I don't know why I go to extremes. - Billy Joel, I Go To Extremes

This was from the past few days. We went to the Santa Monica pier and then Six Flags Magic Mountain. I rode the most freakin awesome ride of my life at six flags. It's called tatsu and you sit in the ride and hang from a track, and then your legs are brought up also so that you're belly is just hanging as you fly around. It is seriously awesome. yes. seriously. I'll post a video of it that I found on youtube.

I'm going to miss Port Hueneme. We've all been getting to know each other really well. Next stop is Camp Pendleton where we will actually be out in the middle of no where camping in seahuts. It won't be quite as fun. Darn. I don't really know if I will be able to get on the internet and I have been told the cell phone reception is not good. I hope I'll be able to stay in touch, but if not, then I'll try soon.

You all need to get skype so I can talk to you guys on the webcam. I keep getting on, but no one is on. :( so sad.

Buuuuhhh bye!

Drinking helps us to forget what we are, we leave the office and walk straight to the bar. - The Kinks, When Work Is Over

So, this was our night out last night. :) Our team leader chief and some other officers. We figured out that I am the bull ensign (the most senior O-1). That means they get to tease me a lot when we go out, but it's a fun tradition.

It is kinda hard because I'm the youngest officer and they're all married and have kids and there aren't that many people that I can closely relate to. Other than that, they are a TON of fun and I'm learning a lot from them. We have such a great group.

The italian place we went to was on ventura beach and they had $10 margarita pitchers so you can see where the night went...haha. Then, we came back to a bar on base and were doing irish car bombs and jagerbombs. haha. It was a fun night.

Today we had some briefs, but not much. Now, we're all getting ready to drive to Santa Monica. It's going to be fun.

I have a cold though. That sucks. Other than that, I'm enjoying myself. :)

I wanna live with you in the 5th dimension. - Soul Asylum, Home Sick

Here's my room for those of you wondering what it looks like.

I'm done for the day so we're trying to find something to do.

Last night we went to Ventura beach and at at this really amazing seafood place. Angela's. I think that was the name. It was really pretty out there, but it's cooler than I thought it would be. I had to run and buy a sweatshirt.

other than that things have been much better. It doesn't look like I will have to bother with training records yet. Yay! Hopefully, they will have a system at camp Pendleton for that.

Again, everyone needs to get on skype and add me: ckumpunen. :)

Violent, frustrations, he cries ot to God, or just no one. - The Used, Poetic Tragedy

Ah. Day 2.
1st lesson: Whenever you get something done in medical...make SURE you get it in writing. While going through the predeployment process at Bethesda, whenever I didn't have anything in my record, that person would just pull it up on the computer and check it off my list. I thought they would do that here. Nope. I just had to redo most of the stuff I did for predeployment before I left to come to california. Suck.
2nd lesson: Once you wake up and get out of bed, keep running around and looking busy. I came back into our room this morning and Senior Chief caught me and this is how that went....

Senior: Hey, there Ensign. How are you this morning?
Me: (thinking) I already don't like how this conversation is going....
I'm....doing alright. (I should have said my dog just died, family member was diagnosed with cancer and I was broken up with)
Senior: Well, I just found out we have a new leadership position that opened up...
Me: (I REALLY don't like how this conversation is going)
Senior: Are you good at excel?
Me: I'm...good. I guess. I can get along ok on it....
Senior: We need a new training record officer.
Me: (OH GOD! THE MOST HATED COLLATERAL EVER) Oh...Um. Ya. I get it. I have a new collateral?
Senior: Well, it would be great for your fitrep. You'd get to meet all your shipmates better. Blah blah blah.
Me: Ya, ya. Spare me the sell. I get it. I'll do it.
(I'll just grab my ankles and smile because I'm the only ensign on wave 1, which makes me the lowest officer so I'm the bitch. Yay.)

So, yes. Always stay busy. I haven't even had a chance to start setting this up.

Lesson 3: This base is larger than it looks! I've been to medical twice, NEX twice, dental, the galley, and all over...And for a seabee base, they should have more sidewalks.

lesson 4: Always keep cute glasses because apparently you can't wear contacts in Kuwait. I almost cried today when I heard that. I LOATHE wearing glasses. I could write a book on how much I hate glasses. I won't even get started. But, I have to get some. So, I've got to go to the NEX tomorrow and get some glasses. No navy issued ones. They are crooked, fall off my face, and don't thin the lenses.

Lesson 5: keep gadgets charged. That is the only thing keeping me happy. I can text my friends (Jim and mom thank you for being supportive when I started to almost cry today), listen to calming and/or angry music on my ipod, play on my computer, etc. I love electronics. I can't imagine being deployed without them.

Lesson 6: try and keep a positive attitude and keep the bitching away from the enlisted guys. I do my best to try and wait til I'm in our Khaki room to let it out so that our corpsmen don't see our frustration. I don't want them picking up on it too. I want to still be supportive of them and positive so it won't bring them down too.

