Training records don' t mean a thing

This morning I was in the office, not hating the world too bad... yet. The Colbert Report was on and I was eating my fruit cocktail. The Senior Airman said that I needed quotes in my softball story. Not only quotes to make the story longer, and I guess more interesting, but to atribute the wins to someone. What? The fact that the teams won the games are the facts, you don't atribute those. I informed him of that. Then he wanted different words for things, that I can do. There where no scores in it, I have no scores, I'm waiting on scores.

I called retention and was told that my CJR, that's what the higher ups use to tell me I still have a job to reelist to, is good and all I have to do is go in and raise that right hand of mine. Don't go getting all excited yet, I still don't think that I'm going to stay in any longer than I have to.

I decided that I'm tired of not having my training records done at all. I think the most that's on them is my name and career code. The unit doesn't have a real training monitor or whatever. They are "interviewing" people. People get interviewed? Isn't that an AFSC? Anyways, the civilian in charge and I get into a bit of a shouting match because she tells me that the 623s don't mean anything in the upgrade training world. All they are good for is to keep the squadron out of trouble durring unit compliance inspections. What? That's bull shit. For six years the civil engineering squadron pushed the shit out of having them updated and signed off. Some may or may not have been pencile whipped for people. Why would they have been whipped? Because you had to have your core tasks and whatever else signed off to get your next skill level. Back then you could do all your CDCs and your OJT and get your time in and you wouldn't be able to level up if you didn't have those training records right. Those were important for deployments because they told the people you work for in the desert just how trained you where.

I guess those records are just a technical thing. Technicaly you are supposed to have them filled out, but if you don't, oh well... until the UCI. We are coming up one one of those in June. The civilian in charge looked it up and some how they aren't important. What the fuck? So these are just one more thing the Air Force came up with to give us problems?

She is going to have someone from the main base PA shop come by Monday and go through them with us. After that, some guy in the maintenance squadron is going to sign off on them. I don't know how that is legal either, but what the fuck ever. I have 305 days. If it wasn't for me needing those for the deployment I would care less. I don't need my five level in the real world. I did get what I wanted though, kinda. Not going to be legit I don't think, but I'll have them updated.

Se habla Portuguese?

Saturday the two weekenders and I went to Atlanta. The weekender that is here all the time had to go to the airport to pick his car up. He showed me a mall up there. I was able to get the Puma duffle bag I have been looking for.

We met the weekender that is only up on his one weekend a month and his mom at a Brazilian restaurant, name to come later. They have all kinds of meat that they bring around on skewers and shave pieces off if you want that kind. All night long they bring meat and all night long you eat. There are these cards that they give you that are red on one side and red on the other. Green to keep going, red to rest.

The weekender and I got there a bit early and waited for the others. While we where waiting, I noticed a female in the next room. I keeped looking at her, even when she turned around and seen that I was looking at her. I looked over a little later and there she was, watching me whispering to one of her friends. It was cool.

The weekender got up a few times. I figured it was to get stuff from the salad bar. He also talked to the hostes quite a bit. I figured it was because he is full of questions. She came to the table once to pull him away. He came back to get his phone and went back up to her stand. That's when I thought there might be more going on than just asking questions. Sure enough, he came back with the girl's number for me.

She is from Brazil and speaks very little English, as in a few key words. That's ok, it would work for a while. The part that isn't so ok is the part where she lives up in Atlanta. I guess that it would be cool to call her up when I plan to be there hanging out.

Guess I need to decide whether or not I'm going to call her. I don't plan to have a free weekend after this one until almost the middle of October. Maybe I'll call her this week just because I don't want her to think I didn't like her. We'll see what happens.

Flashback guy update: He was out in his yard the other day doing something. I was in Pedro's room watching him. Because I don't have curtains up in there, he seen me watching him. We had a bit of a staring contest that I won.

Rules for visiting Homie

1. If I say that you can come, don't ask if I'm sure over and over. You will be told not to come the fourth time.

2. Chances are I won't take leave while you're here. So if you want to spend every minute of every day with me come on the weekend.

3. I'm not going to hold your hand while you plan your trip. We'll discuss the days you'll be here. You come up with flight times. I don't care about what airline you take or what layovers you get.

4. I'm in Warner Robins, that's an hour and a half from Atlanta. If you just have to fly in and out of there be prepared to fly on a day off. I will not drive the three hours, not including rush hour traffic, round trip to wait however long it takes to get your luggage and home if I work that day.

5. Flying out? Your flight won't be before 3 p.m. To get you on a 3 o'clock flight, I have to wake up at 9:30, and that doesn't include time for breakfast.

6. I'll pretty much do whatever. But don't plan on being on one end of the state one day and on the other end the next. Plan the length of your trip accordingly.

7. If I tell you taht we won't be able to do everything you want, don't assume that I don't want to do any of it. Decide what you want to do more and that's what we'll do.

Follow these rules and make your trip as painless as possible and we'll have good times.

Mmmmm.... Lunch

Today the weekender and I went to a Japanese place for lunch. It was pretty good. The yakisoba was almost just like in real Japan. After we got our lunch he noticed the waitress leaving the restaurant. He asked if it was her. I didn't get a good look so I just agreed. We sat there for a long time before realizing that maybe the ones that where left didn't know that we haden't paid. It became pretty obvious when they whispered at eachother about us. We went to the register a while after that and they where surprised when they spun the ticket wheel and ours was there. It was good fun. Guess we will have to make sure our waitresses let others know when they are leaving.


