In Pursuit of Pleasure
Hedonism.
It is the gratification of all one's sensual desires--in the absence of pain--that can best be attained through the rational control of one's desires.
For the past several months, I’ve been viewing life from a hedonistic standpoint. During the weekdays, I follow a set routine: go to work, do my thing, go home, then work on studying, resume writing, etc. During this time, I often catch myself thinking about what I’ll be doing on Friday night or during the weekend. Salsa dancing, reading (politics/current events), hiking, model-building, and now snowboarding…doing those things seem to take precedence over what I do as a professional. Can this be a good thing? A part of my development as an increasingly well-rounded human being? Or will this lead down a dead end?
My life has been so formulaic since middle school. Take these classes to get into these classes in high school. Then in high school it was all about taking certain classes to get into a good college. Then in college it was ROTC telling me to take certain classes and complete them within a particular time frame so that you commission by date X. Heh, heh. Even now, the military tells its young officers to achieve certain things by certain points in their careers so that they can get promoted to X rank by the Yth year of service. Ugh. You know what? Enough.
I’d like to think that I was put on this earth to do more than follow a prescribed series of steps to get somewhere at some time to live a good life. That time should be now. I’ve followed the formula in the preceding paragraph and am now a commissioned officer; I honestly don’t see my life getting better if I continue down that route! LoL! Instead, I see myself getting increasingly embedded in “the formula.” At this point, I’d like to settle for a job that I can tolerate and do the things I really enjoy doing outside of that job.
On the flip side, sometimes I wonder if my current train of thought is too puerile—you know, childish. As an adult, shouldn’t I always be ambitious and go-getting? Society smiles on that sort of stuff, doesn’t it? I dunno…I just want to live life without having to worry about dumb things.
I figure that I must really hate my job to even be thinking this way. But it just feels so weird to actually want to improve at things that are not pre-requisites for further goals, but are simply things that I want to achieve purely for the sake of self-actualization (I hope that’s the correct term). It’d be nice to be one of those rare individuals that loves what they do for a living. So for me, I guess I’d have to be a political analyst with a love for the outdoors that builds and sells toy models and also gives salsa dance lessons for additional income.
Not happening. Ah well. ‘Till next Friday, then.
Epiphany on the mountain.
I have discovered the art of snowboarding. And it is fun.
I just got back from a place called Mammoth Lakes located in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range in the beautiful state of California, where the snow season is still going strong.
Words can’t describe how beautiful I found the place to be. I had seen plenty of snow before when I used to work in Nebraska, but that was nothing compared to the sheer majesty of the white-capped mountains that I had hitherto experienced only from afar. The views were even more impressive close-up; it was then that I was forced to respect Mother Nature—but then, isn’t she always more intimidating up close? When I first got on the lift leading up to the top of the “weak-sauce” green slope (as my buddy Ed called it…it was in fact, the bunny slope), I got a bit nervous because the lift kept going…and going. To my inexperienced eyes, the green slope was rather steep. It was like something out of SSX 3. To summarize my very first experience snowboarding, here’s a timeline that starts after I get out of the Mammoth Lodge on our first day out:
- Got in line for the lift. Propelled snowboard while in line with one foot attached. Imagine skateboarding, only with one foot glued onto said board at an uncomfortable angle. Predictably poor board control. Bumped into mothers and their small children.
- Slid onto lift. Surprisingly easy.
- Lift slowly propels me to top of slope. Wonderment and appreciation mixed with sense of foreboding and dread.
- I try to disembark from the lift, only to fall on my ass. I had to duck under the chair as it passed above my crumpled form.
- Clumsily made my way over to the beginning of the slope. Strapped on remaining free boot.
- Slid down slope 10 feet. Fell on ass. Slid down another 10 feet. Fell on ass. Repeat for 50 minutes. All the way down slope. Aforementioned mothers and young children, combined with attractive female snowboarders, pass me by. At least twice.
All my experienced boarding friends warned me that the first day would be demoralizing. And it was. My wrists hurt, my neck hurt because I landed on my face a couple of times, my calves ached, and my ass was in the most pain. I only got in three runs that day. After getting up so many times after crashing so hard, I had not the heart or the energy to continue.
The next day was a different story: I took a group lesson with other adults that were similarly experienced and really began to get the hang of things. Toe-side, heel-side, the flex/torsion technique, catching the edge, S-curves…all that stuff we learned in the span of three hours. I lost count after my seventh run down the beginner slope, but the difference was night and day; I barely fell after my lesson, and there was zero huffing and puffing on my part. My perception of everything while on the slopes was very elemental: me, my board, and the mountain. It was Zen-like. I loved it.
