Things are different now.

So it's been a long time since I've written in this thing, and the only reason I even feel compelled to do so again is because of the relatively few number of hits I've actually received on this blog... and I'm really bored at watch right now too.

I haven't really been up to much. I decided I would focus on my military career as much as possible for awhile since I had finally established myself here in Italy; it definitely paid off! For my evaluation in March I was selected as the number one "Must Promote" which was fairly amazing. Next came with a short deployment aboard the USS MOUNT WHITNEY that I was selected for my command's Junior Sailor of the Quarter, which is to say the least a big deal! I did not end up winning, but if you had told me a year ago that I would have even been selected I would have told you to stop sniffing markers. After that I had another deployment to the ship, but when I came back is when things really started getting interesting.

So go back to November with me and I'll tell you a story. My friend Nick and I went to school together at Dam Neck and now we're at the same command. Tragically, he has to live in the barracks on base, which here is not that desirable. So one night I told him we would go out to a club down the street from my house, called Rico's, and we would both get absolutely hammered! So we go to Rico's and drink... a lot! I win about three games of pool in a row, very rare for me considering I'm pretty terrible, and we recommence the drinking. Although now at the bar next to where we were co-located were two very pretty women.

Me being the outgoing and eccentric person that I am, I have no problem meeting new people and talking with perfect strangers. Nick however is a more introverted fellow, so I after I preceded to pour just a little more alcohol down both our throats I tell him he should talk to them. When Nick says no, I don't back down. So over the course of an hour I try to have Nick strike up a conversation, with myself becoming louder and drunker by the jaeger bomb, eventually I got tired it and started talking to them myself. The rest of the night gets pretty fuzzy and I don't even remember walking home.

So later the next day I get a phone call from a number I don't recognize. Now, normally my policy is not to answer the phone if it's a number I don't know or am not expecting. But I figured "Hey what the hell, this could be fun," and answered. "Hello?" I was answered by eastern-European accented English. It was the woman from the night before, Agata, and she was wondering if I was free the following week for some karaoke. Being the true-to-roots Japan sailor that I am I quickly respond with a "Hell yea!"

We went out a couple of times, always with her friends, and could tell she she was interested, and I was kind of interested too, but I wasn't looking for a relationship. I had about two-and-a-half years left in the Navy and I wanted out with a clean break and no attachments. This is where I decided I would focus on my career as mentioned above, no distractions, a clean break.

Fast forward to the end of my last deployment.

After dropping off a buddy whose car was getting repairs done I head straight for the fridge where I had strategically placed a six-pack for my triumphant return home. Before I could even open the first frosty, foamy and full-bodied beer, I get a text message from a number I was pretty sure I knew. It was Agata, and she wanted to know how things were going because we hadn't talked in a long time. I answered I had just disembarked from the ship in Gaeta only mere hours ago. I thought the timing might be more than coincidence, so we agreed to go out that Friday.

And from their our relationship has grown into something wonderful that I haven't had in years. She is probably the first nice girl I've been with since before I moved to Japan! Now I'm no stranger to dating foreign women, I know the dangers short and long term dangers of falling into the trap of a woman who would marry you for nothing more than a shot at getting out of whatever shit-hole she happens to be in exchange for some usually meaningless sex and sometimes a baby or two. Believe me I've seen it before and I'll see it again. It's what many sailors face at the end of a long and often brutally ending relationship.

However Agata reminds me of a me that trusts people, and still has faith in the human race. You know, before I departed for the real world. But with the economy as bad as it is (and I REFUSE to believe its as bad as CNN says it is because the media is full of lies and propaganda) I realize now that re-enlistment probably isn't such a bad idea. And along with that reconsideration comes a lot of others, like maybe a good relationship with a nice girl is just what I need right now. So I'll continue to see Agata (duh!) and enjoy the oh-so delicious Polish food she and her mom make for me.

Peace Out!

Been Away...

I realized this morning I haven't written on this thing in quite awhile. Can't really say much has been going on though. I worked the night shift for both Christmas and New Years, and now I'm getting over a pretty nasty cold thats been going around the office. I haven't really made any life changing decisions and I don't have any New Year resolutions. But there are few things happening in the world I would like to talk about.

First and foremost would be the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. It's a tragic event that has shaken the world, although I can't really say I'm surprised. She was a great woman but she had to have known that she was dead the moment she returned to Pakistan. Her first day home and someone tried to blow her up! I'm glad she wasn't deterred by the threats to her life because that shows their are still people in this world willing to stand up and try to fight injustice! And then in her will she names her son as her successor, but then her husband (where the hell has he been anyway?) tries to take the center stage. You know you see this kind of shit in soap operas. I'll say again that Bhutto's death is tragic but she should have known better than to be sticking her head out of her car, did no one learn from JFK? Come on people! Now all we can do is wait and see how things will turn out in Pakistan.

Something else I'd like to talk about is whats currently happening in the presidental race. I wasn't surprised by the outcome in the Iowa Caucases (lol, I said caucases!). Obama is backed by Oprah, thats the vote of millions upon millions of bored ass house wives with nothing better to do than take that woman's word as gospel. That explains why Clinton doesn't have the majority of woman voters... well that and she's a communist. And now all she's doing is attacking Iowa stating it's a worthless state. Iowa may not be the biggest turning point in the race, but people like to see winners, and the fact that she lost is a crushing blow to the Clinton campaign. Have we seen the last of Mrs. Clinton (oh dear GOD please tell me shes going away!), probably not. She has millions upon millions in campaign funds left. She'll be sticking around like the flies around a horses ass. Now Mike Huckabee, now were did this guy come from!? I didn't even know who he was until the Iowa Caucases (lol... caucases). Granted it's only one win and he needs to do well in New Hampshire before he can compete with the other republican frontrunners. But hot damn I haven't seen a beatdown like that since the movie critics reviewed the last two Matrix movies. This guy was on fire in Iowa, cause if anyone thought Mike wasn't gonna win Iowa than your living a life fairly similar to the now-deranged Britney Spears! I believe the republican seat is still wide open, and it'll be interesting to watch as it unfolds. And by the way, just give up Rudy Giuliani! You were a fucking Mayor, and people say Obama is inexperienced! Yes he was Mayor of NYC, but say it with me people... "MAYOR!" The only reason people know who he is was because he was Mayor during 9/11 (God rest their souls) and that's it. Could the average person outside New York tell you who's Mayor of NYC without looking it up, probably not.

Well, there's other stuff I'd like to talk about, but I'm afraid if I did I'd be thrown in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison. So... I guess I'll get back to work now.