Smiling my way through

San Diego

2007-04-12T09:37:00.000+09:00

So I figured since I have a few moments and I'm online that I would update my blog.. since everyone else seems to be updating theirs. I'm in San Diego for my ship getting some topside work done.
As to my last blog, she has moved out and we haven't talked in a while.
I have a new friend. The new HM on board. She just turned 21. She's hilarious. We're alike in some ways but not in others.. and I think it just goes to keep things interesting. Her name is Christine Moretto (goes by Chris, or Mo, or if you've seen Over the Hedge Manny)
I'm finally getting used to the Shoup. Things occasionally get stressful, like Good Friday was but for the most part things are going along smoothly.
Hmm.. I signed up for eharmony.com.. So far no really serious things.. but there a few interests including on former nuke EM who was on the Nimitz.. and is now a firefighter/paramedic.. :-)
I'm trying to think of anything else I would need to tell everyone but mostly there isn't much going on.. I finally enrolled with University of Phoenix.. and I'm taking my first course with them to finish my bachelors.
I think that's it.. I'll try to update this when something happens.. :-)

Dilemma

2007-02-12T07:29:00.000+09:00

To all of you who know me well, you know that every once in a while I get a thought in my mind that I will just keep going over and over again until I've analyzed it beyond recognition.. well I've found that sometimes it helps for me to just talk it out.. not necessarily to receive any advice but just the action of getting it out of my head.. But before we get to the dilemma part I have to set the scene, as most of you aren't privvy to my every day stuff.. When I transferred here to Washington I met this girl.. she's 19 and new to the navy.. actually she's pretty new to everything.. she's naive, and impressionable and I befriended her in the hopes that I could help her out.. also because I saw a little bit of myself (when I was younger and more naive) in her.. since then we've become friends.. she's started calling me her big sis and herself my little sis.. and she's been staying in my apartment with me.. Now we arrive at the past couple weeks.. I guess my boring life of relaxing at home and occasionally going to see movies or such was not enough for her.. she's been spending more time out with some guys from the ship.. I don't have a problem with this.. as it's her life and her choice.. now we get to yesterday.. my birthday.. she was supposed to go to the spa with me and spend the day with me.. I didn't actually hear from her once the entire day yesterday.. I spent it by myself.. actually as my sister can attest, I baked myself a cake, decorated it, put candles on it, and called home to have them sing happy birthday while I blew out my candles.. all 22 of them (I forgot two in the box.. it was supposed to be 24) ..
Soo.. anyway here's my dilemma.. I don't feel like we will ever be friends.. never the less sisterly.. we have different interests and personalities.. I'm not sure I can trust her.. but one of the reasons I've been her friend thus far despite the fact that I wasn't sure if I could trust her is because I'm worried that when left to her own devices she will get herself into trouble by choosing the wrong people to be around.. if I sever that tie between the two of us, is it my fault if she does get into trouble.. If I know something will probably happen and then let her go on her own isn't that my fault for letting her?.. on the other hand is helping someone from getting themselves into trouble reason enough to go against your our gut feeling about whether you can trust someone or not? is staying friends with someone who is just going to hurt you by doing something like not remembering your birthday just to prevent them from self destruction really good?

garfield comics..

2007-01-22T04:21:00.000+09:00

I get garfield comics in my email every day and sometimes they just make me grin.. when they make me really grin I get the urge to share that one.. not that those comics make everyone grin cause lets face it.. I have a very "unique" sense of humor.. but here it is one of the ones that made me grin.

ahh.. boredom

2007-01-19T06:02:00.000+09:00

I am so bored right now.. I'm struggling to find something to occupy myself. I'll go back to reading in a little bit. My ship is in SRA (Shipyard Availability) Which basically is a time set apart for a ship to get everything that needs to be fixed that can't with us operating fixed. i.e. the generators, decks, big installations and so on.. we have no food on board because the freezers are being kept cool.. we will have no operating heads.. so they can do work on that system.. we have no generators and are getting power from shore.. so if shore loses power so do we.. ahh fun-ness. My space isn't getting any big installs.. so I've got next to nothing to do.. and half my division is in school so it's just a few of us here now.. in that absent of certain restrictions I'm accomplishing things I've been procrastinating on..
I'm enrolling in the University of Phoenix.. and starting a degree plan to finish my bachelors and then start and finish my masters..
I also have started the process of getting refractive surgery. Aaron just got it before getting out.. my first appointment went good.. I was told I was a "great candidate" for surgery. Right now I'm getting approval form my chain of command.. so far I know it's made it through my division approved.. the next three are the longest to get done.. Department head, Executive Officer and Commanding officer.. Hopefully I'll have that back at the beginning of next week so I can fax it and get pre-op, op and post op appointments set up.
That's about all I've been up to.. except recouping my finances from the holidays..

snow pics

2006-12-08T10:55:00.000+09:00

Here's some pics from my playtime in the snow.. you have my snow angel first.. then me with my snow man wearing italian sun glasses.. :-) then there's my wonderful roommate who had never seen snow before and thought running was a smart idea.. she then ended up on her back.. and then the last pic may be kind of blurry but it's a pic of what she thought was a good idea.. starting a snowball fight while she was down.. Anyway just figured I'd post these since I've been saying I would..

Look it hasn't been a while and I'm posting..

2006-11-27T06:40:00.000+09:00

So.. I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving.. mine was good.. I made my first thanksgiving dinner and I was boring about it and didn't burn anything like mom.. I even left the sweet potatoes to Jackie for her to possibly burn and she didn't.. although she said it was close..
I've taken up snowboarding.. I've decided that while in port during the winter it will be me release from stress.. I will of course have to find something for underway and the rest of the year but it's a start I think..
Things are going better.. as always, I appreciated the support that all of you gave.. It helps to remind me that no matter how much I feel alone here that I'm not really.. ever alone because as you guys are in my heart I am in yours.. :-)
anyway I'm just playing online and I figured I'd be different and post when it hadn't been months..

Been a while..

