Takes more than combat boots to make a man. - Sting, Englishman In New York

I feel like the little girl in Little Miss Sunshine. "IwonIwonIwonIwonIwon..." only instead it's "I'mgoingtoC4trainingI'mgoingtoC4trainging..." I just found out, after a year of me begging to go to combat care course, that I'm going in a few months! It's at Fort Sam in Texas too! SOOO, I get to be back home. Sorta. It's a joint military training where we learn about field med and get to fire rifles and whatnot. Oh. I'm so excited. I'm gonna go buy my camis tomorrow. :)

Then, I'll be going to ACLS after that....whoo hoo. I'm gonna be getting some fun training later this year.

Work has been busy as usual. Last night kept everyone running. I didn't eat until 3am. I'm having a feeling tonight is not going to be better. One more day.

Yesterdays got nothin' for me, old pictures that I'll always see. Ain't got time to reminisce old novelties. - Guns and Roses, Yesterdays

Just like I said....I'm adding more pics from Tanya's camera of our trip! Want to see the first set, scroll down.

I'm a fine-tuned supersonic speed machine, with a sunroof top and a gangster lean ~Shut up and Drive by Rhiana

I played this a lot while I was driving up and down Skyline Dr. Then, saw a hot guy in an evo that I eye flirted with for a while on 66 into DC. I love cars. :) Listen while you look at the pics.

Spend the day being lazy, just being nature's friend. - Alabama, Mountain Music

Okay, I'm not sure what order these pics will end up in. I have some pictures on the way to Shenandoah Valley where you see them far off in the sunset, then some of us on the trail (and off....disobeying the sign!), some of us around our campsite, some at the Lurray Caverns, and then of us driving down skyline drive....yes. Those signs sayyyy 30 mph. Was I going 30? NOPE. Taking pics at the same time? Yep. Trogdor loved every minute of it!!! If anyone loves driving, they really need to drive around skyline drive if they ever get the chance! It was amazing. Oh, there's also a pic of me with the Appalachian Trail post. We walked on that one for a while just to say that we were on it. Maybe some day I'll actually walk a long distance of it. I think it takes like a month or more to walk the whole thing. Crazy. It was sooo beautiful there. I'm used to camping down in New Braunfels, Tx and it's fun and all, but just not this scenic. Also, I remember it being hot and sticky. Up here it was cool! Perfect during the day and cool at night for the campfire. Oh, and when we got to the Appalachian Trail we found out we earned our Indian names. I was named "Sings Karaoke" which we then added on the front of it "do do do....sings karaoke". Jim, we called "Spots Red Clover" because he was doing that a lot to try and show Tanya the butterflies. (there were tons of them. and HUGE ones). Tanya, of course, was called "Chases Butterflies" and we added on the front of that "Sharks tooth...chases butterflies". Inside story. Lastly, Phil earned the name "two dogs f-ing" coming from a joke that he told. Around children I called him "Two Dogs" just to keep it clean.

We sang campfire songs, made tasty smores, hiked alll over, met many other campers and learned a cool way to make omlets when you're camping, and learned to appreciate the superlog!

Tons more to tell and maybe I'll post some more pics when Tanya sends me hers. She has a couple with the 4 of us in it. Those are good ones.

Already making plans for our fall girls weekend up there!

Took your car, drove to Texas. Sorry honey, but I suspected, you and I can't cry anymore. - Sheryl Crow, Can't Cry Anymore

Just a tribute for now. :)

Still love ya Texas!

I saw you naked and you were camping with scouts, I know they earned some merit badges when the lights went out. - Dead Milkmen, Part 3

I'm finally going freaking camping this weekend! I think the last time I did that was....um.... for my birthday back in like 2004. Damn. It's about time. We're going to the Shenandoah Valley too! We get to drive on Skyline Drive. Trogdor will be so happy! Real pics from the trip will come, but for now this is what I get to look forward to.

There have been a week or two here and there where it is sticky and hot, but overall I love the summers up here! Today it was 80 degrees and beautiful skies! I went with my windows down. I don't remember ever being able to do that in Texas in August.

Last night Tanya and I ventured down to the National Mall area. They have a thing called Screen on the Green. They show outdoor movies on a screen right in front of the capitol. They were showing Casablanca. We were all excited, but got down there too late and there were HUNDREDS of people everywhere and we were wayyy far back. We couldn't hear too well so we left about 30 min into it. It was still fun walking around downtown. I don't think I could say I love this city enough. I really could see myself settling down here someday. The night was wonderful. It was cool and the moon was out...all the monuments and major buildings were lit up all pretty. I don't think I could ever get bored here. That's normally what happens when I am ready to move to another city, but there's no way I could do everything here. Even after living here a few years.

I went through a really hard time when I first moved here. I was very scared. I was alone. Depressed. Brokenhearted. This spring/summer things have really come together for me though. It's amazing to see what I've gone through in a year. This time last year I was taking the NCLEX and preparing for all my Navy paperwork and leaving for OIS. Man. In some ways that seems like 10 years ago. Then, I can remember it like it was yesterday. My last few days in Texas, mainly Lubbock were some of the most special days of my life. I can still think of them fondly. I'll always have the memories I guess.

Anywho. The last weekend of work wasn't too bad. It did all lead up to one of my 1:1 patients (one who has to be watched by a corpsman at all times because they are confused/disoriented) hiding a knife in his bed. He's ex special forces and he lost it Sunday night and I seriously thought he was going to hurt someone. The corpsman found his pocket knife OPEN and under his thigh. He must have had it in his duffle bag. I don't know....but it was a crazy night.

Not much else going on. I guess I should pack up for this weekend since I work the next two nights.

I'd rob a quick-e-mart for you, go to the pound and let all the cats go free, just as long as you'd be with me. - Ataris, I

So, I said I had some important things to talk about...but when sitting down at my computer, I came across this video. It cracked me up and scared me all at the same time. This woman has 130 cats in her flat in Russia! I also found the same video on youtube with a mosh band playing in the background. That was quite hilarious.

Ya. All those thought provoking ideas and discussions I had wanted to say earlier are gone. My mind is blank. Darn.

The family visit was fun. Crazy. Didn't get much sleep. Got to see some more museums and whatnot.

Hopefully, all that stuff will come back to me so I can write it. But, for the time being...you'll just have to watch dumb youtube videos I come across.


My apology.

I'm very well acquainted with the seven deadly sins, I keep a busy schedule trying to fit them in. - Warren Zevon, Mr. Bad Example

Pfew. It's been busy around le apartment. My brother, sis in law, and their two kids got into town Sunday and we've been going nonstop. I worked last night and will work again tonight, so I try to fit in sight seeing with them when I can.

Just wanted to explain what's up. I have things to say, but no time to say them. Another day. Another entry.