5 year goal

1. Become the best trombonist among the US Navy Fleet Bands

2. Become debt free

3. Be ready to take the E-6 Test by the end of my first enlistment

4. Finish my Doctorate

5. Be a legitimate improviser

Title

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God"

I should get back to that - that title is SWEET.

run

1.5 miles in exactly 12:53. Good enough for a "Good - Low" pass on the US Navy scale.

I'm not stopping there though. i'll bet I can at least get down to 210.

practice time

Practice time! Sat in and watched the book for Damn Yankees out in Northport the other night. Then played the following night. Gaps in fundamental abilities. Not good.

But fixable.

Tired of Waiting

I'll admit - this post is being written in a semi-copycat manner thanks to a recent blog by my friend Alice-Anne. She and her husband are in transition time in life, as am I. Or rather I will be. Her outlook on the whole thing is encouraging and so right as far as the treatment of the unknown. She knows now where she will be going, though she didn't always. And knows how they will make ends meet, though they hadn't figured it out still up until very recently. She also knows that her future is in the hands of the Creator, which basically means - She's set.

The title of the post is actually pretty amusing the more I think about it. I've known about my entry date into the US Navy for about 3 months now, and I'm excited and so ready to get to it. I'm tired of the state of limbo i'm in, and yet I press on knowing I have a good thing waiting for me at the end of this 5 month "rainbow". And I really am tired of waiting - BUT the irony lies in the fact that so many people who I talk to say how the military (particularly basic training) is a bunch of "hurry up and wait." I can attest to that - MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) seemed to be the epitome of this. Hurry and get to the next physical test....now wait until we call you...then hurry up to the next...etc.

The only sucky thing that I can see about joining the Navy is the fact that I actually am getting used to New Jersey. I kind of like it here, Ashley and I have a blessed life here, with a few very good friends. Some think the fact that I have to go and join the military I might get sent off to war. To that I say this - if the country becomes so desperate for soldiers that they are sending bandsmen? Chances are that I already would have volunteered to protect and fight. Or they may start up the draft again. Who knows.

The way I look at it is this: I will have a job that will pay me to play daily, practice, stay in shape, and be part of something with a great long-standing tradition. Not to mention the perks like housing allowance, Loan Repayment, and did I mention they are paying me to play?

Bring it on.

(in a couple months that is...i guess I can wait till then)

overlooked

Finally have found a place we can dig into (as far as church is concerned) that isn't a struggle to get to everyweek because of distance and ambiance (for lack of a better word). During the sermon ran across a verse which basically stated to be kind to everyone.

This is INCREDIBLY hard. and yet incredibly simple.

and I've become increasingly sucky at it. Guess I should work on that.

day "3"

HOY. Plyometrics kicked my tail. It literally took me 3 days for my legs to recover - I suppose this is due to the fact that i've been working my upper body lately, but haven't done anything but run for my lower body which is muccccch different than jump training.

Ate some things I wish I hadn't over the week, but back on track now. Its amazing how after eating right for awhile, that one night of fish tacos and a brownie sunday can send your body into revolt.

day 3 was shoulders and arms. Glamour workout he called it! I feel like i didn't actually get the hang of all the moves and though I can feel the work today, i think next time i can definitely go harder.

On a side note - Jim Pugh wants me to take a lesson with him over Skype. :-)