2006-11-12T02:33:00.000+09:00

I suppose I should really update this for those of you who only know what's going on with me through this.
I'm going through a rough time right now.. I actually felt compelled to take leave when the ship pulled back in because I needed a break.. I couldn't wait for the three day weekend this week.. I took leave for five days.. Everything about the ship is stressing me out.. and for the last five days of our underway/in port San Diego I would start crying over little stuff..
I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to handle things when I get off leave.. to be honest I'm not even sure I can.
On a not so sad subject.. I have obtained a roommate.. she's 19, brand new to the navy.. And she kind of reminds me of how Angie was when she was younger.. I'm reserving the right to kick her out if she gets on my nerves too much.. but so far it's not bad.. I have motivation and help to keep my aparment clean.. I finally finished putting all my boxes away..
Hmm.. I can't really think of much else to write.. I'll be home for christmas.. I can't wait for that.. and I suppose maybe I'll have more to write when I'm not on leave.. :-)
Hope you all are doing much better than me.

Monday's suck..

2006-10-03T08:10:00.000+09:00

So yeah.. Monday's suck.. Mom wants to start this thing for Mondays. Like TGIF for Friday.. it's ONIM, Oh No it's Monday. I love it.. It's so fitting, which is usually applicable for these random things mom comes up with. Anyway. I had a phone call last night just as I was going to sleep from Eric, because he wanted someone to keep him awake while he was driving.. not my favorite thing to do because then I worry about that person, merely from the fact that they need to call someone to keep them awake while driving. I went to sleep and was woken up at 3 this morning with cramps and an upset stomach. I was up until 4, went back to sleep only to get up when my alarm went off at 5. I got up, got dressed, got my starbucks and walked to the ship. Got to the ship got changed and went to my shop to eat my breakfast and check emails.. only to have my caramel macchiato go down the wrong pipe while drinking.. which of course made me cough up the rest of it all over my jacket. And then I've had seven or eight things that I've been working on simultaneously today.. most of which have to be done before tomorrow. I found out at 9 this morning that the only other CTM on board was allowed to leave the ship to go to a reenlistement and wasn't coming back so I was alone to do everything on my list plus the other CTM hadn't done is preventative maintenance for last week.. ahh.. so pissed..
Anyway.. that's been my day.. I've almost made it through my list.. good thing I have duty and am stuck here anyway.. :-) Well I suppose I'll go see if dinner is any better than lunch was.

update.. since I have time

2006-09-11T22:20:00.000+09:00

So since I have a little time to spare due to my habit of arriving at work much much earlier than is necessary I figured I would post an update..
I'm not sure what to write.. My stuff in my apartment is for the most part unpacked.. there is some stuff I won't have a place for until I get more book shelves and storage things in my apartment.. which will have to wait until my financial situation settles down a little more..
I'm getting into a schedule on my ship.. which is great.. if you know me, you know I like having some kind of schedule.. I have more opportunities on this ship to be in a leadership position.. which I learned last week is sometimes more stressful than being the worker.. It's interesting to see how the people who have been in charge of me and my guys at my other duty stations might have felt sometimes toward us.. not that we were near as bad as these guys can be but close.. It's going to be an interesting tour here... I'm actually quite looking forward to it, but at the same time I'm kinda dreading it.. because of the stress.. but I suppose I'll just have to wait and see how I settle into this new role of being in charge.. :-)

finally settling in..

2006-08-16T22:39:00.000+09:00

I know it's been forever since I wrote but I just really haven't been getting on the internet.. my access to the internet hasn't changed.. I just am on early because I came to the gym early enough this morning for my ships pt to get on the computer..
I'm finally settling in.. my ships back in and I'm in the process of checking in and getting settled in.. I finally got an apartment.. and on Friday I'll get all my furniture and other household goods that the navy packed up for me in Sasebo.. I can't wait.. it's always like christmas to unpack household goods because I forget some of the stuff I have until I unpack it.. ;-)
Anyway.. I like the guys in my division so far.. except for one who I can just tell is going to end up getting on my nerves when we get underway and the system is on.. he's just a little slow so I'm always going to have to be helping him out.. which will get annoying.. but the rest of my new guys are funny.. I keep laughing when I'm on the ship.. anyway I just figured I'd finally post something since I have time today.. and I'm finally on my ship so I have something to say..
The ship itself is a great deal smaller than my last ship.. so there are a lot of things that are run differently.. because they have to be..
Anyway.. just figured I'd let you know how I am.. (btw.. if you want my address.. email me because I'm not going to post that on the blog)

Just so you know..

2006-07-16T15:28:00.000+09:00

I haven't really spent a bunch of time on my base.. but starting Monday I will be there more constantly.. that will be when I start my new schedule.. and as of now I'm not sure where/if I'll have access to the internet up there.. I should somewhere but I have to find it..
I figured I should explain in case I don't get on in a while.. or reply to emails or anything.. I haven't figured that out yet and Aaron's gets disconnected tomorrow..
So until I get on again.. I love you all and you have my cell if you need/want to talk to me.. :-)

productive monday

2006-07-11T12:46:00.000+09:00

So I had a good monday.. I drove up to Everett.. up north.. across, on a ferry.. then up some more.. totaling about an hour and 20 minutes one way.. got my decals for my car so I can get on base..
then drove down to everett mall and got a cell phone.. a verizon silver razr.. it's cool.. stopped at the starbucks before getting on the ferry and got some fruit and a mocha for lunch..
came back down and stopped at a grocery store on the way home and made chicken alfredo and bruschetta for supper.. Aaron was impressed I actually cooked it.. when I told him I was making pasta he thought cook some spaghetti and premade sauce.. ;-) They both liked it alot.. (as did I.. :-D )
Then I played with my phone.. I've downloaded a couple ring tones.. and pics..
my number is.. 425-293-4111.. let me know your number so I can add you to my cell..

wow.. I'm soo sorry..

2006-07-09T10:19:00.000+09:00

I know it's been forever.. but as Ang said we were busy redecorating the house.. I'll leave the pictures of the house changes for her to post but here are some from my cross country trip with mom and our day with Aaron and Maren..

mom and me at mt. rushmore.. (obviously.. ;-) )

a gorgeous lake in the black hills..

Aaron, maren and me on Hurricane Hill

We also went to a sub museum and Aaron ended up being a "tour guide" to some elderly people because mom mentioned that he is in the Navy and stationed on a sub..
Aaron playing with the dials beneath the glass.. demonstrating and explaining how things work..
(I'm just playing with the wheel.. ;-) )And soon we'll be off to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2.. :-D

TODAY AND A WU!!!

