Uh, duh. Of course if I have a laptop I'm going to have Internet. And we're going to talk all the time.
I caught a cab by getting on a bus that goes to an AIT base instead of a BCT one. No Drill Sergeants there, and the cabs are lined up in rows waiting for AIT soldiers. There is no McDonald's on base doofus or I would have gone there instead.
I wish I got your letters at the beginning of every day. Talk about starting your day out right.
Halirious? Try Hilarious. You never could spell worth a crap.
I'm not going to turn into some alcy, no worries. I just want to try it once. And I want you there, because I'll feel llike I'm doing something wrong if you're not there to supervise.
Yeah. DS Valdez definitely ruined Pirates and X-Men 3 for me. Jack Sparrow dies, Jean comes back evil and kills Xavier. I could kill him. He did it on purpose too, with malicious intent.
Aww. You're so cute. Jenni, that's Basic Training. I get smoked because of other people all the time. It's their way of superimposing teamwork on us.
I have poison ivy really bad right now. To the point where it's close to painful. Right now it's just uber uncomfortable. I'm tired of playing army. Can I go home now?
Today I watched part of Black Hawk Down. It was weird, watching a movie that makes all of the training we've been getting seem so much more real. All of these scenarios they have us run through and these movement techniques are used on real battlefields.
I want to see the whole movie when I get out. We will have to rent it.
Tomorrow we're supposed to run through some uber training course using live rounds.
The course part will be fun, but the sitting around in the hot sun waiting for it to be my turn part will suck.
This letter is getting way too long, and I still have so much to say. Hopefully phone calls will happen on Sunday. I need an all nighter like we used to do, just to talk to you until we both lose our voices or run out of minutes. I miss you so much Jenni. I am so happy for you. Keep my updated.
Love always and forever,
Nicole
Jul. 31st, 2006 @ 06:23 pm
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| » Excerpts from eighteenth letter, dated July 8, 2006, to Jenni |
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Dear Jenni, My dearest and most beloved friend, (better?)
Guess what? PX today! New pen! I'm like all about gel pens. They make my handwriting neater.
Sorry, I know it's gotta be hard reading my handwriting half the time, but you have to know half the time I write letters I don't have a notebook and I'm like, out at the shooting range or some obstacle course, hunched down writing on a loose piece of paper on my knee, trying not to be seen by any Drill Sergeants.
I got to talk to you yesterday, that was freaking awesome.
I'm just so up. Like, DS Christensen said we deserved to be in white phase today. I mean we've been in white phase, but we've had a white phase banner.
There are 3 phases to BCT, red, white, and blue. Red being the first and the worst, where you have the least freedom, white being the middle where they focus more on individuals (i.e., instead of smoking the whole platoon because one person shows up, smoking the person who showed up late only) and blue being the best (they're going to legalize buying the Gatorade downstairs, so I won't be being bad when I buy it anymore).
But the day we got our white phase banner, a couple people talked in formation, and there was a big puddle that we all walked around instead of walking through, and DS Valdez got *really* mad and took away our white phase banner and pushed us back to red. Which sucked. But today ... today is good.
Ok. Correspondance.
Uhm. No. I'm not going to say "vroom vroom" everytime I walk by Hoover. Although I told her you said that and she laughed.
I haven't seen alot of Hoover lately. I've been spending more time with Hunter and Hubbard.
An Article 15 is like, charges the army presses against soliders who violate the army code.
It usually involves taking away rank, withholding pay, added duties and details. Once you have one, you're not as likely to get promoted and once you have one it can be pressed to give you a dishonorable discharge.
Hunter has like ... 4. You know me. I love a challenge.
Um, AIT. What were your questions? I'm here til October 14th (that's not definite, it might be earlier). Yes I can have books, a laptop (I told you about this right? You're going to get it for me with my money?)
Music, food ... all things good and great. And I'll have my cell. So we'll be hooked up.
Man. They're making us go to bed. I'll write more tomorrow. This letter isn't over! *~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
07-09 Ok. So it's Sunday. I let Sisson drag me to the Lutheran Church. Big mistake. Boring and weird.
Oh. But you wanted to send me a package, right? I could really use some ziploc sandwich bags. And ... a loofah. And ... that's all. But you shouldn't send me those things. Because we probly get to go to the PX in two more weeks. Or maybe I'll buy it when I sneak off on Thursday.
