Brick Wall

See last post, but I think I just hit that brick wall and I am trying to go beyond that without the use of coffee and/or red bull. We will see how it works!

Tired

Well, I figured I would be more exhausted them I am right now. This morning we had to be onboard the ship by 0600, with reveille at 0500. Not a problem in the least. I left at 0445 and got on the ship around 0505. Easy! However, it didn't help that I woke up around 1130 pm with a Huey flying overhead my apartment. It sounded really, really, really loud, and it made one pass and flew back. I am like okay, it might be a police helo, etc. Well, 10 minutes later, it came back again. Now, I am getting a little worried and look outside the window and see people running around. So, I turn on the news and discover there is a fire burning in Mission Valley. Nice! So, naturally, I have to get up and check out the fire and everything. Yes, I did get some pictures and I will try to post some of them when I ain't too busy. So, naturally, I only got 3 hours of sleep tonight or so. Maybe 4 hours of broken sleep. Nice to say the least.

Stress Management

Lynette sent me this via email! I thought it was pretty good so I will pass this on!

Enjoy!

Thought you guys would enjoy this. Is worth the read esp. the List.
Cheers!

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 8oz. To 20oz.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance."

"In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. "

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work/life down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow."

"Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy!"

And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

1 * Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue
2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4 * Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8 * Never buy a car you can't push.
9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.
13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Interesting Email Chain!!!!

This was sent to me in an email and asked me to forward this to alot of people. One, I can't do that because I am on a government email and they frown at that, and two, I don't believe you will have "bad luck" because you don't send an email to so many people. So, I think this is the next best thing (sort of). Enjoy!

Ryan


"This was interesting. Criss Angel showed how this worked on one of his shows, but it was still kind of surprising when I checked out several people I knew. Not superstitious, but I need all the luck I can get.
Once you have opened this e-mail, there's no turning back.

Below are True descriptions of zodiac signs. Read your sign, and then forward it on, with your zodiac sign and label on the subject line. This is the real Deal, try ignoring or changing it, and the first thing you'll notice is having a horrible day starting tomorrow morning - and it only gets Worse from there. Remember, if you are on the cusp of another sign you most likely will have features of both signs...which may lead you into total confusion.....

CAPRICORN - The Go -Getter (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be Good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be unfriendly at times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they Want. 20 years of good luck if you forward.

AQUARIUS - The Sweetheart (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and out.
Eccentric personality. 11 years of luck if you forward.

PISCES - The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful. 8 years of good luck if you forward.

ARIES - The Daredevil (Mar 21 - April 19) Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge.
EXTREMELY impatient. Some times selfish. Short fuse. (Easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic. 16 years of good luck if you forward.

TAURUS - The Enduring One (April 20 - May 20) Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind.
Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous. 12 years of good Luck if you forward

GEMINI - The Chatterbox (May 21 - June 20) Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty... Lively, energetic. Adaptable But needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Like change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent. Beautiful physically and mentally. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

CANCER - The Protector (June 21 - July 22) Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.
16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

LEO - The Boss (July 23 - Aug 22) Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. Doing the right thing is important to Leos.
Attractive. 13 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

VIRGO - The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful.
Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

LIBRA - The Harmonizer (Sept 23 - Oct 22) Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

SCORPIO - The Intense One (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined... Loves being in long Relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and Emotional. 4 years of bad luck! if you do not forward.

SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self.
Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient. Fun to be around.
Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and out. 14 years of bad luck if you do not forward

Relief

Well, my time as Mess Decks Master-at-Arms (or MDMAA) is over. I got relieved on Monday before lunch time. I don't quite know yet whether I like this or not. I am still getting back into the thick of things up here. It is kind of fun since my Senior Chief is gone for the week. It is almost like going from the fire to the frying pan in some ways. But, now, for the most part, everyone in the division wants to be a Quartermaster. We will see how it goes during the rest of the week.

Lovely, now they say that the SWAN (Ship-wide Area Network) will be down for awhile during some checks. So, I have to finish this up quick. I was going to talk about a play I watched a couple of weeks ago, but I will do that at a later time.

Thanks for listening to me!

Shalom.

Inspection

Well, it is finally over. The out brief for the inspection this week was today and the results are in. We passed our inspection with flying colors. Overall, all major divisions in Supply passed with a score better than 85% meaning we are eligible for the blue battle "E."

Also, I get relieved on Monday as Mess Decks Master-at-Arms. I have enjoyed my time down here, but I think I need to get back to my regular job as a QM1.

This will be my last week of freedom of not standing duty. Although, I did get relived on a good time. I won't miss any Sundays for a couple of weeks.

Take care all and I hope you have a good weekend!

Shalom!

Wayne is going to be mad.....

We know we haven't failed our SMC inspection this week. SMC stands for Supply Management certification. The Supply department onboard goes through this inspection every 18-24 months. The came onboard on Monday and looked at our sanitation (cleaning), our records, and our lunch meal. We passed everything with flying colors or with a score greater than a 90. Today, they looked at our training, and equipment. I don't quite know how we did on that, but I do know we haven't failed our portion of the SMC. So, that is a good thing. I will be getting relieved on Monday as Messdecks Master-at-Arms, which I think is a good thing. There are some days which are good and there are days where it is bad. But, such is life, I guess.

Shalom.

Two Days down, Three to go

Well, it is around 2030 on day two, with around another hour to go before I can relax for today. And, there are still around 3 more days to go before we can pull in. I am surviving for the most part. There are times when I just want to explode on something or something. I guess maybe this is the Lord testing me for times to come or something. After every instance, I try to say the lord's prayer or something to get my mind off of what just happened.