2006-06-13T10:00:00.000+09:00

For those of you who don't know what a wu is.. it's a wakeup.. it's the addition to a count down that counts the day you leave without really counting that day.. I leave tomorrow.. all I have left in Sasebo Japan is today and a wu.. tomorrow morning at 8:00 I get on a bus and leave it all behind.. I'm sooo excited!!! Despite not sleeping well last night because I was worried about how the ship pulling in is going to aversely affect my leaving, I'm really excited and giddy.. of course right now you probably couldn't really tell when looking at me unless you look at my eyes.. I know there's that little twinkle I get when I'm really excited about something.. I'll be even more excited when I finish my list of things to do today.. actually the more I think about it the more excited I get.. now I have a grin to go with it and I'm sure if I wasn't sitting in front of the computer I'd be standing up and skipping around.. but I'll save that for when I'm not in the office.. I don't really want weird looks although I'm sure anyone from the Essex would understand my excitement.. It's finally 10 and everything should be opening up on base and I can finish my to do list.. This time tomorrow I will be at the airport waiting for my plane!!.. :-D

End of a chapter

2006-06-12T18:28:00.000+09:00

There's a twinge in my chest.. I'm not entirely sure as to what brought it on but it's a feeling I've had enough to recognize and expect it. It's a feeling I get when I get near the end of a tour. When I'm about to close yet another chapter in my life. In the navy they sometimes seem to be shorter chapters than those of other people. But then again my life had this kind of ever changing pattern before I joined.. :-)
Even though I expect it and it always happens sometime close to when I move there is always a provoking thought. I think today it was the fact that I'm going to have to say goodbye to everyone again. I thought I was done with that part. Besides Stove, I had said goodbye to everyone either when the ship left or when they left. Now as the prospect of the ship arriving while I'm still here is stuck in my mind I have to once again think of saying goodbyes.. this time with my leaving more immediate and in the forefront of my mind. I might cry this time. I didn't want to and I didn't when the ship left.
The more I think on it the more I believe this twinge will not fade until I'm at the airport or flying away. Only then when the excitement of seeing my family and being in the states and all that a new place brings will the twinge fade and the tears that are pressing at the corners of my eyes relax back in.. until of course the next transfer, move and chapter ending.

homeless and happy..

2006-06-09T12:55:00.000+09:00

So I no longer have a home.. that means I now do not have a home, an address, internet, or a job.. This is outstanding.. I am bunking at a friends house until the fourteenth.. for anyone that I had already told my plans to.. yes that's right I said 14th not the 10th. The stupid people at TPD waited until two days before I was supposed to leave to get my plane tickets and due to the fact that it is prime vacation and transfer time.. the soonest that there was an open seat on a plane out was on the 14th.. so I'm not going home until the 14th.. It works out better this way actually because it allows me to spend a couple days with Aaron and Maren before reporting to the Shoup and before they move to Norway..
I was pissed when I found out but with this in mind and with a couple more days to take care of the last minute things I am happy they messed up.. not that I'm going to tell them that.. ;-)
Just wanted to post to let everyone know that I'm good and almost done here.. which makes me feel like skipping and bouncing and all sorts of energetic silly things that I used to do before being stationed on the Essex.

Eehh!!!

2006-06-07T14:43:00.000+09:00

So I emailed the guy I posted the conversation from and let him know that he was moving a little too fast for me.. I got an email back from him telling me that he had been joking.. it had been a test.. and that in my reply I had shown my true colors.. What the hell is that supposed to mean?!? I know I shouldn't be mad because I wasn't really sure I wanted to talk to him anymore anyway but still.. the way he said it was like I didn't have a sense of humor because I took comments about relationships, about my plans that I've made for my future seriously.. what exactly am I supposed to do at that point.. laugh at the fact that someone who doesn't know me is questioning my abilities to let God run my life.. Eeehh.. Thankfully I can say though that he doesn't want to talk to me anymore.. he specifically said there would be no more conversations.. and I deleted him from my list of friends.. Still don't know why I'm pissed but I am..

You guy's have got to see this

2006-06-06T20:58:00.000+09:00

You guys have to see the video on this website. I found it while I was reading through someone else's blog and it's very cute and funny.

http://infendo.com/2006/04/real-life-super-mario-bros.html

To my wonderful family

2006-06-06T09:03:00.000+09:00

If there is one thing that I will never doubt in this world with everything about my life that I question, it is that I am blessed. I'll never be able to truely explain how much but here's the best I can do. Many people ponder and question how you know there is a God. Forgetting all of the miracles in nature (which are in themselves amazing and evidence of God) I have just to look at my family. Never in my life have I ever met a family as loving and close as mine. I don't even have to reach out to know they are there. All my life they have been there no matter what and without being told I know they will for the rest of my life. Even with our differences there is no one who understands me as much as my family. I wanted you guys to know that even if everything in my life came crashing down around me as long as I have you guys and God, I will not only survive but I will still be more blessed than words can say. I would do anything for any of you and I hope that you know that.. well I'd say that you don't even have to ask but you would have to just so that I know what you need.. ;-) but not that you would need to question whether I would. I love you all.

this is for david and maren

2006-06-05T21:26:00.000+09:00

This is delayed from your post with sunburns, Maren but I just got it scanned a couple days ago.. David this is the smiley that my wonderful sister decided to make on my back with sunscreen.. Yes I was aware she made the smiley when I asked her to put the sun screen on my back, but I didn't think I would get that burned.. And because I have the wonderful blessing of having my sunburns turn into tans the smiley remained after the burn healed.. Because it was at a track meet at the end of the school year I had a smiley on my back for most of the summer.. I didnt' want to wear tank tops even though being the summer it was the only time I would get a chance to because of our schools dress code.. Everyone except me thought it was hilarious and brought it up repeatedly the whole summer.. I suppose looking back it was funny.. and of course stupid on my part.. mostly because I trusted a sibling to not be mischievous when I asked her to put sunscreen on my back.. and also by not yelling at her and telling her to do it right when all she did was mischievous.. a lapse in judgement I won't forget.. ;-)

self doubt is a horrible thing

2006-06-05T21:05:00.000+09:00

So here's my newest dilemma.. I figure everyone that really knows me already knows about my plan.. but in case I've missed someone here it is. I want to at the end of this enlistment reenlist for four more years. Get the tour on the Shoup done with then go to shore duty and finish my bachelors degree and get a big chunk of if not all of my masters degree done. I want to do this while I still have 100% tuition assistance from the navy, because although I will have the Montgomery GI Bill to help pay for college when I get out.. the amount that is for is restricted and I have seroius doubts it will pay for the amount of college required to get both degrees..
Now that I've covered that on to my dilemma.. there's this new guy I met on lutheran singles website and he started questioning this plan.. well first he asked how much time I have left in
I said, "1 on this one and 4 on the next.."
he said, "so 1 and if you choose 4.."
I said, "no, 1 and for.. no if.. "
he said, "no if? no love? no change? no God's will"
Like by having this plan I'm not allowing love or change.. like I'm so having any control over God's will by making a plan for my life. I know that having a plan has nothing to do with God's will because God's will will be done no matter what I do, but am I leaving there no chance for love by having a plan for my life. I don't belive it but my brain is kinda like a clam.. when it gets a piece of sand in it, it just keeps turning it over and over again.. just a little grain of said.. and that comment is like the little grain of sand.. not that my brain is going to turn it into a pearl but maybe with some guidance from those that I love it will help me more sure of myself in this one aspect..

another one of those days...

