Wednesday, July 31, 2002
7/30~~Batted 3 for 4, w/ 1 run and 1 RBI as our team won 12 to 4...
Playoffs start next week, and there's a chance I might not be able to "Ichi-energize" the team for the first round. If it turns out that way, it'll be mildly disappointing 'cause after investing an entire season w/ the fellas on the team I'd like to see how far we could go in the tourney. Overall, I'm content w/ how the season went, finishing +.500...
Playoffs start next week, and there's a chance I might not be able to "Ichi-energize" the team for the first round. If it turns out that way, it'll be mildly disappointing 'cause after investing an entire season w/ the fellas on the team I'd like to see how far we could go in the tourney. Overall, I'm content w/ how the season went, finishing +.500...
Monday, July 29, 2002
Oh man, this is unreal...
Received a call this morning from ANG Sergeant Laurie, telling me that an earlier departure date for training opened up. A departure date of 8.7.2002...which is ~next week!!!~ She told me that another ANG n00b set to leave out of the same Seattle unit goin' in the same field [SatCom] canceled at the last minute. Since I'd emphasized my wish to leave as early as possible, takin' the opportunity was a no-brainer...
Last week, the departure date was set for the 2nd week of January 2003. Now it's the 1st week of Aug. 2002...~next week!!!~ Man, talk about a instantaneously *phat* contrast in time n' mind frame...
Right now I'm still processing all of this, but it's nice to know that I'll be back home in March 2003, rather than September of the same year...
I guess it's fitting that I have the song "Gone 'til November" runnin' through my mind. Except for the fact that I'll be "Gone 'til March," and that unlike the song's video, I won't have a GF excessively distraught over my departure...heh. =]
Received a call this morning from ANG Sergeant Laurie, telling me that an earlier departure date for training opened up. A departure date of 8.7.2002...which is ~next week!!!~ She told me that another ANG n00b set to leave out of the same Seattle unit goin' in the same field [SatCom] canceled at the last minute. Since I'd emphasized my wish to leave as early as possible, takin' the opportunity was a no-brainer...
Last week, the departure date was set for the 2nd week of January 2003. Now it's the 1st week of Aug. 2002...~next week!!!~ Man, talk about a instantaneously *phat* contrast in time n' mind frame...
Right now I'm still processing all of this, but it's nice to know that I'll be back home in March 2003, rather than September of the same year...
I guess it's fitting that I have the song "Gone 'til November" runnin' through my mind. Except for the fact that I'll be "Gone 'til March," and that unlike the song's video, I won't have a GF excessively distraught over my departure...heh. =]
Friday, July 26, 2002
Tennis...
7.24~~Played tennis at the Greenlake courts w/ some friends for about three hours, until 12:30am when the lights unceremoniously shut off. We played two sets of doubles, with Marcia bein' my partner, and us goin' up against Dave and Curtis. Each team took a set by the score of 6-4...
7.25~~Played from 6pm until 9:30pm w/ some friends on the Denny field courts up at the U of Washington. I played about 8 sets of doubles, and ended up winnin' all of 'em. I guess the highlight of the proceedings was when my friend Steph and I went up against Chong and Dennis. We played a pair of sets, and my partner and I took each set by the score of 6-1. Real fun, lighthearted match, even though there was a sense of demoralization on the other side of the net, considering my partner said she hadn't played tennis in a long while...
7.26~~Mailed in a pair of entries for a pair of tennis tournaments, slated to start on Aug. 17th...
7.24~~Played tennis at the Greenlake courts w/ some friends for about three hours, until 12:30am when the lights unceremoniously shut off. We played two sets of doubles, with Marcia bein' my partner, and us goin' up against Dave and Curtis. Each team took a set by the score of 6-4...
7.25~~Played from 6pm until 9:30pm w/ some friends on the Denny field courts up at the U of Washington. I played about 8 sets of doubles, and ended up winnin' all of 'em. I guess the highlight of the proceedings was when my friend Steph and I went up against Chong and Dennis. We played a pair of sets, and my partner and I took each set by the score of 6-1. Real fun, lighthearted match, even though there was a sense of demoralization on the other side of the net, considering my partner said she hadn't played tennis in a long while...
7.26~~Mailed in a pair of entries for a pair of tennis tournaments, slated to start on Aug. 17th...
Tuesday, July 23, 2002
As of this morning, I'm officially an E-3 Airman in the Washington Air National Guard...