Must get to Colorado.
Hell is a frozen tundra Part 2: This is ridiculous.
I was excited to come to my current assignment. It's close to home and family. Plus, I had expected it to be a great learning experience and a nice change of pace from my last assignment in Nebraska. Well, it was certainly a change of pace.
One of my previous posts painted my commander as a jackass. I'm not apologizing for that because many senior noncoms and officers share the same views. "Worst commander I've seen" is a common gripe. Well, I mentioned in my last post that I was separating from military service for personal/professional development "big picture" reasons. I'd never get out just because my commander was a jerk; that's shallowness right there. However, putting that paperwork right in his face and watching him squirm was cathartic for me. So far, over 5 officers under his command have separated. That doesn't make him look good around base.
But then something happened.
The reason why Hell is a frozen tundra now is because this incompetent and belligerent idiot...got promoted to colonel. Can you believe it? Was I wrong to portray him so negatively? Me must have done something right, because now he's an O-6. How can I feel confident in a bureaucracy that would promote a guy like that? Because he was promoted, does it mean that his crappy leadership and management of my squadron is something to be emulated in order to achieve success?
When I was first told the bad news, I didn't even get mad. The Anger did not manifest. Instead, I felt defeated. It was like...I don't know...like when you work really hard for something and ultimately fail to achieve the goal. That's how I took the news. I walked out of the office today quite downtrodden. It's just that this person is the antithesis of what our ROTC instructors described as the type of leader that would be most effective in the modern military. But now he gets to play a colonel.
Was everything I was taught about leadership and now attempt to uphold somehow wrong? If so, better to leave the military now than to experience more of this in the future. What are your thoughts, gentle readers?
Hell is a frozen tundra Part 1: Reflections
Those who are close to me are aware of the great difficulty I faced when I began to ponder life outside of the military. I did finally decide to get out, but it was a decision that was not made easily. My primary reason for staying in was to perpetuate a family tradition that began with my paternal grandfather and his contribution to the defense of the Philippines from the Japanese Imperial Army. Since then, several family members and close friends of the family chose to start their own military careers. I myself am a product of a military upbringing as a result of my father's 21+ years in the service. I was raised on stories of how the military was a good career offered many opportunities for travel and adventure.
But after serving for four years, I've come to realize that with the good comes the bad. Training exercises in temperature extremes from ranging from hot and humid Florida in August to chilly autumn evenings in Omaha--that wasn't fun. If I couldn't handle the relatively mild temperature differentials stateside, how would I fare in Iraq or Afghanistan? Not well, I'm sure. So there's the comfort factor that made me think twice about staying in. There's also the potential for abuse; me and my fellow junior officers are often tagged for duties outside of our official designation as civil engineers. We arrange distinguished guest visits from generals. We set up Air Shows, we work the CFC program, organize the blood drive, manage the self-aid buddy care program...blah, blah, blah the list goes on. Much of the time, we work issues that are far removed from our job specifications. I mean, I realize that service above self is part of the trio of core values, but come on. To have a degreed engineer organizing an air show is not the best use of human resources. So there's that issue. And then there's the increasingly rigorous deployment schedules: six months deployment every year and a half about. This is less than what the other services make their personnel deal with, but any time away from your home greater than two months really wears you out.
Anyway, these are the "big picture" reaons why I chose to get out. I realized that an Air Force lifestyle was not shaping up to what I wanted to do with my life. Conversely, I realized that it wouldn't be right to stay in given the feelings I had. I was comfortable with my conclusions and was at peace with my decision to separate.
Six and a Half Hours!!
That's how long it took me to get back from San Diego today! Gah! I hate mudslides and traffic. The fatigue I feel at being stuck in traffic and having a 4-hour trip prolonged by 2.5 hours awakens the Anger. I use pretty pictures to calm the Anger. Go
here to look at pretty pictures. But seeing Mom doing well was worth the trip.
Oh no! My next door neighbors activated the karaoke machine! Now they are singing badly. Anger level rising.....
Life, Love and Mortality Part 3: Life
I guess the anxiousness I wrote about in the first blog today is a result of a combination of different things. I didn’t convey this in Part 1, but as I grow older in years and become more stubborn, despondent, and impatient with dealing with other people, I begin to worry that I will never find a suitable mate to share my love and life with! The anxiousness is also definitely a result of my mom going through that close call on Friday.