Homies helpful survival tips: Black widows are not always black. I'm not talking about the males because they aren't, but the ones that are a grey, beige and black color. Those are striped and have rings across them. I didn't know it was one until it spun on its web and there was that almost red hour-glass on its underside.

Seven year itch

Who would have thought seven years after I raised my hand to pledge my whatever to the military I would still be in. Not only still be in but really thinking about staying in and trying to make it a career?Not this guy, that's for damn sure.

That's right, August 25, 1999 me and my pony tail left the MEPS station in Indiana and made our way to Texas to start a career in th Air Force. The pony tail didn't survive the first week of training, poor thing. Three jobs, three bases, and two deployments later and I'm still around.

It has been a pretty good seven years if you don't count the Air Force related stuff. What's Air Force related stuff? It's all the stupid stuff the Air Force comes up with, the way things are executed, and the everyday running of things. And we can't forget the "down sizing" in the middle of two wars, one if you use Republican math.

There are a few good things, not having to stay in one place for too long, the traveling, and that phat pay. That's right, I said phat pay, as in too much. Those of you that don't agree are probably the one or two striper that's dumb enough to get married and have two or three kids thinking the military will pay you for them. Those of us that are NCOs and single, we think differently.

Here in the next couple of months I have to decide if the money and "job security" (you can have a job until we don't need you) is good enough to out weigh all the stupid stuff. I don't know, there is a whole lot of stupid stuff though.

Don't I feel like a chuckle head

I ran out of starch the last time I ironed my uniform. I didn't see any at the commissary yesterday so I went to the BX today.

I found the can of starch and grabbed it. In true Homie fashion I didn't look at the price. I knew it wasn't going to be over ten dollars, I don't like using a card for stuff less than that, so I looked for a movie. The movie I wanted wasn't in and I couldn't talk myself into a different one. I didn't find a CD to buy either.

Oh well, I tried so I decided to just go and get the starch. When the lady rings it up, yeah. The starch cost 94 cents. I looked in my wallet but since I don't spend ones and don't normally cary them I didn't have any cash. Guess I shouldn't have cleaned that wallet out yesterday.

Random thought: If I get alzheimers will I still be a dick or will I turn into a nice guy? Cause I don't want to be a nice guy.

Hooters has wings

I did it again. I went to a movie, alone. Then I went to dinner, alone. I have been wanting wings for a good couple of weeks so tonight I went to a place called Hooters. Turns out those are some good wings. I had some wings and beer. The waitress asked if I wanted more wings or dessert. I said nah, I'll do some real food. I went with a chicken strip sandwich and some fries. I was done with that and she asked if I wanted dessert. I said yeah, I'm going to have two of them I just have to decide which one to have first. She laughed like she didn't think it was going to happen. I asked for the first one. I finished that and she asked about the second one. I said sure, I'm ready for it. She asked where I put all of it and I told her about my hollow leg. She asked what I do to not be fat because I was getting up in years and my metablism can't be what it used to be. I said you're right, but it's not that slow yet. She asked if I ate like that all the time. I said oh no, not like I used to. I just can't decide which one I want more. After the second one she asked if I wanted more, I could have worked on more wings, but I told her that if I ate any more then I would just be showing off. She said you're right I'm impressed now. Why is it people seem to be impressed with how much people can eat? I mean, I'm not too big and maybe I don't look like I should be able to eat like I can, but people just seam amazed sometimes. We started talking about that Japanese guy that can eat all those hotdogs. I told her I can't quite eat like that.

After I'm done with that one we start talking. She asks if Hooters was the first stop for the night. I said it's a stop. She asked if I was going to go home and take a nap before going out. I told her that I was for sure going to go home, the going out part, not so much. She asked if I go out much. I told her not around here. I told her that I havn't been out since I've gotten here. She asked how long I've been here. That's when I told her that I've been here damn near a year. I did tell her that I do go out when a guy I know comes into town. You guys know him as the weekender. She asked what kind of music I liked and I told her anything that isn't country.

She asked if I like clubs. I told her that I don't mind them too much. She said that's good, she likes going out too quite a bit. She said it's bad because her husband isn't into hanging out at them. She said he needed a hobby so that he could find something he can do while she is out her friends. I mentioned the new Hold 'em bar in town if he's into cards. We get back onto the clubs that are in Macon. She told me about a place called Diese that is dance music. I do like dance I told her. She also mentioned another kind of club. She says it also has real good music. It's not a straight club though. I've heard of this club, I had a female I know try to talk me into going there once. She said that they probably wouldn't pounce on me there if I went in with other people. That's good to know. It's not too bad because Cynergy is in an area where walking outside with drinks is acceptable so if it's not the thing there are a couple others on that street. Diese isn't close enough to walk to though. I think we'd have to start out at Diese then.

As I was getting ready to leave she said that I should call up there and see if she's working before I come up. Then she said that she does work next weekend and to call if I decide I want to go clubbing with her and her friends. I told her that I would. Going out seems like it could be fun. I guess I found a female to hang out with, just not a dinner and a movie girl.