Breezed through the enlistment process in about an hour and a half...much quicker than I'd anticipated. Hundred bucks for an hour and a half ain't bad at all...heh.
I'm real stoked about training, but the departure date will be sometime in mid-October to early November, three months or so from now. I don't mind much, 'cause in the meantime I'll be occupied at Horizon Air, the Lincoln tennis courts honin' the groundstrokes, and the Emerald track. =] Altogether, I'll be gone for nine months for ANG training, and be back in Seattle in July 2003 or so...
Here's the final statement that I signed for, which confirmed the enlistment...
I do solemnly [affirm] that I will support and defend the Constitution of the US and the State of Washington against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the US and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to law and regulations. So help me God.
As I signed, I felt a twinge of pride, knowing I'll be defending the State of Washington, and that the Lord will be watchin' over me. It's kinda funny, I feel more pride in defending the skies of Washington than the United States itself. I guess it's attributed to me being a "Washingtonian" all my life, and the greater initimacy there...
Random note: Rented Medal of Honor, Frontline for the PS2. Stellar first-person strategic shoot 'em up that re-creates the "D-Day" experience. Eerily realistic...
And when he gets to Heaven
To Saint Peter he will tell
One more soldier reporting, sir
I've served my time in Hell
Breezed through the enlistment process in about an hour and a half...much quicker than I'd anticipated. Hundred bucks for an hour and a half ain't bad at all...heh.
I'm real stoked about training, but the departure date will be sometime in mid-October to early November, three months or so from now. I don't mind much, 'cause in the meantime I'll be occupied at Horizon Air, the Lincoln tennis courts honin' the groundstrokes, and the Emerald track. =] Altogether, I'll be gone for nine months for ANG training, and be back in Seattle in July 2003 or so...
Here's the final statement that I signed for, which confirmed the enlistment...
I do solemnly [affirm] that I will support and defend the Constitution of the US and the State of Washington against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the US and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to law and regulations. So help me God.
As I signed, I felt a twinge of pride, knowing I'll be defending the State of Washington, and that the Lord will be watchin' over me. It's kinda funny, I feel more pride in defending the skies of Washington than the United States itself. I guess it's attributed to me being a "Washingtonian" all my life, and the greater initimacy there...
Random note: Rented Medal of Honor, Frontline for the PS2. Stellar first-person strategic shoot 'em up that re-creates the "D-Day" experience. Eerily realistic...
And when he gets to Heaven
To Saint Peter he will tell
One more soldier reporting, sir
I've served my time in Hell
Wednesday, July 17, 2002
7.16~~Batted 2-3 w/ 2 singles and a RBI, but the team ended up on the short end by the score of 13-12...
7.17~~Interviewed and hired as a Horizon Air agent, w/ training starting on the 5th of August...woo-hoo! I figure to be at this job until I leave for ANG training, which had its departure date pushed back to sometime in November of this year, and be back on the job when I get back to Seattle in June or July of 2003...
7.17~~Interviewed and hired as a Horizon Air agent, w/ training starting on the 5th of August...woo-hoo! I figure to be at this job until I leave for ANG training, which had its departure date pushed back to sometime in November of this year, and be back on the job when I get back to Seattle in June or July of 2003...
Saturday, July 13, 2002
Found this interesting link on a friend's BLOG. It's a link to a "yes" or "no" type questionnaire that determines whether you potentially have certain psychological disorders. I'm not sure how valid this test is, 'cause I found that some of the questions aren't "black and white," and can't be answered to w/ a 100% definitive "yeah" or "nah." So as the site suggests, if you decide to take the test and happen to score high for any disorder, consult your doctor...
I took the test, and according to it, I'm moderately histrionic, narcissistic, and obsessive-compulsive. Narcissistic...that kinda struck a chord for me, 'cause deep down I don't want to believe it's true, but a part of me knows it's definitely the truth...
At least I can find some relief in having unearthed and acknowledged this character flaw of mine. But I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself considering that after all I am part of the human race, a species that's synonymous w/ imperfection...
I took the test, and according to it, I'm moderately histrionic, narcissistic, and obsessive-compulsive. Narcissistic...that kinda struck a chord for me, 'cause deep down I don't want to believe it's true, but a part of me knows it's definitely the truth...
At least I can find some relief in having unearthed and acknowledged this character flaw of mine. But I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself considering that after all I am part of the human race, a species that's synonymous w/ imperfection...
Tuesday, July 09, 2002
Second game of the season for our IMA softball team today. If I could describe it in a single word, it'd either be "slug-fest," or "exhilarating"...