2006-06-04T01:30:00.000+09:00

I had another one of those days where I got something stuck in my head and it just wouldn't get out.. I spent the whole trip up to Fukuoka on the bus trying to sleep but my brain wouldn't stop.. this time it wasn't relationships though, thankfully.. this time it was something I have even less control of.. other people's opinions about the military.. I read an article about the Dixie Chicks putting out a new CD.. all along the same lines as there infamous comment about the president.. I spent the whole ride on the bus.. with that stuck in my head.. that mentality and way that some people have about speaking out against the military and what it does and stands for.. when it's whole purpose of being is fighting to defend these people's right to do just that.. talk bad about those fighting for it.. It bothers me to no end.. especially as I have a soft spot for marines..

my house.. as it looked before they took my stuff.. :-)

2006-06-03T12:43:00.000+09:00

This is my cobblestone driveway and front door.. the two story house in the back is my landlord's. The house used to be one but now it's divided.

This is my bed. The red in the bottom corner is my couch. There is actually a separate room I used to use as a bedroom but when winter came and I couldn't figure out my heater in my bedroom I moved my bed to the living room and now the bedroom is just a storage room.

This is my kitchen and it's about this big.. I'm standing in the doorway to take this picture.. not big but still a kitchen with an stove.. my last apartment didn't have one.. :-)

This is the doorway.. I was getting ready to go home for christmas when I took this, hence the bit suitcase in the entry way. The black thing on the left actually is a shelf for shoes since in japanese houses you remove your shoes when you walk in the door..

This is hind view of my living room.. my couch, loveseat, big screen tv and my christmas lights.. ;-) always have to have christmas decorations.. they didn't sell trees on base but since I was going home on leave I wasn't too worried about it..
I didn't take a picture of the bathroom or the bedroom/storage room. I had another pic of my living room but I can't find it. I'll take pics of what it looks like now.. (without any furniture) but since I don't have a digital camera you'll have to wait until I get the film developed.. :-)

something different

2006-05-26T01:41:00.000+09:00

So since, even with the reassuring comments from everyone, I still don't really feel better in the love life category I've decided to just not think about it.
I'm planning to do a little sight seeing this weekend. Since a carrier is in I don't really want to be any where near base and an officer who just flew back to Sasebo from the Essex mentioned some really cool places that are close enough to make a trip there and back in one day.. I'll post more about it and pictures after I go. Also I'm going to go try sushi on Saturday.. Yes, Aaron, I'm going to try it once before I leave here.
Hmm.. on to something completely different.. my swedish blood is starting to show finally.. Last week when I was in the office one of the guys was guessing my age.. and this is what his first guess was.. 19.. and then when I gave him a funny look 21.. which is still kinda close to what I am but still younger.. usually people think I'm older than I am.. and then on my first bus day.. when EN1 came up to hand me the duty phone I was sitting out front of the bus station and he looked at me and walked right past me.. then he came back and leaned down to look at me again.. he looked a little surprised and said, "It is you. You look like a dependent." I still look older than Angie but that's okay. :-)
Well this is enough for now it's time for me to go to bed.

Replies to comments..

2006-05-19T15:30:00.000+09:00

Ang - It's not your fault.. I think these things from time to time anyway.. No matter what you do I will think of things like that..
Aaron - Do you really think it I have a strict checklist? I want a guy who shares my faith, that can make me laugh, and can handle my moods. Is that really a strict checklist?
David - As far as my rough edges, I don't think that it's a misunderstanding.. I think maybe it's just that you don't think what I call rough edges as rough edges.. When I say rough edges I mean the type of attitude that you see between me and my guys on LJ. Like fighting with Smokie.. my language occasionally.. my sometimes crude sense of humor.. As to the seminary meat market I don't know that I really want to be in the seminary meat market.. which I suppose is what that website is, isn't it? I know what you mean about probably hearing more if I bothered to say hi..
Thanks to all of you for your reassurances.. I feel better about it.. (for now.. ;-) ) I blame it all entirely on my brother and sister who proceeded me with marriage before the age of 21.. so I have this nagging voice in the back of my head that says that I'm failing somehow because I can't even find a guy. :-) Silly.. I know.. that's why I call it a nagging voice in my head.
Well almost done with "work".. it's my office day.

One of those days..

2006-05-18T01:27:00.000+09:00

It turned into one of those days where I get something stuck in my head.. It came up while I was riding the bus to the airport tonight.. My sister brought it up actually awhile ago and for some reason I really started thinking about it today.. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut sometimes.. I have this idea of the who the guy I'm going to marry is.. the most important thing of course is that the guy shares not only my faith but also it's importance.. I've always just reminded myself there are plenty of guys I haven't met yet when I get discouraged.. but the navy has given me some rough edges.. actually sometimes that seems to be all I have.. and almost all of the religious guys I've met so far can't handle my rouch edges.. So that added another factor to what I look for in a guy would be tough enough to handle me.. :-) I pointed out to Ang that not a lot of guys are talking to me on the lutheran singles website which brought up the question of why.. so I pointed out that I'm probably not really the type that is expected for a pastors wife.. Ang kindly brought up these rough edges that I've developed and she doubted me getting a good religious guy with my rough edges.. well that thought kinda got stuck in my head tonight and I kept rolling it around in my head.. what if she's right?

Let me introduce you to my guys..

2006-05-06T16:05:00.000+09:00

This is Blanchfield.. aka.. Peter Blanchfield This is Chaney.. aka.. Joshua Chaney

This is Jew.. aka.. Kenneth Moore. This is Smokie.. aka.. James Smolinsky

finally free..