So just kidding. You can send me a package when I'm in AIT. Like an uber package with books in it. And other awesome things of that nature. CDs you want to burn me. Yeah.
Ok. So. Got back from church. They're having a major shakedown.
Meaning, you dump everything out of your locker, your pockets, strip your bunks.
If anybody gets caught in our bay with stuff, DS Christensen will be so mad.
I really hope Hunter doesn't have anything. DS Christensen pulled me and Hubbard aside yesterday and told us to tell Hunter she was walking the line, and one more incident and she'd be out. That would suck so much. I love Hunter, and I don't want to see her recycled.
On another note, I'm pretty sure this means we aren't making phone calls, which sucks, because I wanted to tell you that I won't be able to send any letters the next 3 days since we'll be out in the field.
And I didn't get to send out hardly any at the beginning of last week either because of 4th of July.
But I still lvoe you. I wasn't not writing because I didn't care, it was just a time issue.
And ya know, Victory Forge, I won't be able to write that whole week.
But right after that I get to see you! Yay!
Did you set me up on facebook and myspace yet? When are you going to make that happen? I can't be the only one not on there! All my new friends have it.
Tell Molly Hubbard was reading over my shoulder and she saw what Molly wrote.
"Lemme? Who wrote you that Lybarger? That's straight up ghetto there. Lybarger got some ghetto friend everybody!"
I just laughed. Molly is as close as I get to having a ghetto friend.
Heather's letter was ... weird. She actually *did* sound ghetto. But it made me laugh so it's cool. Next time I go to PA she'll have to make me a drink.
Ok, I need to end this forever long letter. I get the feeling when everyone gets back we're going to get smoked the rest of today and I haven't written anyone but you.
I love you more than you could possibly imagine. Your friendship is the most treasured thing I possess.
Love, Nicole
Jul. 31st, 2006 @ 06:08 pm
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| » Excerpts from seventeenth letter, to Jenni |
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My dearest Varda,
I just received the most wonderful letters from you...
I have to cut this short because lights out is in 4 minutes. But I'll write more tomorrow! Love you!
~*~
Okay, it's tomorrow, and I didn't have any time all day to write. We had day and night shooting. It's 12:30 now, we just got back, and now it's time for lights out. So until tomorrow, love you lots.
Here we are. I'm getting fitted for Class A's today.
(Class A's are our dressy uniforms we wear for graduation or formal occasions.)
It sucks. I'm not a normal shape! My arms are too short, my boobs are too small, my head is too something (none of the berets would fit properly).
But! The happy thought of the day? I'm pretty sure Sisson is on detail and that she took 2 extra berets.
As soon as we get back to the barracks, our Drill Sergeants are going to take the two we were issued away.
Why? Because otherwise, we could get on the bus and pose as AIT soldiers.
We could go to the mini-mall ... we could go anywhere.
So if Sisson nabbed 2 ... we are set for the next 4 weeks.
I think I'm turning into a bad kid. But it's so much fun.
Uck. Hubbard just said we're going to be here til 21:00. Gah. I hope not. That means we probly won't get mail again too. Say it isn't so!
This is my 3rd day now, and this letter is pathetically short and lacking substance. But they've been keeping us crazy busy this week.
Saturday is PT test and (drumroll) the PX! Yay!
Ok, btw, best stamps ever. Everybody is so jealous. Could I possibly have a better best friend? (The answer is no.)
Hoover was using my pen so I had to borrow hers, sorry about the brightness. [The above was in green.]
I really want to call you again. I may try this weekend, if we get to make phone calls that is. By the time you get this you'll know whether or not I was able to.
We only got 3 hours of sleep last night so I'm kind of tired.
I'm fed up with these late nights. We're all supposed to be in bed every night by 2100 (9:00 pm).
If we don't leave here until then, you have to factor in the bus ride back, plus personal hygiene time, and waiting on the DS to actually show up for toe-the-line, we're not in bed til 2300 at the earliest.
And I think tonight I have fireguard. So no sleep. Gah, it's really hard to write when there's nothing to write on. My next letter will be better. I love you, to the moon and back. ~Nicole
P.S. You need to set me up a myspace and a facebook. Or something. This is what everyone here tells me. I LOVE YOU!!!