Well, the last leg on this triad of worry is life. Specifically, the stuff that I have to deal with. You already know about my crappy boss from that last big-ass rant. Well, I also have to deal with finding a new job after life in the military and then passing this PE. There’s just so much to study. Ugh! It sure is stressing me out. Thank goodness for my man Charles for hooking me up with a graphically designed resume format (he’s a graphic design major at the Academy of Art, thank you very much!). The entire process for getting a job is so crazy-convoluted. I’ve attended various transition seminars and the more I take, the more I just want to go home and not think about doing anything anymore, except for salsa dancing. So many subtle nuances have to be taken into consideration when you apply for jobs: how you dress, how you speak, the content and style of your resume, what you should talk about during the interview, how you should say it, blah, blah, blah…..
Boo!
It sucks. I just hope that nothing is worse than what I have to put up with now at my current job. And then there’s that PE exam. Should I even still take it this fall? It’s so close to my transition into civilian life. I should be writing applications or something, not studying open channel flow, right? eh. I dunno.
The bright spot is that I’m gonna go to Colorado for a month starting in March. Yeah! I’m going to learn how to snowboard and meet hoards of hot Colorado women. The former is likely, but the latter is just smack-talk to keep my spirits up. You see, gentle readers, I must continue studying and composing applications while I’m up there. No rest for the weary.
Sigh.
J9, if you’re reading this, send me an email and tell me where you live in CO so you can give me some moral support, like you did all through high school.
The story continues….
Life, Love and Mortality Part 2: Mortality
Death.
It has fascinated me since I was very young. When I was about five years old living back at the old house at Capra in the AC (that’s a little shadow b. trivia for all my friends and family out there), I’d sit awake at night for a lot of nights wondering why I was alive, being thankful for it, and fearing the inevitable end of my life. Pretty deep stuff for a kindergartener, huh? Well, it’s true.
I also pondered (usually at night) existence after death. I though of God, Heaven, Hell, and supernatural manifestations on earth, like hauntings and the like. I guess this was a result of being told ghost stories when I was young. Filipinos tend to be a superstitious lot, and I certainly was no exception. As a result, I was a very frightened child. I guess it didn’t help that we had an old TV that turned on and off in the middle of the night, which was very creepy (later it was discovered to be severely broken inside) and that I somehow sensed that the old Capra house was haunted (an unsubstantiated claim perhaps, but I saw the moving black shadow in the darkened hallway more than once, dammit!).
Anyway, I tend now to think more about the practicalities of death. When my mom took that trip to the emergency room this weekend, I didn’t know what to feel. I only know that my life wouldn’t feel complete without her physical presence if she passed. When I saw my dad on Saturday morning, he just looked so old compared to that portrait we had done as a family back in the 90’s. It was probably stress, I know, but it just shocked me to realize how old he really is; I wouldn’t feel complete without him in my life either.
Both of them have played such an integral role in my development. Granted, my parents’ facilitation of my “development” involved a lot of arguments, yelling, and general differences in ideologies. I didn’t like them for a good long while, but love tends to be a tenacious thing, no? Plus, they’ve ever been supportive of the major life decisions I’ve made for myself through the years; this is a precious thing in a Filipino family.
The point I suppose I want to make is that I’ve never seriously thought of my life without both my mom and dad before and that I’ve not really prepared for that eventuality. And that the Capra house is a nexus of supernatural activity. The shadows moved, I’m tellin’ ya!!!
Life, Love and Mortality Part 1: Love
Today I find myself in a very anxious mood. I’m in beautiful San Diego right now hanging out with the fam. I always love coming to San Diego, but unfortunately the reason I made the four-hour trip this time was because my mom suffered from a mild stroke on Friday night and had to go to the emergency room. She stayed in the hospital for a couple of nights.
To make a long story short, she’s alright; no permanent damage done—just a really scary footnote in the Morales family history, there. One of the interesting side effects of this event was coming to realize how integrated both of my parents have become in their love for each other and in their daily lives. It’s kinda like that “When 2 Become 1” song the Spice Girls sang all those years ago, except without the sexual connotations and more about the relationship type stuff.