We will see what happens over the next couple of days. We have a lot of evolutions to accomplish before we can pull in. Also, we have to work on Saturday this weekend because the inspection starts on Monday. I will be at church on Sunday morning, however, I think I will come in on Sunday afternoon to see what is going on. I will let you know later though.

Shalom.

Accepted

QM1 Reppe,

Congratulations! You have been screened and accepted for assignment as a RDC!

The rest is stuff for me but I am pretty excited at the news.

Here is an story from Navy News:

GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- The Navy’s only boot camp is looking for motivated, career-minded Sailors to shape the future of the fleet by serving as Recruit Division Commanders, or RDCs.

RDCs are also known around the fleet as “red ropes” and are entrusted with the job of encouraging, training, molding, and teaching civilian men and women – and most importantly, transforming them into Sailors.

“We prepare Sailors for service in the fleet,” said RDC Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class (SW/AW) Thomas Dahlinghaus. “The job gives us the rare opportunity to have responsibility for and authority over 88 Sailors. We manage their training, their lives. By the time we go back to the fleet, we’re ready for anything. It’s a broadening experience, a time of real personal growth for RDCs.”

To be an RDC, a Sailor must be a warfare-qualified E-5 or above (E-5s must meet time-in-rate requirements) and be interviewed by a panel of one command master chief and two senior enlisted personnel.

The training of RDCs is extensive. RDCs in training take a second trip through boot camp during a demanding 13-week training program that includes indoctrination, drilling, administration, physical training and leadership training. During this time, prospective RDCs wear “blue ropes” which they will later exchange for the more familiar red aiguillette of a fully trained RDC.“

For the blue ropes, the training is critical,” said RDC Chief Hospital Corpsman Marsha Burmeister. “Those 13 weeks are giving them the tools they’ll need on that first push.”

Before donning the red rope, there is an important period when a blue rope shadows a red rope, watching what they do and gradually increasing their interaction with Recruits. A red rope is always with a blue rope during this phase, and there is a weekly performance and progress review.

Even after RDCs earn their red rope and the Recruit Division Commander badge, the training is not done. New RDCs are paired up with veteran RDCs, allowing time to fully learn what is expected before taking control of their first Recruit division.

It’s a job that comes with high standards and high rewards. One of the best rewards is the increased promotion opportunity. Last year, the Navywide average for eligible candidates being selected for chief was 20.4 percent. The average for eligible candidates serving as RDCs was 32.8 percent.

“These individuals are shaping our future force, and their demanding jobs are recognized by selection boards as developing senior enlisted leaders [who] can serve in the most challenging jobs in the Fleet,” said CNO-Directed Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Tony Driver, command master chief for Naval Service Training Command. Storekeeper 1st Class (AW) Jose Rodriguez said the job is extremely rewarding because RDCs get to see the result of their efforts.“

[Recruits] see the self respect they have gained,” Rodriguez said. “When they finish Battle Stations, they’re considered one of us. You see the tears and you know how much it means to them. After all the hours that you put in, it all comes together.”

Because Sailorization is a critical task and one that requires extensive preparation, RDCs can earn the Master Training Specialist (MTS) designator. This Naval Education Training Center-sponsored program recognizes outstanding instructors who demonstrate a high level of excellence in the field of education and training. Earning an MTS designation distinguishes Sailors in the fleet and can give Sailors an advantage in post-military career searches.

The Navy offers several types of compensation to RDCs for their efforts. RDCs receive Special Duty Assignment Pay of $375 per month and they receive a $225 clothing allowance on top of their regular clothing allowance. They get head-of-the-line privileges for housing and day care, free dry cleaning for three uniforms each week, and are offered “choice of coast” when negotiating for their follow-on orders.

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate First Class (SW/AW) Maguel Lashoun Brooks appreciates those tangible benefits but said the real payoff of being an RDC is seeing the impact they make on the lives of new Sailors.“They look at you as a hero, father and a role model,” he said. “I am proud to know I am giving back to the Navy. I’ve contributed something to my service, and I’d want to serve with any of the Sailors I’ve trained.”

20 more days/Awaiting Judgement

Well, I think the next 5 weeks will be some of the hardest 20 days of my tour onboard. There is alot of things going on. We will be conducted Sea Trials next week, with SMC (Supply Material Certification). After that, alot of stuff onboard doesn't really involve me until FCT (Final Contract Trials) gets done. After all of that gets done, I can finally breathe for a little bit. So, if I sound a little stressed out, I most likely am.

On another note, I went and saw a play called "Awaiting Judgment." It was a conversation between Dietrich Bonheoffer (DB) and Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) One of the playwright's discovery when writing this play was the similarities of those two people. DB was born in January and MLK in February, separated by 23 years. DB was hung in a Nazi Prison in April 9, 1945 and MLK was assassinated on April 2, 1968, 23 years later, and they were both 39 years old. Both believed in practicing non-violent pacifism. They both believed in starting a grass-roots movement to stop their beliefs. They both believed in Gandhi’s policies concerning non-violent pacifism. The play expertly touched on DB's roll in trying to assassinate Adolf Hitler going against everything that the Bible and Gandhi believed in. It was a very moving play. At the end, it asked us what we need to do today. Where do we start?

I think the answer to that question is by starting out small and changing little things around us that we know are wrong: Gay/Lesbian Marriage, Israeli Palestine conflict, the War in Uganda, etc.