Slug-fest 'cause our team ended up on top, 24-22. Exhilararing 'cause we went into the bottom half of the 7th and last inning down *nine* runs, staring at a daunting deficit of 22-13. We chipped and chipped away w/ hit after hit, and eventually we cut down the deficit to a single run, when I came up to bat w/ runners on 1st and 3rd...
It's funny, in the 7.2 entry I joked about hittin' a ~home run~...
Well...it actually happened! Out of all situations to belt one into the stratosphere, this one...the epitome of clutch situations! I wasn't specifically thinkin' HR when I was up there, just to make good contact, and to relax. I swung, and I felt the ball rocket off the bat, screamin' towards left field and sailin' over the left fielder's head. At that point, I was thinkin' home all the way, and when I got there I was completely mobbed by teammates, celebrating the comeback and the clutch 3-run jack toppin' it off. 'Cause of this, my teammates have a new nickname for me...~The Safeway Power~. I got this name 'cause at one point of he game I bolted over to Safeway to pick up some drinks [agua n' Sobe] for myself and a couple of thirsty teammates. Ha, ha...
The 7.9 *Ichi-bro* line~ 4-5, 3 runs, 4 RBI's, GW 3-run HR...
Ain't too shabby, I suppose... =]
Slug-fest 'cause our team ended up on top, 24-22. Exhilararing 'cause we went into the bottom half of the 7th and last inning down *nine* runs, staring at a daunting deficit of 22-13. We chipped and chipped away w/ hit after hit, and eventually we cut down the deficit to a single run, when I came up to bat w/ runners on 1st and 3rd...
It's funny, in the 7.2 entry I joked about hittin' a ~home run~...
Well...it actually happened! Out of all situations to belt one into the stratosphere, this one...the epitome of clutch situations! I wasn't specifically thinkin' HR when I was up there, just to make good contact, and to relax. I swung, and I felt the ball rocket off the bat, screamin' towards left field and sailin' over the left fielder's head. At that point, I was thinkin' home all the way, and when I got there I was completely mobbed by teammates, celebrating the comeback and the clutch 3-run jack toppin' it off. 'Cause of this, my teammates have a new nickname for me...~The Safeway Power~. I got this name 'cause at one point of he game I bolted over to Safeway to pick up some drinks [agua n' Sobe] for myself and a couple of thirsty teammates. Ha, ha...
The 7.9 *Ichi-bro* line~ 4-5, 3 runs, 4 RBI's, GW 3-run HR...
Ain't too shabby, I suppose... =]
Longing for the simplicity of child-hood...
Saturday, July 06, 2002
Donated a pint of blood at Puget Sound Blood Center yesterday. First time I've ever donated blood, and it really wasn't as bad [e.g. painful] as I'd anticipated...
Today, nailed a $133 trifecta on the 9th race Hollywood Park simulcast, puttin' the bankroll $70 in the black for the day...
Today, nailed a $133 trifecta on the 9th race Hollywood Park simulcast, puttin' the bankroll $70 in the black for the day...
Wednesday, July 03, 2002
It's official...I'll be leaving for training this Sept. 4th to become a "Satellite Communcations Specialist" for the Air National Guard...
I've deliberated over this decision for the last few months or so, and the Pro's heavily outweigh the Con's. Actually, there aren't many Con's, besides having to be gone [out of this comfort zone of Sea-Town] for nine months or so, until next April or May of 2003...
The "Pro's?" Here what I've come up with...
~I'll be enlisting as an E-3, thanks to this BA degree fr. the U of Washington. This means I'll be paid three times as much right off the bat, compared to the standard enlistee fresh out of HS...
~a "phat" $8,000-10,000 bonus upon completion of the training, thanks to the E-3 status...
~stationed in Seattle at the ANG base after the training, so I won't feel so "home-sick"...
~the Satellite Communications field is a real marketable field in the job arena, and practically everyone stationed at the ANG base here in Sea-Town has a civilian job w/ a major cellular communications firm [e.g. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T Wireless... ]
~doing something that has a high potential for advancement...
~the "prestige" of being in the ANG, and being in the cellular communications field...
~after the training, the commitment w/ the ANG will supplement a civilian job quite nicely in terms of income...
~I'll be able to pursue a master's degree later on w/ the aid of the Montgomery GI Bill and its kicker, which equates to roughly $25,000...