2006-05-05T02:33:00.000+09:00

So I'm officially checked off of the Essex. They got underway two days ago and I was not on it.. :-D I was soo ecstatic when I walked down the pier for the last time. It was kinda sad at the same time because I had said good bye to a bunch of people that I had gotten really close to. I already said good bye to two of them but there was still a few to say good bye to that last day. Now I'm standing the easiest duty in the world.. well maybe not the world but it's really easy. three days in a row I meet the bus at 1800 and ride it two hours to the air port.. I spend from 2000 to 2230 at the airport helping new people get on the bus.. then I ride the bus two hours back to Sasebo getting back to base almost one.. after three days of this I am off for six days except for going into the office for a couple hours somewhere in the middle of that because the person in charges is only a senior chief and can't authorize six consecutive days of liberty.. It's fantastic.. I start on Saturday technically. I road the bus for training tonight and will go to bed as soon as I'm done chatting with David (a friend I made on match.com) That's if I can go to bed I'm drinking a red bull.. :-D

I know this is late, but..

2006-05-05T02:24:00.000+09:00

Here are the pictures from the mountain I went to sunrise service for easter on. They are a little small because I took them on my cell phone but you get the idea of how beautiful it was.

Oops.. sorry

2006-05-02T06:51:00.000+09:00

So I neglected to post after my last one to let you guys know.. No I didn't pass because they didn't have a board.. they scheduled one and then only two of the eight board members didn't show up.. and they haven't tried to schedule another one for this in port period.. the kicker is I'm not getting underway so it's done but I didn't get it..
Besides that there really isn't anything going on here.. it's like Emmy's waiting for something to happen to post a blog.. well I've been waiting for something to happen.. besides checking out and getting ready to and saying goodbye to all my friends here.. nothing is happening..

Sorry..

2006-04-20T06:52:00.000+09:00

So sorry it's been so long since I actually posted something.. stress and sickness.. I've had a cold for a good week and half.. maybe longer.. it's starting to really bother me.. it started to clear up a couple days ago and then I woke up and it was worse so I'm not exactly sure what's going on with it. On to the stress part.. I'm short (for those of you who aren't navy linguists that means I'm getting very close to my transfer date) I have my checkout sheet which for most normal people would be a source of great excitement.. now don't get me wrong I'm ecstatic about having my checkout sheet.. problem is for the past months I've been struggling to complete my enlisted air warfare specialist.. my time to complete it shrunk, so the past two weeks have been increased stress about this air pin.. and those in charge of it have not made my life easier.. so in addition to trying to check out I'm trying to finish my air pin.. I'm too close to give up and up until two days ago.. I was too far to think I could finish it.. I have one preboard which I will do this morning and my board left to do.. I have the board scheduled for tomorrow.. I don't know if I'm ready.. I'm going to be a ball of nerves tomorrow morning while before the board.. but it will finally be over.. if I don't pass there's no way I will get it done before they get underway again.. so either way that stress will be gone and I will be able to just concentrate on checking out.. and that will be a glorious thing :-D

"Article" written for me by one of my guys

2006-04-13T18:20:00.000+09:00

Liberated!Lexi freed on grounds of insanity(Alexander Nevermind AP)It appears that another victim of the Sasebo-Essex experiment was freed, on the grounds of insanity, the AP has learned. A female only identifed as "Lexi" was seen walking past armed guards early this morning.
Lexi was freed after going on a rampage in the depths of the mysterious SSES in which she was put into forced labor in Summer 2003. Not much is known about the events that forced her into the rage that led to her freedom. Witnesses said that she appeared to be walking the corridors in what appeared to be a fairy costume. Scientists said she had entered 7th stage lunacy, a world first. The Essex experiment had accomplished it's mission. Witnesses said that during the negotiation talks for freedom, Lexi was irritated that she was going to be sent to another floating camp, and dislike for the situation in which she was captured but accepted the fact that it was not Sasebo-Essex. "Meh, yeah it's not Essex" the soft talking Missouri native was quoted as saying. "Can you go to the ships store for me? I need a Red Bull" she later asked.
"I am glad she got her freedom" one former inmate said. "I was trapped with her in that cage for all those years and I have seen the first hand effects of Essex for myself. Normally the effects of Essex weaken people so they are really soft. But toward the end, her anger became superhuman and she said she was going to crush all that walked in her path. Even the most doped up heroin addict would have been smart enough turned tail and run!"Lexi was most known Essex for her love of Starbucks coffee, getting mail, poking people when she wanted something, and sometimes exploding to random fits of rage. "Sometimes she was so unpredictable in her mood, I don't think Mike Tyson would have tried to start anything with her" An inmate known as 'Hebrew Hammer' said. In 2004, a co-worker was cleared of sexual assault charges by Lexi following a simple poking match in a freezer during an unrep. "She said I poked her in the boob! Man I never did that, I am too much of a gentleman for that. Yeah I remember poking her there." The man identified as Giant Chemical V saidLexi passed the little lesure time on Essex that she had by living alone high in the mountains of Sasebo watching 'Veggie tales', which this reporter thought was a porn film for the longest time.Not much else is known about her mysterious life style, which she kept from many. It is believed that she was heavily involved in the smuggling of crossword puzzles into the camp.

Almost.. almost..

2006-04-10T16:16:00.000+09:00

So this is officially my last underway on the USS Essex... AND IT'S ALMOST OVER!!!
Can you tell that I'm excited.. it's the last underway for a few of us and we're all bouncy today.. doing little dances around the space.. I bought the soundtrack to Walk the Line at Kadena a few days ago and I've been listening to that and bouncing around..
I just had my last port visit in Okinawa.. I don't think that the USS Shoup will ever go there..
It was a mix of sadness and excitement.. as it always is in moving.. there's sadness at leaving what you are used to.. and excitement at being some place new..
Jew has already said he will send me a survival package.. with all sorts of goodies.. like knives, fuzzy handcuffs, MRE's and etc.. I can't wait because it will probably freak the guys on my next ship out totally.. because I'll probably be all quiet and too myself before that.. and then I'll get all excited and show them.. ;-) They will have no idea about me.. :-D
Anyway back to studying for the EAWS (enlisted air warfare specialist qualification) I"m almost done with that.. <3

How do you explain love?