Something to figure out:
Instruction on wearing backpacks in uniform?
-on the left shoulder only
OR
-both shoulders at the same time

Just the left is killing my back and I've asked two chiefs and they've told me different things. I must look this up.

Well, we're about to go to dinner tonight! Some really good seafood place. Last night we had Japanese. We went to a place where they cooked right in front of you. It was so amazingly good! I wish I had taken pictures. It was a blast.

I should have more free time the rest of the week if anyone has gotten skype. I just got a headset with a microphone! :)

I

I call home what you call hell. - Ice-T, The Hunted Child

I just wanted to add this! Everyone needs to download Skype if they have a webcam. www.skype.com You are able to call anyone in the world on your computer and talk to them on the webcam. I'm going to try using this and I would love to talk to everyone! (One of my fellow nurses is blowing kisses to her baby on the computer next to me)

What a long strange trip it's been. - Grateful Dead, Truckin'

I made it to Port Hueneme! We landed at LAX yesterday. I was nervous about the flight because Tanya and Phil took me out the night before and got a little more crazy than I wanted. (I'll put some fun pics up when I feel like it later)

The flight actually wasn't too bad. I slept the ENTIRE way across the US. We landed and started noticing people that were from the hospital in Bethesda. There were 6 of us on the same flight so I just called and had them added to my reservation.

We went by the USO first (which was a LONG trip across the airport, outside, and crossing lots of traffic) to get some grub and relax. I love the USO's. :) There was a nice lady who made us lunch and we had boxes of girl scout cookies right there, internet, tv, magazines, games, etc...

Then, we figured we were having too much fun and should get to camp. We called the shuttle, had a long tour of the LA area, got to learn more about each other, and finally got dropped off at the gate. Yes, the shuttle left us at the gate. Because we had a civilian on the van, the guy said he couldn't drop us off at our building on base. Such crap. We all had to trek the half mile or whatever it was with our seabags. Not fun. I don't mind the weight on my back, but it cuts off circulation to my arms! I had that on my back, and my backpack on my front. We finally got to the place to check in, and then had to deal with one of my corpsmen who had left her phone on the shuttle.

In a way, it's kinda neat being an officer. LTJG Weiss was on my flight so he and I were trying to take care of everyone. We got the cell phone and rides situation taken care of. Then, food. We ordered some pizza and just relaxed. We're in a large berthing room. We broken down by gender and rank, so I'm in a room with female chiefs and officers. (the Khaki room) We have enough space so that no one has to be on the top bunk so we have plenty of storage here.

I'll be here til Sunday morning. Until then, we're mostly doing paperwork and getting our uniforms ready, etc. I can't wait to get to Pendleton and get out of these darn Khakis!

Again, I'll take some pics around here and post them later!

I feel a change back to a better day, hair stands on the back of my neck. In wildness is the preservation of the world, so seek the wolf in thyself. –

So, as you can see we got to do the camping/tubing trip as planned!

I'll back up. My parents flew in. We moved my stuff into storage (a much better move than the last one) and drove back to Texas.

Then, last Friday my closest friends and I ventured to the Texas hill country to get away for a couple days and camp and tube. It was such a blast! Very hot and sticky and I have the strangest burn I've ever had...it's very sporadic. It's almost like I have a skin disorder. haha.

Friday night we sat around an amazing campfire, thanks to Kristi, Jim and Lauren! We had hot dogs and played "werewolf". Good times. Then, Saturday morning we met Erin, Brian and Sergio to go tubing on the Guadalupe River. It was raining off and on in the morning and got so cold. The water level was real low too so you'd get stuck on the rocks. There was one point when Erin and I got stuck on rocks and then it started pouring and all we could do was sit and laugh our butts off. I couldn't even try to move off the rocks because I was laughing so hard.

I busted my knee on some rocks later when I was swimming around. A few others have battle scars! The sun came out...we enjoyed a few beers. Lots of cheese. Good times!

Saturday night we went to the Whitewater Amphitheater to see Robert Earl Keen! It was soo good to hear him in person. I really wish I had gone to more Texas country concerts when I was here. I am trying to make up for it!

That night I got real sick and actually threw up in the middle of the night. It wasn't from beer or anything. Either it was the heat or some virus because I was sick the whole car ride home. I have some good friends Jim and Kristi that let me pass out in the back of their minivan and then were okay with me throwing up in a ziplock baggie....I think I was just throwing up and saying "I'm sorry" over and over. haha.

Thank goodness all that stomach stuff is gone. Monday, I ran errands with Jeff and HAD to stop by our snow cone hut! It's a tradition. Drive around with snow cones! Then, today I went shopping with Courtney.

So far it's been a fun time off. It's going way too fast. I knew it would so I'm trying to savor every second...but soon I'll be gone and I won't see anyone again for probably around 9 months.

The reality of it is setting in. It's weird to be on this side of deployments. For the past 6 years I've been watching all my guys go overseas on deployments and now it's my turn. Really strange.
There are things I want to say. Things I'm thinking, but I guess I should stop at that. I need some sleep.

Sorry the pics aren't the best. I didn't take that many. Other people got more and might post them on facebook.