February 13, 2006 Monday How do you think of time? It is linear? There’s always been one way I’ve thought of time, in terms of years, and I’d like to know how normal it is (I hope not very). First, it is dark. Not for dramatic effect, just because I don’t know what non-time…
Tag: Sailor
Another Happiness
July 13, 2006 Thursday Another happiness I’ve realized today is that most of my close group on the ship are all E-5s, better known as Second Class Petty Officers. It isn’t really like a “class” like you would have in school, or I once had, but there are parallels. Our common touchstones are…
To One Day Be Mad
June 11, 2006 Sunday I must make it a point to be more depressed more often, what good it will do for my spirits! No, I have not gone mad, but God do I wish I already was. At two of my lower points in the last months you have come that perfect, movie clichéd…
Rough Seas
March 10, 2006 Friday The seas are today throwing us around like a bad carnival ride. This morning I had a dream I was on a plane undergoing extreme turbulence, the pilot continually giving the plane gas and then braking. The subject for a few days has been schools and such so I wanted to break…
Mostly Waiting
February 25, 2006 Friday Today was spent mostly waiting, doing an odd job, then waiting some more, trying not to look at the clock yet wanting it to suddenly get to whatever point it took until they relented and let them free. Having duty today, I was not stressed by this, because my time will…
Princess Is Outta Here
February 2, 2005 Wednesday The last of our brief three days out to sea, tooling up and down the Atantic coast, is highlighted by some remarkable news. This morning at quarters Uittenbogaard (a first class perry officer who arrived to the sonar division in November while I was away cranking, so a stranger to…
Something About Going Out – Meeting My Doppelganger
January 31, 2005 Monday This is something about going out, the slow drawing away from the pier and the other moored ships, the water between us steadily expanding. Something is missing, to be sure- the heavy thud of canvas dropping from far above to be filled with a life-giving gale. Yet in a profession when…
A Perfect Poker Face
January 19, 2004 Wednesday Cooper’s last day in the wardroom with me is tomorrow, officially, but I have seen less and less of him since leave, and as such the workload has gone more and more to my shoulders. His replacement is OSSN VonCollin from Louisiana, a really good guy that does whatever asked…
Never Too Careful
January 11, 2004 Tuesday Finally back from a 10-day leave to Illinois, for New Year’s. Yesterday I felt like it was my first day on board. The rust was heavy, not only from leave, but because it was the first day with the entire crew back in three weeks. I am also amazed by…
Reached a Renaissance
December 27, 2004 Monday Nicole, I know you have said that you do not read very much, and I cannot say too much on this, as I have read only sporadically since college, without sounded like a bother instead of brother Have you ever though read anything that you so thoroughly enjoyed that you…
The X-Rays Were Negative
September 11, 2004 Saturday Dear Mollie, now way over in Japan, Excuse me if I make some typos today (more than usual). Everything is pretty good over here in Norfolk, Virginia, and nothing to complain about. The “fleet,” as they say. It’s not like our sonar school in San Diego. However, we did pretty…
No One Will Believe You 