2006-03-30T19:15:00.000+09:00

So I suppose I should start by saying that this is rhetorical and pretty much only for my own talking purposes. How do you explain love? How can you explain how you can love someone no matter what they do? I'm sure that you all remember my Brian. Well in case you don't know I've been through quite a lot with Brian and because of Brian. I won't write it all here but we'll just leave it at stating that Brian has caused more pain to me purposefully and not than anyone in my life. Here's where I get confused.. I still love him.. for instance a couple months ago I tried to get in contact with him except I didn't have his new address so I wrote his mom.. only to have his mom tell me that he told her not to give me his address.. I was pissed.. He couldn't even tell me himself that he didn't want to talk to me.. plus I know from experience he'll be sorry and try to talk to me again.. I was so pissed I told my parents to not give him my address or phone number next time he tries to find me.. if he wants to cut me out of his life I might as well help him out.. that's what I thought then.. here I am three months later.. I'm doing a survey on firsts on myspace and his name fits into a couple of the answers.. so I stop to think.. and the first thought is to write him an email asking how he is.. not even a pause.. then when I do pause to remember the most recent issue with him it doesn't even bother me.. I love him anyway.. this happens everytime he does something and it never really impacts me.. well it does at first but after a while it all boils back downt o the simplest thing.. I love him and I understand his issues when I talk to him every time he decides to talk to me.. I don't understand.. but then I guess it's just one of those things we don't need to understand it just is that way.. I am just that way..

US Navy and the civilians that work with them

2006-03-25T11:27:00.000+09:00

So I don't know how many of you know this but I work on a foward deployed ship.. This means that we don't have schedules like other ships we go whenever, where ever we are called. This makes our ship the most deployed in the whole United States Navy. With this being true there are many groups that support our ship.. From my point of view there are two primary groups that support my system.. SPAWAR and contractors in port Sasebo.. Well these two groups don't like each other.. and at this moment they more than just don't like each other but they are full blown pissed at each other.. both have sent emails to the ship yesterday saying they will no longer support us.. one said they were talking to NCIS (Navy Criminal Investigation) and the other said that all further contact to them must be through their lawyer.. So we are on our own to keep the most deployed ship in the navy working.. ;-) talk about a challenge.. Just figured I'd explain the cause of my stress.. Sometimes it's just ironically funny what happens in the United States Navy.. and the government.. :-D

Insight into my life.. :-D

2006-03-20T16:09:00.000+09:00

So it's been decided that my throat is not good for choking.. honestly.. seven people tested my throat against everyone elses and said there is something wrong with my neck.. it's just not good for choking.. Don't ask me to explain this is my life.. well my life here on my ship.. I can tell you that we arrived at this by starting out this morning with me and smokie fighting.. we were just beating up on each other and he went to pretend like he was going to choke me.. hand around my neck without squeezing but he stopped.. he said it wasn't right.. then he asked jew to come over and compare his to mine.. this went around a couple people.. and they thought maybe it was just a difference in size but then they got one of the female riders and tested her against me and still.. something wrong with me.. I'm soo depressed about this.. ;-)

St. Patty's Day!!

2006-03-18T17:21:00.000+09:00

Recent pics

2006-03-17T18:33:00.000+09:00

me playing a shooting game in Okinawa

my girls day at the spa in Guam.

My guys.. ;-) {from left; Jew, Chaney, me and Smokie}

Stupid people

2006-03-13T13:34:00.000+09:00

I hate stupid people.. or worse stupid people that are in charge.. apparently there are a bunch of them in my chain of command.. my department head for one.. my XO for two and probably more that I haven't had to deal with.. I was sleeping in my off time, because it's my off time and because I believe that you should stay awake for a watch that you have.. well for some reason maybe because of allergies or because we were in port and than underway and switching from one schedule to another is difficult but I slept like a rock.. nobody made sure I was awake and I couldn't hear anything.. we did a man overboard drill.. I was in my rack.. I got chewed out because I didn't get up.. I got chewed out because I was sleeping at 10 in the morning before my watch from 1900 to 0700.. The only thing that anyone in my upper chain of command could think of was why was she in her rack.. apparently they don't understand the concept of sleeping before a watch..Anyway, three and a half months.. three and a half months and then I can find out what other stupid people there are in the world ;-)

Creative Juices on overload

2006-03-11T00:59:00.000+09:00

So I have to say my creative juices have gone into overload.. I've course I've kind of put them back for a good portion of my tour here no the Essex.. especially after my totally unappreciated efforts during christmas two years ago.. I cracked it open and now there is no stopping them.. I've created designs for t-shirts for four people with ideas for others forming all the time.. I'm doing a design for a tattoo for another one of my buddies.. So I'm putting it out there.. if any of you want me to design something for you.. just let me know.. give me a little something.. like a main theme and I can go from there.. ;-) I have to use it up or it will frustrate me to no end.. I'm done playing with my myspace.. anymore designing on it would just be gaudy.. so t-shirts and tattoos it is... mostly t-shirts (or any clothing item..) though.. :-)

Nothing.. :-)

2006-03-07T06:01:00.000+09:00

I feel kinda bad for those who are reading this to find out what's going on with me and I haven't been posting anything.. But there is just absolutely nothing new here. I'm underway so everything is basically the same. day after day.. I'm up to 7 disney movies.. with 6 more on the way.. I've finished the House season 1.. and I have nothing to replace it because there's nothing quite like House.. I'm even rewatching it.. How sad is that? :-) I spend a bunch of time on my match.com. I'm meeting some pretty good guys on it.. which is cool.. I've started looking at apartments in Everett.. even though I still have five months before I get there..
I'll be coming up to Iowa while on my road trip from MO to WA in July. Just so you guys know.
Well I guess that's enough for not having anything new to talk about ;-)

hmm.. God and Match.com

2006-03-03T05:51:00.000+09:00

Don't you just love it when you pray for something and God answers your prayer. As you may or may not know I had a little rough patch a little bit ago religiously. I haven't been to a service in a long time(not including while I was home on leave.) Anyway it hit me.. like a ten wheeler.. as these things do sometimes.. I prayed and I know other's prayed.. and two days ago I checked the POD (plan of the day) to see if I would have to get up during my sleep time and there it was "1900 Lutheran Worship Service" I went.. The marine chaplain onboard turns out to be lutheran.. LCMS of all things.. So I have a service I can attend now..
On to the second half of my title.. match.com.. my wonderful sister and I are having fun on match.com.. checking out guys we would never date and finding lutheran guys that like we haven't in real life.. if nothing else, it's helping to cheer up Ang and fill my days with something amusing..

