My new rank...subtle things, here and there.  For me personally, I don't know, it's just a naming convention.  For the most part I've alwasy been treated more like a Specialist than Private or a Private First Class, just because of the way I carry myself.  It just doesn't seem like anything more than an intermediate step to becoming a NCO...that however, is the biggest difference--now I am starting to try to look at things as a NCO would--I'm trying to take up a little more responsibility where I can--answering the PAC phone more often--I used to let the actual PAC soldier do that more often--knowing it would rarely be a call about a legal issue--more often a finance or promotion or NCOER or...PAC issue.  I'm fretting over my uniform just a little bit more--trying for that extra bit of shine on my boots, I bought some new PT uniforms to replace old ones, and new shoes to replace my dilapitated running shoes...Monday those shoes, already old and wearing down, took another major hit.

LRSC had the battalion on a 5 mile run through some of the "tank trails".  With all the thunderstorms as of late, that meant a lot of mud, water puddles, and a huge mess for everyone.  It was mostly an uphill run as well...a lot of people fell out of that run because of the mud making it difficult and the incline making it worse.  I myself got a couple blisters that I had to shrug off and run through.  My shoes just got trashed, and I'd been meanign to replace them for a while anyway, so today I picked up a pair of Adidas at clearance prices (saved $30...not too shabby).  I would prefer to have Nike Air Pegasus, but I didn't want to look around all day and I didn't want to spend too much--normally not a problem for me sicne I don't, as a general rule, like very flashy things--the reason most shoes nowadays are so expensive it seems to me.

Leland leaves Friday for his wedding in Arizona and multiple receptions...He and Whitney are having another reception out here on the 15th...I suppose I ought to go down to Target and pick up something off their registry sometime soon...I'm a little hard up right now unfortunetly so I'll have to put it on credit...

Dan left a message on my voicemail asking if I wanted to go to FL with him this wknd...I really want to go but I have no access to any cash unless Smith pays me the $50 he owes me...hmmm I think I ought to press that one a little--subtly, I don't want to a prick about it--the money is for my old computer parts and I sold it knowing he'd have a hard time paying me back...just that NOW would be a really good time for the rest of the money.  The timing is awesome too--my unit should get released after the Brigade Run Friday morning.

I have yet to hear even a whisper for my command about moving out of this room, my old unit's room...Apparently Leland's First Sergeant, 1SG Thornton, just completely shut SPC Warren down when he called over to say HHD needed the room back.  While he was portecting my roomate, he also covered me it seems...So hopefully that's the end of that...Smith may move in to take Niu's place-to escape Schreck since he's still a filthy pig and can't clean up after himself--the whole reason *I* moved out...Of course that plan leaves Schreck with a room all to himself--something nobody thinks he deserves...
Then there is the possibility that Schreck may be leaving HHD completely and going to a different unit, because he's been bitching about how he doesn't like his job and all this other crap that just about every junior MI soldier in this brigade goes through...

Last night I woke up sometime in the middle of the night and then again at about 0400 and had the hardest time getting back into restful sleep...I remember dreaming that for some reason, I had the most intense gut instinct that my family was going to be attacked by vampires that night-I was back in antioch living with my folks and, for no good reason, I just knew vampires would be coming that night.  I can't really recall anything other than that, but I awoke in a panic and it was some minutes before I realized where I was or that it had been a dream.  My parents were supposed to call me this weekend and save me a couple nickels since I'm usually always calling them...but they never did--not even to leave a message on my voicemail--maybe it's just that I'm worried about them, and I watched a couple minutes of a vampire movie this wknd?

Anyways, I'm going to make more tea now and try to call my parents I think.

Next

On this date last year: John and Coke

My Earthly Shell home