When I arrived in Diego Saturday morning, Dad was a wreck—probably due in large part to the zero amounts of rest he got the previous night. He was very distracted and seemed out of touch and absent-minded when he went about playing the host (as is typical when I visit my parents). All of this is quite expected given that his wife was lying in bed in the hospital. But it was kind of nice to see, in a twisted way. You see, Dad isn’t the one to overtly display his love for my mom. Well, maybe in shallow ways such as hooking my mom up with fabulous bling or playfully joking with her. But it’s very rare to catch them sharing a tender moment. But Dad’s depth of worry that morning was enough to prove to me that his love for Mom is as strong as it has ever been for the past four decades of marriage. That’s awesome. We should all be so lucky.
The real deal.
Now this
site is
awesome! Plenty of action, very well written, and doing an excellent job of capturing the essence of the soldier's life of combat. Decidedly unlike the political madness I have to deal with here stateside. Fight on, Red Six.
piss poor management
I’d like to start off this post by writing that I am proud of my service in the armed forces. The sacrifices my fellow service members have made in the line of duty are many; their deeds worthy of praise. I begin this blog with this statement because I am about to rant heavily on the leadership of my unit.
My commander is quite possibly one of the worst officers I have yet seen to grace God’s green earth. Check this:
(1) He is quick to sacrifice the reputation of anyone in order to make himself look better or to make him look like a victim of someone else’s incompetence.
(2) He himself is incompetent. Although he wears the much-coveted Civil Engineering badge, he’s proven to have a very limited working knowledge of the chain of command within the unit as well as a very weak understanding of who is responsible for what. This is probably a result of spending too much of his time in the acquisitions career field, which in and of itself is not bad, but is hardly the kind of qualified experience needed to be a base civil engineer.
(3) He didn’t earn his position as a base civil engineer. A list of qualified engineers is generated each cycle that shows who is in line to take over the base civil engineering (BCE) officer position at any base with a vacancy. This clown wasn’t on it. The former BCE was transferred to Korea. Instead of picking someone from the list, higher-ups chose my current commander to move into the BCE position from another position on base. Probably because he was doing a crappy job there, too.
(4) Senior enlisted think he’s a joke. And weird. But mostly a joke.
(5) He provides no mentorship to his officers. Not that I would want any of his brand of mentorship.
(6) He makes very poorly thought out knee jerk reactions to every emergency situation.
(7) Every situation is an emergency to him.
(8) He’s a hypocrite.
(9) This list can potentially go on. Infinitely….
Well anyway, the point of this list is to show that he’s a bad manager and a poor leader.
Case in point: One of my friends in the unit, also an officer, was originally tasked with being the unit coordinator for a large base exhibition. It’s a tall order, given that this base is huge and the event is the focal point for many, many bases across the nation. He also manages his own section within the unit and is constantly swamped with leading his men, putting out the proverbial fires, and writing all 89 of their backlogged performance reports. In short, he kicks ass. Bad move in this outfit, because all the boss does to reward good work is to give that person an unreasonable amount of more work to do!
Well anyway, base leadership asked various other unit leaders to supply a volunteer to be the base representative for the aforementioned big event. So what does my boss do? He offers up my bud to base leadership to act as the base rep as well as the unit rep for said event, on top of leading his own section. He does all this to make himself look good. He clearly doesn’t know what my friend is up against when working his primary duties (see 2 above, “not knowing who is responsible for what”). Ugh! I know it sounds trivial but he’s done this so many times to everyone with a leadership position in the unit! He swamps everyone with work instead of saying “no more, base leadership. Enough.” Morale is so low right now…=-(
Anything this guy lays his fingers on is accomplished badly. His style of management and its effects are a travesty of how a real CE unit should be run. I know, because I’ve seen other units run correctly before.
Okay I’m done ranting. This post may make very little sense. Ah well. I’m not as eloquent as random
mike—especially when I’m pissed. At least I can come at night to a warm, furnished apartment in a safe neighborhood. Props go out to the real heroes—my brothers and sisters in arms serving in the Middle East and near the Hindu Kush. Peace be with you all!
Cell Phone Update!
*yawn*
That six hour nap was refreshing. Now it's Saturday morning and time again to start rolling. But first, I just wanted to give you all an update on my cell phone situation. For those not in the know, my cell phone broke a couple of weeks ago. Here's the original email message I sent out:
*******************************
Hey all
My cell phone broke. Rather, I destroyed my cell phone after it failed yet again to provide adequate service and cut off yet another conversation I was having with a family member. I began by throwing it at my bed. Hardly satisfied at the pathetic "thud" it made, I threw it on the ground. Still not gratifying enough. So then I lightly tossed it up and jump spin roundhouse-kicked it into the bathroom in my master bedroom. That felt nice (don't worry, I was wearing shoes--otherwise: ouch!). When I went to retrieve my phone, I couldn't find the battery. It always flies off after a hard impact. After I spent a fruitless half hour searching, I took what remained of my phone and proceeded to unflip it and twist it apart. After the wall of rage subsided, I realized that snapping apart my cell phone probably wasn't such a keen idea. And that I'm really violent when perturbed.