Jul. 31st, 2006 @ 05:58 pm
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| » Excerpts from sixteenth letter, dated July 4, 2006 to Jenni |
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Jenni,
Oh my gosh! Happy 4th of July! Yesterday was so much fun. I got candy and pizza and pop. And I snuck candy back (shh! Don't tell anyone!) [Okay.]
I hung out with Hunter and Hubbard most of yesterday during the day (I'm becoming so ghetto. Represent yo.)
Then at night I got to watch fireworks, and I talked to Howell and Ellenburg and a bunch of others about fun stuff like Boy Meets World and fun childhood crap.
(Hubbard and Hunter are black grils, Howell and Ellenburg are white boys, just in case you couldn't distinguish by their last names.)
I missed you during the fireworks. I thought back to last summer and the one kickbutt night we had. Fireworks and concession stands, good times.
Then later I looked up at the stars and tried looking for constellations.
I miss you, and I closed my eyes and imagined that whole field was empty but for us and the stars and we were laying on our backs and singing each other to sleep.
But enough sentimentalism. I'm doing good today. I know in my other letter I sound pretty down but I'm ok.
Exactly one month and I'll be done. Over halfway there!
I love you best bud. I miss you lots.
Love, Nicole
Jul. 11th, 2006 @ 07:39 pm
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| » Excerpts from fifteenth letter, dated July 2, 2006 to Jenni |
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Hey bud,
What's up? Today is Sunday. Which is kinda awesome and kinda not. Awesome because I get personal time, and on Sundays we get to wear tennis shoes with out ACU's instead of boots.
But there is no mail on Saturdays or Sundays, and the day is halfway over and I haven't heard any mention of a phone call so I don't think I'm going to get to make one.
But still. Just 4 weeks left, and then I'll be in AIT and that will be awesome.
Last night was crazy. My whole bay was up almost all night getting smoked and cleaning.
A bunch of girls in 2nd Platoon lied about Hunter (my big black bunk buddy) [note: I think this is Hoover] and Hubbard and Moultric (my other black friends) and said they were bullies, and cussing at people every night before toe-the-line.
Which isn't true. Because Hubbard is always making fun of people before toe-the-line, and me and Hunter are laughing our butts off at her.
So our whole bay got smoked because those punks went to their DS lying about my battle buddies.
And guess who was crying and not doing push ups at 2 am? The girls form 2nd Platoon. Acting like they were dying, when they're the reason we got smoked.
At the end he made us have a water formation. We all had to fill up our 2 quart canteens and drink it all in like, ten minutes. I'm not sure you realize how much water that is but it's alot. Hoover vomitted first, then me. Sisson held it til we got back upstairs. Then I fell asleep with acid burning my throat.
I was *really* mad at 2nd Platoon. I'm in a nicer mood today.
Next week is White Stix. We go out to the field for 2 nights and 3 days. We're going to dig our 2 man trenches and lay in the prone unsupported for hours, keeping fireguard with our weapons. (Which SUCKS).
Tomorrow we have our 4th of July thing. Which should be fun, but I've decided since everyone is looking forward to it so much our drill sergeants are going to find a way to suck the fun out of it.
But supposedly there will be candy and pizza and pop. And supposedly on the 4th we get to watch movies all day. So this should be a great week. Should be.
Plus, I've been figuring out loopholes to all the crazy rules here. The only thing I haven't mastered is the telephone calls.
But the males in our platoon go on G runs. They pull security while one of them gets Gatorade from downstairs. And Hunter discovered a vending machine in the Battalion. Yesterday I gave her money and she brought me back a chocolate KitKat bar, which isn't my favorite normally, but after going so long w/out it tasted like fruit of heaven.
Sisson, Hubbard, Hunter and I have formed a little gang dedicated to bringing food into the bay and eating at will.
I'm kind of one of the bad kids, but everybody thinks I'm a good kid.
Hoover copied down the schedule for the next 4 weeks (illegally) while she was pulling CQ. It looks like White Stix isn't this week but next. Want to know how it looks? Ok!
3rd-AGR (Ability Group Run), Quickfire Class, Torchlight
4th-Motivational Films
5th-CD2 ARM (no idea what that means ...)
6th-Deffered Issue (going to fitted for Class A's)
7th-P.T. test, Bastonge (P.M.)
