Transitions

Okay, so I haven't been around much lately. Some of that has been due to busy-ness, some of it has been because my arm hurt too much to type.

Let's see...

1.) I'm officially in the military now. I had to go to the LA MEPS on Friday for my medical exam (which, let me tell you, turned out to be a Very Long Day, but more on that later), had to go back down to LA on Monday to retrieve my driver's license and SS card which I didn't realize until Saturday had never gotten returned to me. Then yesterday all I had to do was sign my soul away and take the Oath. =) Enlisted Air National Guard, assigned to the 148th at VAFB. I start drilling with them next month, but I won't go to Basic until the end of May at the very earliest. (Really kind of hoping I don't get a summer flight - I hear summers in Texas suck.) I'll have probably a couple months of tech training at VAFB after that, and then it's back to real life. I'm really excited about it!

2.) Kelly's slippers are done, sort of. I've finished knitting them and felted them once and I'm pondering if I need to felt them again. They look pretty good, though.


I've also started Bec's baby blanket, and it looks pretty darn cute so far, if I do say so myself. The ends are going to be a pain to weave in, though.

3.) I'm registered for classes at Embry-Riddle (thanks again Christina!). I'm taking two classes, ASCI 604: Human Factors in the Aviation Industry, which is once a week on Wednesdays, and ASCI 512: Space Mission and Launch Operations, which is the last two weekends of January and February. My first class was supposed to start last night (Wednesday), but got delayed due to "conflicting travel arrangements" for the instructor, so now it won't start until next week. It's weird to have homework again, though! Five chapters and study questions for next week, woo hoo! (This on top of the general AF learning I want to do before Basic, gotta keep busy!)

4.) I have a part-time temp job as a cashier at the bookstore at AHC. I'm working the morning shift, which is a little strange to me, but I guess I'll have to get used to it. I've got a pretty solid line on a full-time job at VAFB with a company called Orbital Sciences, but it will be a couple weeks before I know anything more on that. I'm not sure they'll be willing to hire someone who is then going to take 4-6 months for military training, but we'll see, I guess.

5.) Getting back into the rhythm of martial arts classes again, which rocks. It's good to be back. My elbow was REALLY bothering me on Monday before class, which of course didn't stop me in the slightest, but it ended up pretty swollen that night afterwards. Gil caught me in a piston takedown Tuesday night which really hurt, but then by the time I got home, it was perfectly fine and has only twinged slightly since. I didn't go to class last night because I was on base, and I think the rest might have helped. I'm going to hit class tonight and see how that goes.

6.) Went to LA Thursday and Friday of last week and did another show with John, which was fun as always. Drove down to La Habra Thursday afternoon to load in, stayed there until 10:00p, drove back into Los Angeles to the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) hotel, had to wait until my roommate got in around 11:45p so I wouldn't freak her out, got a wake-up call at 3:30a, reported to the MEPS at 4:30a, went through a FULL physical, done by 10:00a, drove back to La Habra, put the finishing touches on the show, which was supposed to start at 9:00p but didn't start until almost 10:00p, loaded out by 11:30p and drove back to Santa Maria that night, getting in around 3:30a. Let me state, driving 170 miles when you've already been awake 24 hours and only got 4 hours of sleep the night before is Highly Not Recommended. It's all sorts of fun trying to decide which lane you're driving in because they're all sort of blurring together. Given the fact that I hadn't yet realized that my driver's license was 170 miles south of me (see #1), I'm REALLY glad none of California's finest decided it was entertaining!

Anyway, that's the nutshell version of the past few days. Think it's enough, no?