*sigh*
Anyways, until I can get my phone replaced, I'm reduced to using my land line number, which is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Please lend your support to me during this trying time in my life.
Thanks,
***************************************
Well, I got a new cell phone. Same number. So now those of you who know my digits can call me!
by your powers combined....
....I am Captain B!
Sorry. Very geeky obtuse reference to a horrible 90's environmentally-minded cartoon. Yes, the Air Force has deemed me fit to be promoted to the rank of Captain. Yay. For those of you not in the know, getting promoted to Captain is pretty much like getting the urge to take a dump: it'll happen eventually provided that you (a) don't do something incredibly stupid or (b) don't have a very crappy squadron commander or (c) don't do something incredibly stupid under the command of a very crappy squadron commander.
I must say, though, it feels a little different. The salutes I recieve are somewhat sharper. During meetings, people actually give me a chance to talk and respect what I have to say.
I get called "cap."
All this is well and good, but just like Uncle Ben said to young Peter Parker, "great power comes with great responsibility." I thought that was all just meaningless movie drivel, but being a Captain actually means that I have to actually know what I'm doing now. Well, at least give off a better appearance of knowing what I'm doing. Some of the officers that have been in longer than myself practice this technique to great effect! So I guess that putting up a pretentious act of knowing it all is just an element of my professional development. Oh well. The pay is pretty decent. I'm finally making what a civilian civil engineer would make. Yay for that!
Clocked!!
It's 1:35 CA time in the wee hours of Saturday morning. I just logged in a really good five hours of salsa dancing up north in San Luis Obispo. It was mostly good, except for what I will now term, "the Incident."
Now, for those of you who don't know, I've taken several types of martial arts in the past--Kajukenbo and Taekwondo the foremost among them. Over the years, I've learned how to take hits pretty well: gut shots, head shots, and even the occassional groin strike. So what does this have to do with the Incident and what the hell is it, anyway?
Well, I was taking this really bad beginner girl out for a spin and running her through some pretty difficult stuff for a person who's only taken 3 lessons in her life. I put her through an intermediate spin pattern/twisty thing when out of nowhere her elbow flies out and pretty much uppercuts my nose! I've been hit in the eyes and mouth before, but a nose shot is the worst because upon impact I heard a sickening crack that was also heard by her friends four feet away, I was temporarily blinded, the pain was intense, and--dammit--tears began to well up in the eyes. Only with a nose shot, I'm telling you.
Nothing's broken, but a bruise will likely develop. Good thing Filipino noses are flat, yeah? And that's the Incident. Yay!!!
PE Exam Preparation Madness
Whew! I just got done writing the last of my engagement record/reference forms for my Principles and Practices of Engineering (PE) Exam. The PE exam is essentially a big-ass 8 hour exam that all CEs should take to become professionally licensed in their home state. The CA exam is actually 13 hours and spans two days since we have to get tested in the additional subjects of land surveying and seismic principles. That's a lot of test! The application, application fee, and preparation for said test are all proportional to its length, that's for sure. I've been studying diligently since early January and I'm still in the water quality section! There are only five real sections, though: water quality, environmental, structural, soils, and traffic. The test isn't till October, so I figure that two months per section will do. There sure is a lot to learn! On top of all the review crap that I've already purchased, past examinees claim that they had to procure additional texts to help them prepare. So guess what I'll be doing!!?
Scary thing is, I'm actually enjoying my review time. It's almost meditative. All right, it's 1:17 in the morning. Time for sleep.
Great Movie!
Here's how starved I am for romance: I watched "Shall We Dance" with Richard Gere and J-Lo last night...and it was fabulous!!!
It has some cool ballroom dancing stuff in it (which I love, b/c I used to take lessons in Omaha...I'm strictly a salsa dancer now, tho) and it has some lovey-dovey stuff in it. First and foremost, however, is that it's a story of having passion for something you truly enjoy doing. In Richard Gere's case, it is his passion for dance that restores his passion for everything else in his life. Does that make sense?
