Back to work!

Last week a few of us rented a boat and went cruising around the bay. I also got to use my snorkeling gear and swam around a bit. Who knew there were so many jellyfish in the Gulf of Mexico?! I also went kayaking earlier in the week and ended up chasing around a dolphin that kept surfacing in front of me! Over the weekend my roommate and I took a trip to Panama City Beach. That place is awesome! I also spent several hours working on the gigantic shed Brandon and Megan are building in their backyard. Alas, it looks like my paid vacation is over because I start Introductory Flight Screening, a.k.a. civilian flight training, next week in Milton, Florida! Ground school starts Monday and I’m pretty excited. Although this will be cutting into my golf and beach time…

Payday

Let’s see, another week down in Pensacola! Tuesday was my sixth run with McGuire’s Running Club so I got my sweet free t-shirt! This week I was temporarily assigned to the Naval Operational Medicine Institute (NOMI). Basically I was tasked with taking newly revised versions of the Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB), which is used to predict the success of students in aviation officer training programs. Not much fun, but it kept me busy for a couple of hours! The big news of the week is that I should be classing up for Introductory Flight Screening (IFS), a.k.a. civilian flight training, next Wednesday. I can’t wait! This week I also started ballroom dancing and golf lessons. Apparently I’ve been doing both of those things wrong for a very long time! It’s been fun learning how to do them correctly! I also spent some time at Brandon and Megan's installing molding in their dining room and troubleshooting their seemingly possessed garage door opener. My roommate and I also stopped by the Pensacola Greyhound Track and watched a couple of races Thursday evening. Just for fun I placed a $2 bet in the fifth race and won $.80! Leave it to a business major to get excited about a 40% return on investment!

Let's ride dirt bikes!

Last week we watched the fireworks from downtown Pensacola and they were awesome! Apparently there are some very lax fireworks laws here because random people were shooting off fireworks in the middle of the street for hours before the show! I also sampled some fried alligator on a stick – what do you know, it tastes like chicken! All in all, a great Fourth of July. Also of note on this day, my friend James headed back to Iraq for the second half of his ten-month deployment. You can check out his blog at: http://jabronijames.blogspot.com/ Kick ass James! Let’s see, I also played a round of golf last weekend with Sergio, Brandon, and Megan. Brandon started teaching me how to ride a dirt bike. This is in preparation for a motorcycle safety class I will be taking at the end of the month. So far I’ve learned how to ride in a giant circle and a figure eight in his backyard! It’s safe to say I haven’t mastered the bike yet, but it was a lot of fun for my first time. I also helped Brandon and Megan paint the shutters and garage door of their new house, and did a bit of electrical work on some of the interior lights. The house is starting to look great! Not really a whole lot else going on around here. I'm still waiting to class up for IFS. Maybe next week!

Under way, shift colors!

Last Thursday my friend Barry invited me to ride the USS ROBERT G. BRADLEY (FFG 49) for a Friends and Family Day Cruise. We left Mayport, Florida and cut holes in the ocean for a couple of hours. I was able to wander throughout the entire ship and observe various weapons and damage control demonstrations. Although it brought back fond memories of my previous time at sea, it was so much better to be “just visiting!” We also played a round of golf and took in the sights of the Jacksonville area. Thanks for the invite Barry! Also, congratulations to my friends Bob and Ian - the Navy's newest commissioned officers! Both were commissioned over the weekend. Sorry I couldn't make it to the ceremony.

Sitting in the Captain's chair

Helo demonstration

Bow looking aft