8th-30-60 PX (yay! PX! 30-60? no idea ...)
9th-Week 6
10th-12th-White Stix
13th-AGR, White Stix recovery
14th-Omaha (we have to clear buildings)
15th-Remagen (like I know)
16th-Week 7
17th-KASS Pass (no idea)
18th-Deep Streching IMT Class PX
19th-EOC APFT (end of cycle PT test) VF Prep VF OROPD Prep
20th-VP Prep AGR (what's VF?) (haha, just kidding. I bet it's Victory Forge ... duh)
21st-CD2 DC comp
22nd-28th-Victory Forge
(28th-right of passage)
29th-VF Recovery, Range clearing
30th-Week 9!
31st-Out process
1st-EOC (end of cycle) survey
2nd-Grad PXC Px
3rd-Battalion Run FAMILY DAY!
4th-Graduation!
We're almost there! I'm so happy! Ok, so you didn't need to know all of that but I needed to share. :-P So but I miss you bud. I can't wait til Graduation. And more importantly, Thanksgiving.
I love you to the moon and back.
Love, Nicole
Jul. 11th, 2006 @ 07:24 pm
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| » Excerpts from thirteenth and fourteenth letters, dated June 28 and June 29, 2006 to Jenni |
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Jenni!
I just got a killer long letter from you! Yay!
Right. Uh. Random questions you asked. My AIT is here at Ft. Jackson. I leave October 14th. Yes, weekend visits will be allowed. I'll have the weekend of my graduation off. And if you're coming alone, I think you should get in touch with Kristy or Gelc and ya'll share a hotel room.
Today has been a crazy day. I woke up happy, and we got to do PT, and that made me even more happy. (I heart PT) [note: actual heart]
But then there was the sitting and waiting (I [mad face] sitting and waiting) and Arrowood started talking crap on Sisson so I got into it with him (he's so annyoing, I want to kill this kid).
And then we went to the EST, and practiced reflexive firing (I did really good! go me!) and we practiced clearing rooms in 4 man firing squads (I guess I clear rooms in a girly manner that is unacceptable ... oops).
And then more PT (yay!) but then at supper we got humilated by 1st platoon because 3rd platoon sucks at sounding off. And ... ok. Wait. I guess I should tell you what sounding off it.
In the army, you sound off w/ cadences when you march (if you already know this ignore my dummy crash course).
Example:
DS: Left, go left, left right your left. Left, your left, left right your left. Left, left, left right your left. 1234, 1234
Soldiers: Shoot him in the head, shoot him in the head kill
DS: 1234
Soldiers: Reload, and shoot him again
And then we make up our own mottos for like, when a DS calls "attn" or "at ease." Our platoon sucks at sounding off though. Like, only half the platoon will do it, and the half that does doesn't do it simultaneously.
Hubbard came up with this really tight motto for chow formation. It's like
DS: Chow formation
Sold: Chow formation
DS: Move
Sold: Hold up, wait to move
That's right haters we're 3rd platoon
2/39 double R Bravo
Rough Riders coming through the D-Fac [?] door
Move back, now slide
Phase burner it's time to ride
But now she won't let our platton use it because they suck so much. Not me Sission or Hoover. She said we all say it right. We're like, the only white people who do.
But the lights are out and they're yelling at me about my flashlight. I LOVE YOU!
Letter, part two
to be added onto the other letters:
Ok, in like, a month, when I have more money in my credit union account, I'm probly gonne have you get the information and buy me that laptop. Apparently, you're allowed to have laptops at AIT. How awesome is that?!
I'm so psyched. And we'll get to be online alot they said (but it depends on your DSs) so I guess we'll see. Shoot. One more month and I'll give you the info myself. Because in a little over a month I get to see you!
I feel so motivated otday. Wow. Today is good. I snuck into the PX [?] earlier with Deb and we bought a chocolate chip cookie.
And we plan on catching a cab and snkeaing to Burger King later. Yeah, I'm a bad kid, I know ... but Burger King ... and burgers ... and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
And also I get to have my cell all throughout AIT. And I get like, almost every weekend off. How awesome is that? One more month and I'll be there ...