Myspace addiction

2006-02-25T02:07:00.000+09:00

I have become a myspace fiend. It's addicting. I've been playing with it the past couple days changing settings.. adding graphics.. basically just wasting time modifying my page. It's something to do. I've fixed all the major problems on the system, and finished my busy work project so I have nothing left to do for twelve hours every day except sudoku, fill ins, crosswords or play online.. Thus the myspace where I can show my creativity and play with html text again..
Hence the two photos I posted for blog to blog.. so I would have a URL to use in the html codes I was posting on my myspace.. actually the hebrew hammer was for Jews myspace but it's still myspace.
And since I have nothing else I will go back to my myspace. :-D

blog to blog for jew

2006-02-24T07:34:00.000+09:00

Just so you know

2006-02-24T00:04:00.000+09:00

The picture I just posted.. I did that so that I could have a URL code to post it on another blog of mine.. it's not recent and you've probably already seen it. It's one of my favorite pictures of me so I'm using it as a background for my other blog. I'll write more later I just wanted to explain the picture.

blog to blog photos

2006-02-23T23:58:00.000+09:00

Jews and hippies

2006-02-23T07:20:00.000+09:00

Oh the interesting world of CTs.. where everyone is at least a little weird and most of us are just plain bizarre.. My favorite of which right now is Jew (not his name by the way, just a nickname because it describes him, which of course shows exactly how PC we are.. :-D) Anyway Jew has a tendency of saying random stuff at random moments.. If I want to hear something that doesn't make sense at all I can ask Jew. Forgetting for a moment who I was talking to I asked Jew what you call someone who goes to starbucks because mom was talking about starbucks people in her email.. Bringing this up to Jew of course eventually brought it around to me because I do go to starbucks and occasionally sit and read at starbucks.. to Jew this means I'm a hippie.. or he is possibly just saying it repeatedly because everytime he says it I argue with him.. Because I'm not a hippie and I actually find it slightly offensive to be called one.. it's not even close to a description of my character. Oh well I give up.. it's like a brother-sister relationship where you do something because it bothers the other person. Not that I will say I'm a hippie to get him to stop.. I will just ignore the comments or punch him (a very non-hippie like approach and one that is looking to be quite appropriate..)
In case anyone is confused by this post.. just suffice it to say this is a normal everyday occurance in my life as a CT on the Essex.. and maybe you just have to be here to understand
:-D

The word perception

2006-02-22T03:44:00.000+09:00

I don't know if any of you have ever had a word that at the simple sound of it made you want to strangle someone.. or even hearing something that sounded like that word.. well that's how I feel about the word perception.. There are too many people who believe that perception is more important than reality. Especially their perceptions. This is where I have the biggest problem. A perception is like an opinion, everyone is entitled to one but no one should expect others to live by theirs. Unfortunately not everyone agrees with me. ;-) I'll be just bopping along, day to day, doing my job well because that's what I do.. and just being me and then I'll end up getting a lecture about someone's perception because I don't even put forth an effort to make sure people's perceptions of what I do are intact and I just concentrate on doing my job..
This is the second complaining blog in a row.. I'm sorry that I'm complaining alot.. right now I can't think of anything optimistic.. not even my orders because four more months of this is too much.. so I'll end this and try to think of something positive between today and tomorrow. :-D

small pox

2006-02-21T02:24:00.000+09:00

I hate the small pox vaccination. I don't really know why we are worrying about it now but all of a sudden the navy is requiring all their people to get vaccinated. They stab you with a needle that's been soaked in the virus.. a live virus that if you touch can be spread to the other parts of your body.. anyway this, over time, blisters, and then scabs and must be left alone until the scab falls off.. oh yeah did I mention that it itches worse than poison ivy.. oh yeah.. and if you spread it to other parts of your body you could possibly get infected completely with small pox which of course could lead to death.. can anyone explain why we're getting this??
Anyway, I have to change my schedule around a little this week because I'm in charge of berthing cleaners for female berthing.. joy.. oh well.. I suppose I should either get back to work or go work out. Anything to keep my mind off the itchy on my shoulder.

4 months, 7days and 2 and half hours

2006-02-18T22:16:00.000+09:00

So I don't really know what to write about. I'm underway which means that every day is pretty much the smae with nothing new to add from day to day. If you can't figure it out the title of my post is my countdown til I leave the Essex. That means I have four months and 7 days to finish my air pin, guess I better get on that. I also need to start going to the gym again.. I'll start that tonight when I get off.. I also need to do laundry.. but I'm not sure when to go do that. I wish we'd get mail, but I'm not too optimistic about that happening.. If any of you watch CNN you probably know where I'm headed because it was on CNN yesterday. Anyway that's all for now.

Good nights work

2006-02-16T01:52:00.000+09:00

So I've had a decent night. I'm at the end of my working time and I've actually spent it working. I did my taxes. I worked on getting everything ready for the admin review tomorrow. Lastly I worked on my project, which I suppose could be described as not working since it's kind of just busy work but still it's working.. since it's not playing online or doing puzzles.
I've been lazy the past couple weeks.. and it's really occuring to me since it's eval time and chief wrote a bunch of things in my eval that haven't been true for the past couple weeks.. oh well that's something I can fix.
I'm tired but I'm going to stay for all of the watch or at least a couple more hours of if.. ;-)

drunk and disorderly

2006-02-15T00:22:00.000+09:00

this is how to describe how my ship is viewed right now. Tonight I had to attend training for leaders on how to change the course the ship is on now. We have had a rash of incidents.. all alcohol related.. and most of which also included violence.. for example one, included an E-3 getting drunk and then putting his head through a plate glass window.. another an E-4 getting drunk and trying to punch shore patrol.. and on and on..
We are getting to the point where the upper chain of command is going to just secure liberty for all the E-6 and below.. actually the CO of my ship is already to that point.. he wanted to do just that this past in port visit..
My question is how far does it have to go before the lower enlisted understand to behave?
Oh well.. five months and I'll be back in the states where they don't have liberty policies.. yeah!

Happy Valentines Day!