~I love workin' out and fine tuning this "bod" [ha, ha] of mine so the initial training should be a breeze...
~weekly workouts at the local Coast Guard facilities w/ fellow ANG bro's...
~the intramural Air Force basketball and softball leagues...
~advancement w/in the Air Force National Guard hinges on your personal initiative, w/ all the tools will be there for me to use in order to shatter the "glass ceiling." Unlike my job at Sea-Tac for the past four years or so, no more having to put up w/ ridiculous "micro-managing" oriented bosses...
~this one's kinda unorthodox, but when I was a kid of about four or five, people would be enamored by the intelligence evident in my advanced reading abilities, and would ask me what I wanted to be when I was older. I'd respond along the lines of "the Air Force!" Ha, ha...I find that funny 'cause I'm not exactly sure what compelled me to respond in such a way...
~the laid back nature of the ANG [at least compared to other military branches], the chill and laid back people who at the same time have a sense of dilligence and self-sacrifice. This one I find myself definitely relating to...
Based on these positives the Lord has allowed me to see, this is the path I feel He's leading me towards. I'm really grateful to Him for equipping me w/ this sight...
[actually there's one more "Pro"...the fact I'll be back on time for the upcoming Mariner season, *lol*... ]
I've deliberated over this decision for the last few months or so, and the Pro's heavily outweigh the Con's. Actually, there aren't many Con's, besides having to be gone [out of this comfort zone of Sea-Town] for nine months or so, until next April or May of 2003...
The "Pro's?" Here what I've come up with...
~I'll be enlisting as an E-3, thanks to this BA degree fr. the U of Washington. This means I'll be paid three times as much right off the bat, compared to the standard enlistee fresh out of HS...
~a "phat" $8,000-10,000 bonus upon completion of the training, thanks to the E-3 status...
~stationed in Seattle at the ANG base after the training, so I won't feel so "home-sick"...
~the Satellite Communications field is a real marketable field in the job arena, and practically everyone stationed at the ANG base here in Sea-Town has a civilian job w/ a major cellular communications firm [e.g. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T Wireless... ]
~doing something that has a high potential for advancement...
~the "prestige" of being in the ANG, and being in the cellular communications field...
~after the training, the commitment w/ the ANG will supplement a civilian job quite nicely in terms of income...
~I'll be able to pursue a master's degree later on w/ the aid of the Montgomery GI Bill and its kicker, which equates to roughly $25,000...
~I love workin' out and fine tuning this "bod" [ha, ha] of mine so the initial training should be a breeze...
~weekly workouts at the local Coast Guard facilities w/ fellow ANG bro's...
~the intramural Air Force basketball and softball leagues...
~advancement w/in the Air Force National Guard hinges on your personal initiative, w/ all the tools will be there for me to use in order to shatter the "glass ceiling." Unlike my job at Sea-Tac for the past four years or so, no more having to put up w/ ridiculous "micro-managing" oriented bosses...
~this one's kinda unorthodox, but when I was a kid of about four or five, people would be enamored by the intelligence evident in my advanced reading abilities, and would ask me what I wanted to be when I was older. I'd respond along the lines of "the Air Force!" Ha, ha...I find that funny 'cause I'm not exactly sure what compelled me to respond in such a way...
~the laid back nature of the ANG [at least compared to other military branches], the chill and laid back people who at the same time have a sense of dilligence and self-sacrifice. This one I find myself definitely relating to...
Based on these positives the Lord has allowed me to see, this is the path I feel He's leading me towards. I'm really grateful to Him for equipping me w/ this sight...
[actually there's one more "Pro"...the fact I'll be back on time for the upcoming Mariner season, *lol*... ]
Tuesday, July 02, 2002
Went 4-4 [four singles] this evening w/ three runs and two RBI's, as our team wins 14-10...woo-hoo!
Intramural UW softball season starts today...woo-hoo! Gonna be real nice to hit the fields again, crankin' out some doubles and triples, and who knows, maybe a few ~home runs~...ha, ha...
Wish I could say the same about my fantasy league MLB team "Ichiro Kournikova," where I'm currently 8th place out of 12. Players on the team are slumping badly. I'm really considering changing its name to "South of Putrid"...heh.
Wish I could say the same about my fantasy league MLB team "Ichiro Kournikova," where I'm currently 8th place out of 12. Players on the team are slumping badly. I'm really considering changing its name to "South of Putrid"...heh.
Monday, July 01, 2002
Came out $70 in the red at Emerald over the weekend... =[