*~*~*~*~*~*
Wow. I mean wow. That chocolate milkshake was like ... amazing. And the cookie ... and french fries ... and chicken fingers. I like being bad Jenni. It feels good. It makes me happy. You should try it sometime. Ok. Where was I?
Relax, enjoy yourself, but remember who you are and why you believe what you believe.
Most of all, remember that I believe in you, I trust your judgement and you should trust your judgement too. If you don't know what to do, imagine if I were in your position. What advice would you give me? You give pretty good advice, bud.
I love you lots and lots and lots!
Yours always,
Lalaith
Jul. 7th, 2006 @ 11:19 am
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| » Excerpts from twelfth letter, postmarked July 3, 2006 to Jenni |
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Dearest Varda,
This week has been a great time for recuperation after the horrible week of qualifying.
We were marching today and I just felt so in awe of the beauty around me. South Carolina is a beautiful place. I wish I had more time to just enjoy the scenery.
Our road marches are through great tall towering trees, all spead out and welcoming as if to say "No worries, there's room for you too, come join us." We walk on small dirt roads that have soft sand that sucks to march through, but it would be alot of fun to leisurely stroll through.
The ground under the trees is covered with dried pine needles, so you can walk through the woods noiselessly, and when you sit down they cushion the hard ground for you. Plus the smell is wonderful. Always so fresh and sweet. I wish I was here on vacation. With you. You would love it. It really is beautiful.
Ok. But enough of that.
I love you for saying you're going to buy me chocolate when you see me. You have no idea. I would almost KILL for chocolate right now. As is, I'm sending Hunter on a suicide mission to get me some M&M's tomorrow from the vending machine. (I love Hunter.)
4 more weeks. 4 more weeks. Eeek! Chatman just came in a told me we're allowed to take showers now, so I have to wrap this up!
Love you,
~Nicole.
P.S. You are SUCH a dork. On your uber forever long awesome letter you drew pictures ... and it was so thick the DS made me open it. And reads the captions out loud: "non-gay weather" "non-gay pictures." DS: "... I'm not even gonna ask." You kill me Jenni. But I love you to death.
Jul. 7th, 2006 @ 11:12 am
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| » Excerpts from eleventh letter, dated June 27, 2006 to Jenni |
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Jenni,
Wow. Just wow. I am absolutely AMAZED at how immature the people in our platoon are.
It's driving me crazy. Luckily, it's driving Sisson crazy, too, so I'm not alone (completely). She's a sucky replacement for a best friend though. She has no loyalty. (Well ya know. She has some. But you make everybody look bad when it comes to loyalty.)
I'm gonna write a letter to John, too. Cause I've met all your other friends, but I haven't met this kid, so I'll have to use letters. Make him write me back.
In exactly one month and one week I get to see you. That is completely exciting. I'm so ready. I hate days like today, when we're not really busy, because it gives me a lot of time to think about home and miss you all so much. I guess Gelca has a new boyfriend.
Nathan. (So no more Caras.) According to reports, he's a great Christian.
Amber wrote Deb about him. She doesn't like him at all. She says Gelc is wearing skirts down to her ankles and shirts above her collarbone. I guess he's like Chrys and Andy, he doesn't believe in females wearing pants, blah, blah, blah.
I miss music. That's going to be one of the best parts of getting out. Music and books. When does the next Terry Goodkind book come out again?
I miss intellectual conversations and debates. No one was ever as good at those as you.
But mainly it's music and books. Don't forget I want a pic of us. OK. I better hurry, it's almost toe-the-line. Love you!
~Nicole
Jul. 5th, 2006 @ 09:47 am
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| » Excerpts from tenth letter, dated June 26, 2006 to Jenni |
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Jenni,
Today has been so icky and humid.
Yesterday was Sunday, and it was cool. We basically got to chill all day and relax. I called Kristy and Chrystal, and organized my wall locker, and checked my bank account, and I didn't have to eat one MRE all day.
Which was awesome. I guess Gel had started dating Caras for a while but it's over now and she's dating some guy named Nathan. Chrys says they're really serious. She thinks they'll end up getting married ... so random.
Tomorrow is a confidance course. We get to scale walls and climb ropes and cross rope bridge. You know. All the fun stuff. Hopefully it's not too wet and muddy. After that, we have to do some tactical formations, practice clearing buildings and knocking down targets.
