Magic and Science

and finding a way to blend the two. It's looking like if I want to get all my ANG training done at once (8.5 weeks of Basic, 6 weeks of Space 100, 6 weeks of MILSTAR training, and 4 weeks of on-the-floor training, so about six months total), I'll start Basic in July (double UGH about going to Texas in the summer). However, I don't know when John's shows are going to be yet (we're hoping to get at least a general idea this week), and if I have to, I can split up Basic and Tech School. Plus, after about a month of tech school, I should be able to go off-base on weekends if we have shows then. (John's trying to always schedule shows on weekends where possible until we start making enough that we can do full-time positions.) Both sides seem willing to be flexible as much as they can be, so we'll see how the cards get dealt, I guess. I don't HAVE to go to Basic in July - I technically have up to a year to start Basic - but I'm also pretty useless to my unit until I go through training, so of course, they don't encourage that, and I don't particularly enjoy being useless. I know there are going to be sacrifices, of course, but I can't really plan anything for certain until we get the show dates.

The rest of drill weekend was alright. I had to drive down to Channel Islands (down by Oxnard/Ventura) yesterday for another physical. Couldn't eat anything for twelve hours prior to blood being drawn, get up at 5:00a, on the road by 6:00a to be there at 8:00a, and the first thing they do is draw SEVEN vials of blood. Yeah, I did NOT get up from that chair very quickly (and my arm is still sore!). The rest of the day went pretty smoothly (the food at VAFB is a LOT better), and I was back in SM by 4:00p. Fell asleep reading in bed around 9:00p (REALLY early for me!), got up at 5:30a, on the road at 6:30a, and reported to VAFB at 7:00a today. We didn't do a lot today - just checked up on some of the paperwork trails, got a mini-tour of the base (I'd already been pretty much everywhere we went, except actually onto Minuteman Beach, which is really pretty), and that was about it. I'm supposed to get my military ID this week - most people don't get IDs until they go to Basic, but since ANG members are technically active and expected to report to various bases BEFORE they go to Basic, we can get ours early (which is awesome, because it means I don't have to pay admission when we go to Disneyland in a few weeks!). Next month us two non-priors are supposed to join a student flight with the 216th for some PT and rank structure/etiquette training (I know the rank structure, probably not the etiquette, though), I think. We'll see.

Trying to study for my 604 final and failing miserably. I fell asleep on the couch for an hour or so this afternoon and woke up to a nightmare involving one of my former second years. Weird. I have a symbol and a half done on the Illusion Scarf and I like it so far, although I think it's going to be both shorter and narrower than originally intended. I might have to do three repeats instead of two. I'm going to finish this second symbol (the heart) and then block it on the needles to get a better idea of how it will size out. I still need to finish Beck's baby blanket, too - I might take it to knitting at Panera tomorrow, even though I REALLY need to go to kickboxing again. Baby S's birthday party was Friday night and it was the first time I'd seen Mrs. S in for, like, ever. Been on the road or working on academic stuff too much lately and need to get back off my butt!