Well anyway, it's pretty good. I'd like to see the Japanese version now, too (circa 1996).
romance ramblings
Looks like my buddy Mike is in
love. He likens his situation right now to the stuff movies are made of, and he's right; it would make for an excellent screenplay. Imagine a country torn by decades-long war as the backdrop with two people doing their altruistic bit by helping to rebuild it...then meeting and falling for each other.
*sigh*
You can't make this stuff up, people. It'd make an excellent film. Or an excellent plot for the next Final Fantasy video game iteration. In any case, I'm jealous. Yes, jealous. You see, love has eluded me for the last five years. And in that time, I've seen many of my friends build relationships and get married: old friends from high school, college, and even some friends that I've met in my short professional career.
Yeah, yeah I know. "You'll meet her when you least expect it." But what if I already met her and missed my chance? That's the feeling I get whenever I think of my best friend's wedding earlier this year. She was perfect in every way...and now she's unavailable.
I believe that God's teachings extend beyond the Bible. His influence can be seen (or rationalized, depending on what condition your faith is in) in the events life throws our way. In college, I was humbled by those who were more gifted than myself in academics. I was taught humility. After 9/11, I gained a true appreciation for this great country I live in and the benefits I once took for granted. I was taught gratefulness. What is the lesson that He is trying to teach me now? Am I not ready for love just yet? After all, I am studying for the PE and writing applications/resumes any chance I get (except for now, of course). Plus, in Nebraska I was practically obsessed with obtaining my master's degree. Or is this void in my life indicative of something deeper? Since I got to California, I haven't been the best Christian out there, that's for sure....
*sigh again*
Well anyway, props to my man Mike for finding himself a woman in KaBul of all places. As the late, great Tupac said: "I ain't mad at ya. I've got nothing but love for ya." Good luck to you both.
Mike's pop quiz
Hey, before you judge me, I just want to say that this post is all fun and games. Sort of. Also thought this'd be a good way to start off my blogging. It's my first post and all...
THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Tony
2. Toni
3. Tone
THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. amorales
2. aqmorales
3. guest
I'm not very creative, okay?
THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. I stick to my convictions.
2. My ability to passionately follow through my my goals.
3. Willingness to try new things.
THREE THINGS YOU HATE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. I'm vain...and it's getting worse.
2. My tendency to make flash judgements on people.
3. Getting violently angry when I'm perturbed. I ripped apart my cell phone when it cut me off!
THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Filipino
2. Spanish
3. American
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. scary movies/shows
2. ticks
3. documentaries on tv featuring ticks
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. toilet paper
2. food
3. sleep
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. timex triathalon digital timepiece
2. old-ass aeropastale shirt from four years ago
3. Hanes briefs, also from four years ago. Just kidding.
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS (or artists(at the moment)):
1. Celia Cruz
2. Grupo Niche
3. Cake
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS AT PRESENT:
1. Cucala - Celia Cruz
2. La Negra no Quiere - Grupo Niche
3. Pretty Pink Ribbon - Cake
THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
1. passing the PE exam
2. becoming a civilian again
3. finding gainful employment
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP (love is a given):
1. open-mindedness
2. intelligent discourse in the areas of politics and technology
3. bondage/role-playing
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
1. I love oatmeal raisin cookies.
2. Performance-based contracting is revolutionizing the way we do business!
3. This rash won't go away.
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. Ass.
2. Legs.
3. Face. But I like ass, mostly.
THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:
1. endure a one-hour lecture. how'd I manage in college? oh, wait....
2. run super fast or far...like those ethiopians at the Boston Marathon last year. Seriously, mad respect to those guys.
3. maintain my patience with non-engineers trying to override the engineering decisions
I made. grr!
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. salsa dancing
2. reading
3. hiking
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. sleep. I've been messing around on this blog for far too long tonight.
2. dance salsa. because like sleep, it's um...relaxing
3. girl.
Yes, I'm a pig.
THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:
1. civil engineer "on the outside"
2. regional trails specialist
3. major record label recording artist and/or actor
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. San Diego, CA
2. Somewhere in New England or East Coast. I've never been.
3. Canada, maybe.
THREE KID'S NAMES
1. eh...haven't given that any thought.
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. find my true love.
2. marry her.
3. stay with her for the rest of my life. Kinda sad how these things don't necessarily go hand in hand now-days.
THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW OR DIE PAINFULLY
1. Ed
2. Stacie
3. Therese