And then we have our next PT test coming up. Hoover and I did PT together last night, testing each other. I sucked at push ups because it was right after we got [smoked?]
I got like, 33 in 2 minutes (not good) and I got 53 sit ups in 2 minutes. We didn't do a run because Hoover has a jacked up ankle.
Either way, that's more than passing (just because the girls have such low standards).
We didn't do like, any PT last week since we were qualifying so I'm feeling very ... blah. Fat. I want to get back to them pushing us.
And I'm annoyed because I found out today officers don't even use M-16s. We use M-13s [?] which are hand guns. So all of that hard work ...
I plan on performing criminal act number 4 tomorrow.
Number 1: Victory Punch in my canteen.
Number 2: Stealing MREs
Number 3: Lying to get an extra phone call
Number 4: Sneaking down to the vending machine to get Gatorade.
I can't help it Jenni. I try to be good, but I'm going stir crazy, and sitting around waiting for everyone to qualify just isn't cutting it.
I promise to do my best to not get caught with contraband though.
So but how are you? How's the intern?
I've made some very colorful friends (literally, hahah!)
Hoover. She's really serious about the army and very squared away. We were squad leaders together. She fits in great with me and Deb, they call us the get-along gang (whatever that's supposed to mean).
Hoover is my bunk buddy. Like, 6 foot, over 200 pounds, black, has 3 artcle 15's against her (one for cussing out a drill sergeant, one for ignoring a direct order form the first sergeant, and one for pulling attitude with our drill sergeants).
I love her to death. She's been trying to teach me ghetto (it's slow progress).
Gonzalez isn't in my platoon, but she's cool as all get out. She's from New York and she can really really sing.
Chucky (his nickname, not his real name) is great. He's like, small and short with red hair and these big glasses, but so sweet, and like, uber strong.
Johnson is always helping me when I can't life something or I can't take my weapon apart. He's from California and really [quiet?] but fun to joke around with.
Howell lives in Kentucky, he'll be here for AIT too. 6'3", he looks like a freakin Arian. We have long conversations about family and his girlfriend.
Awww. Ok. So I wrote all of that about 5 hours ago and I've got mail since then. 2 from you, best friend.
Don't tell anyone [heh heh, okay] but I think your letters are my favorites. I always feel so good about what I'm doing here after one of your pep talks.
I'm glad you're coming to my graduation. I want to see you. I miss my Varda.
I am very sorry not to be there for you. I hate not being a phone call away.
I want a picture of us together. Send me one, please.
I love and miss you so much.
(No making fun of pictures I draw!)
I'll write agian soon.
Love always,
Nicole.
Jul. 5th, 2006 @ 09:36 am
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| » Excerpts from ninth letter, dated June 24, 2006 to Jenni |
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Dear Jenni,
I got to talk to you today! I was on like, cloud 9 after that.
Gah. I just got off fireguard and my hands smell all bleachy and nasty. I had to clean the latrines. Bleh. Girls are gross.
Awe. I'm so excited that you might be coming to my graduation. But it's not a big deal if you can't. Seriously. Thanksgiving is a big deal. There will be lots of people at my graduation so we won't get much quality time. So don't go to crazy amounts of trouble over it.
But Thanksgiving won't be a big deal if you can't do it ... you can still do it right?
Either way I'm determined to see you. At some point. Just let me know either way. Tell me what your plans are and I'll decide if it's more trouble than it's worth.
We get fit for our class A's later this week, which is cool. Ha. I can't believe you asked me if I wear my uniform all the time. Yes. And no, we're not allowed to wear civillian clothes. But it's cool. Civillian clothes would just mean more laundry. We have our own "laundry room."
3 washers, 6 dryers, 30 girls. IT's really hard to get laundry done. (Plus 1 washer is broken.) We're only allowed to do laundry between 8 pm and 3 am. And lights out are usually at 9, so after 9 you have to hope whoever is pulling fireguard has your back.
Sundays you can do laundry all day. That's the only day like that.
Sundays are supposed to be uber personal time but instead we end up having to clean our bay all day and organize our lockers. All of our socks have to be rolled military style, shirts rolled and measured. And there's no time to keep up on it during the week so Sundays is catch up. Plus we usually end up having some gay class.
