Not as Easy as It Looks

This is just the mindless ramblings of a college graduate (double major in political science and criminal justice) and her attempts to join the United States military. You better start here...

30 November 2006

Like Being Home...

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.”
Carlos Castaneda


Okay, so I know it's been a longggg time since I last wrote, and since I have the opportunity to do so now, I will.

First off, since when does it snow in TEXAS!?! Okay, it's not 'snow' by Michigan standards, but by Texas standards, you'd think it was a goddamn blizzard!! Granted, it's not the best driving weather, which is why I'm here instead of at work, where I'm supposed to be. Oh well!

Okay, since I've been down here, I've had two jobs. When I was in Michigan, I held the same job for two years. It's kinda cool to be able to have the availability to work different jobs, but I like stability in my life. I'm looking at getting a new job as we speak. Ya see, when I first moved out here, I was living in Grand Prairie, which is between Irving and Arlington (basically, smack dab in the middle of Dallas and Fort Worth). I worked first in Irving and my current job is in Arlington. However, I moved. Out to Watauga (or, as I like to call it, Wataugwah). It's a good 30-45 minute drive to work, in good conditions (today, it probably would have taken me an hour-plus to get to work). So I'm looking for a job closer to my new home. What else...been dating some guys. Texas boys are cute and they have that cute-ass southern accent. Nothing serious, though. Just being young and having fun. OH! I also have a new nickname at work. Minnesota. Everyone says I sound like I'm from Minnesota. I can here the accent in some things (like, for example, when I say "Minnesota") and I do say "Eh"...But I also say "y'all" (said it since I was in Michigan!). I just have a fucked up accent, apparently. It adds to my charm. Haha...

On to the good stuff. I'm sure some of my loyal readers, whom I've probably lost in my absence, are wondering, still not in the military. Haha...boy has it been a long ride down here...Found an Army recruiter in Irving. Was working with him (still am)...found out the standards changed. So, I got to where I needed to be and was sent to MEPS. They projected me on Wednesday to floor on the following Tuesday. I get there, stand in line, the guy asks for my social and tells me they don't have my physical. See, they had to get my physical sent down from the Chicago MEPS...Apparently, Chicago didn't process the request until that Friday. So, they were like, "Well, come back later in the week." On the ride home from MEPS, my recruiter gets a phone call from the Station Commander that says they have my physical. WHAT THE HELL!? So, they project me for Thursday. Repeat the process. Still don't have my physical. What happened, apparently, was that my scores showed up on the computer, but they didn't have the paper copy of my physical. They spent the whole day trying to get Chicago to fax my physical down. Find out, my physical was in MILWAUKEE...and they LOST it. So at about 3pm (yes, after I sat at MEPS the whole time doing nothing), they tell me I'm just going to have to re-phys. Fine. Whatever. My recruiter projects me for the next Tuesday. At this point, the whole MEPS front desk staff knows me by name. First name. Which is weird. Anyway...go to get measured...the women didn't know how to tape using the Army standards. They sat there arguing over it. Me and this other girl were like, "Oh, this is great." Anyway. They ended up measuring me wrong...and put me 1% over. My Station Commander threw a fit. So they had a female recruiter re-measure me and she got me under. (This is sounding a lot like my first MEPS trip in Chicago, isn't it?) Then, they had a med staffer who was still there (the rest had gone home) tape me. She got me wayyy under. The Army decided to hold me over to the next day. I was like, "Okay, sure." So I get there Wednesday and they tell me they aren't going to anymore. I guess there was an Army guy who just thought it was suspicious that the whole MEPS staff knew me. DUH! I've been there FOUR TIMES in a WEEK! They didn't want to raise any flags or anything on my case, so they sent me home. RBJ'd until 20070202. Currently, they're working on getting my RBJ cleared since there was such problems with my tape readings. Apparently, the company commander is working on it right now. I dunno. I'll still try because this is what I want to do. I mean, seriously, it seems like maybe all the hassle I've gone through should be a sign that I'm not meant to go Army, but at the same time, I know that nothing worthwhile in life comes easy. So for now, I'm working, trying to find a new job, and just enjoying the Texas life. It's good. I'm not as bitter as I have been...not as dramatic as I normally am. The southern lifestyle has mellowed me out. I mean, there have been things that have royally sucked...like that Air Force job that I was so excited about? Yeah, they wanted me to come interview. But I decided my heart is with being in military as a member, not a civie. It took a lot, but I gave that opportunity up to follow my dreams and my heart. And I'm okay with that. Yay! Haha...anyway...that's really all for now. This blog has gone on for far too long. See y'all!