2006-02-14T23:46:00.000+09:00

pamper me day and underway

2006-02-13T00:05:00.000+09:00

So the day after my birthday was absolutely fabulous.. I rented a car.. I went to a spa and got a massage, body polish and yoghurt bath in a tub the size of a jacuzzi.. then I went to a body piercing place with my buddies and watched them get their belly buttons pierced.. (which kinda made me feel old because it reminded me that I got mine done almost five years ago) anyway then we went to the mall and I got my nails done.. the girls had fun with it just being the three of us..
Now we're underway again.. which is fine.. time goes faster when we're underway because everything blurs together. I'm on nights which is nice and quiet the only problem with nights is I still have to get up for GQs during the day.. which cuts into sleep..
Anyway off to bed.. after I buy some disney movies online.. (I got a disney's greatest cd in Guam and I was listening to it earlier and now I want some of those movies.. ;-) )

Happy Birthday to me.. kinda

2006-02-10T11:31:00.000+09:00

So it's my 23rd birthday. I'm on duty and I just got off watch. A hellacious watch, in which I thank God it was only 4 hours because any longer I would have lost my mind. I had the gun, the COs of two other ships came on to have a pow-wow with the CO of my ship, everyone needed the duty driver who was out all morning on a run, the phone was silent for only about five minutes in a row at the most, and when it wasn't ringing the cell phone was or the radio was. Now I'm off and starving. One of the guys went to the pier to get me food. Hopefully the rest of my birthday/duty day is quiet and I can just watch movies and play online. {fingers crossed}

boredom

2006-02-07T22:44:00.000+09:00

Well, I've officially reached the low of boredom. I created my own busy-work project. I am going through every file on my system. Not looking for something in particular just looking.. It's not a small task either.. Actually I had to take a break because my eyes were starting to cross, but I have to do something and I told my watch supevisor I would stop doing my sudoku and reading books on watch.. since the other people on watch can't read books or do sudoku.. not that they would do sudoku but whatever their equivalent to that would be. In exchange he told me I can cut hours off my watch if I'm not working on something. Well I hardly ever have anything to work on, which always makes 12 hours of trying to stay busy really boring. Anyway I'd like to ask you to keep me in your prayers. I don't really want to write my problems on a blog that can be accessed by lots of people so if you really want to know email me. Otherwise please just pray for me.
<3

garfield

2006-02-05T21:10:00.000+09:00

ahh.. memories of my gulf deployment.. when I worked in combat cargo.. we flew some people on with stuff from Italy and other countries. Well they also brought a bunch of flies.. my "office" looked very much like this comic except with the flattened bodies of flies not spiders..

Birthdays of young and old.. ;-)

2006-02-05T20:56:00.000+09:00

So I found out today that Jones is turning 30 on the 7th. A minor three days before my birthday. He of course is freaking out. I suppose this is what a midlife crisis looks like.. Goes to show how silly Jones can be, midlife crisis at 30. Anyway I can't wait til my birthday. Not that it's going to be extraorinarily exciting, nor is it a big milestone. 23 just seems like an insignificant number.. Ahh well it's not like I've ever felt my age before, why start now.. :-D
Its holiday routine so I'm just playing online. I can't spend money, I left my book in my rack because it's the last one I have onboard that I haven't read. I have my sudoku books thanks to my wonderful mom, but I'm trying to add distractions in every once in awhile so I don't get sudoku'ed out..
Well I suppose that's enough for this entry.. time to put in another movie.
I love holiday routine.

Snow and fair blue seas

2006-02-04T17:48:00.000+09:00

So I had the past couple days off because they made Sasebo a liberty port. I spent my time at home watching movies and peeling off the remnants of my sunburn. As I was coming to the ship this morning it started snowing.. Imagine that snowing so short a time after being in tropical weather. It's kinda like being in MO again. ;-)
We're underway again and the watch sections have swapped. (In case you didn't know we are on a 12 hour rotation, two watches twelve on twelve off.) So I was on 07 to 19 now I'm on from 19 to 07 and what fun this will be. I'll have to be up during the day to work on my EAWS (Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist) And of course I'll have to get up to train with my fellow M brancher. While I'm also working on fixing how much my 3M is messed up. The next weeks or so are going to be very long.
Anyway I'm up here early so I can get some stuff taken care of and I better get to it. <3

home for a bit

2006-02-01T12:27:00.000+09:00

Well we pulled into Sasebo yesterday.. and already we're in trouble.. well I say we in a general way because it's never me in particular that gets in trouble. One of the guys in my division, who is underage by the way, decided to go get drunk and get in to trouble. Of course he might not have thought about the getting into trouble but if you don't anticipate it when you decide to go drinking you might as well have planned it. Anyway I'm on duty today, which was supposed to be an easy day because no one has to work. The day starts out with Chief pissed at all of us because Geiser is in trouble AGAIN.. Ahh well, I guess he doesn't really like liberty because he isn't going to see it any time before he leaves here. Hopefully the rest of my day can go quietly. Oops never mind they just announced I have to take a test in fifteen minutes.. Guess I'll go fail that. ;-)

shooting guns and doing crosswords

2006-01-30T16:56:00.000+09:00

That pretty much sums up my day today.. Well I also had the piss test for the second time in four days.. then I got called up by my duty section leader to go to the flight deck and shoot the 9mm to get qualed so he can put me on watch with the gun.. so I went and shot for the second time in two weeks.. I did better this week, not surprisingly.. I passed which I'm still not sure if I'm happy about.. then I was informed that this girl in my aisle in berthing who is horribly messy is my responsiblity because I'm the highest ranking person in the aisle.. oh the joys of being higher ranking.. :-P .. anyway I've spent the rest of the day either doing crossword puzzles or doing busy work.. don't know which one is more useless.. I should be working on my pin.. and Jones is gonna kick my butt when he comes back and I haven't made any progress on it.. He's determined that I get #1 or 2 in the department rankings.. but I probably won't with just one of my pins.. Guess I'll get on that tomorrow morning.. that'll be my last chance to do something before Jones comes back on..
Anyway back to my crosswords, or maybe I'll play online a little bit longer.. ;-)

Just another day on the Black Pearl

2006-01-28T14:04:00.000+09:00

Everyone seems to be getting their own blogs.. well Maren and Ang at least. I have bebo which is kind of a blog. But out of boredom I am creating this also and when I'm bored I will update. Just another day out of my five months that I have left on board this ship that many know as the Black Pearl. If you have seen Pirates of the Carribbean you know that the Black Pearl was cursed. Well that's how most of us onboard see the Essex. There's no way to explain it, you have to experience it to truly understand. Just thank God none of you will and if you have then thank God you escaped. ;-)
This is enough for now.
God Bless and keep smiling.