Last Sunday was on IEDs (improvised explosive devices). They showed a lot of gory nasty pictures, and people were laughing and making jokes. It was disgusting. Some of those people were soldiers who died for our country. Some were Iraqis who died for theirs. Either way I did not find the slide show of their remains amusing.
One of my drill sergeants was talking to us the other day and he was like "half of you joined for college, half of you for money issues, half because you didn't know what else to do with your life. But when you're over in Iraq, you better know that you're fighting for more than that, because over there, they're fighting for a way of life. They're fighting for the right to believe and live the way they want. So you better know you have something worth fighting for."
But he said it better. And itw as like ... yeah. I joined for college money, but it's more than that.
This training is real to me, not just a game. They're not just testing us with all of this stuff. They're teaching us, literally forming us into soliders. And that is just so cool.
But yeah, enough rambling. I miss you lots, bud. Love you crazy much. Hope everythign is good w/ work and such. Love you, to infinity and beyond.
~Lalaith
P.S. If you're really itching to send me something, I'm running low on stamps.
Jul. 2nd, 2006 @ 11:21 pm
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| » Excerpts from seventh/eighth letters, dated June 23, 2006 to Jenni |
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Dear Jenni,
Heya, I hope you've gotten some of my letters by now. It makes me feel bad to think you think I wouldn't take the time yo write you. Today was our first day of qualifying... I didn't qualify (on my M-16). But only because my magazine got jammed. I would have had it otherwise.
Things are going well though. Making lots of friends. A bunch of guys all played MASH with me. It was funny. Like, all these huge army guys all gathered around a sheet of paper to "learn their futures."
I stole an MRE yesterday. That's completely contraband. Don't be disappointed in me. It's the most fun I've had in forever. Seriously starting to enjoy myself though. You should do this sometime. It's a blast. But ya know, afterwards you'll be like, contracted to the army for 6 years ... other than that, not a big deal.
Aww. I was telling some guys about you the other day, and how you got hit on in Rome.
I hope you haven't started drinking now though. Just remember, just cuz your friends do it doesn't make it ok. The more I'm here, the more I realize how amazingly rare someone like you is. These people are all great, but nobody has that innocence, that pure beauty that you have in your soul. That's special. Don't give it up to fit in or have a good time!
Seriously miss you so much. You're the best best friend ever Jenni. I love you to the moon and back.
~Nicole
~*~*~*~*~*~
Jenni!
I just got 2 letters from you! And you got letters from me! Yay!
Gah, I can't remember everything you asked me but I'll try.
Showers are one big room with ten shower heads. We usually have 5-10 minutes (usually 5, 10 on a really awesome day) because we get no personal time and 63 girls have to use those showers. It was weird showering with 9 other girls at first, but I'm getting used to it.
We have to carry our weapons with us everywhere, even the bathroom stalls. It's crazy.
And today, my whole platoon had to do 20 King Cobra pushups because I got two letters from you. (Keep them coming. I'll take a healthy dose of PT with your letters anyday.)
Seriously. Your letters are so awesomely encouraging. And I'm so happy we're communicating back and forth now.
I hope I qualify tomorrow ... ok. So now I'm rambling. I better send this out. But I love you SO much. And I miss you too. Here's hoping I've already called you by the time you get this.
Love, Nicole
Jul. 2nd, 2006 @ 11:12 pm
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| » Excerpts from sixth letter, postmarked June 22, 2006 to Jenni |
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Jenni,
Guess what? I got the first letters you sent me today! With the address labels and stuff.
And our drill sergeant said we might get to make 5 minute phone calls and if we do I'm going to call you.
I miss you so much bud. I tell everyone about my best friend the almost-astronaut.
I met the perfect guy for you. His name is Dane, he was my coach when I was zeroing [?] on my M-16. He stayed out there with me like, all day, even when the other coaches left. And he lives in Texas, so if you end up getting stationed there, he'll be perfect for you. He's going to officer candidate school right after this and he already he his bachelor degree. So sweet. I love him to death. (In a friend way!)
And my friend Johnson from California and Terp [?] ... he's from ... uh ... I don't remember. Somewhere random.
All so nice.
And I've made lots of girl friends who live in Alabama.
Shoot, I have to go to bed. Lights out. I LOVE YOU!!!
~Nicole
Jun. 24th, 2006 @ 06:23 pm
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