THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2004.  2238

Really, really difficult day today, but ending well enough.  Started with some recruits being told in my presence one thing not to do by the senior chief, and then doing that very thing with the excuse that they didn't hear him.  Right.  He was yelling right in their faces.  So, that came back on me, a little bit.

And then we just had this incredibly busy day, which busy for all of us means at least three or four times busier for me, and nearly that for my sub-yoeman.  In the midst of all this busy-ness, we had an inspection, on which I got one hit which really isn't too bad in my humble opinion, but to senior chief it's just horrid.  At any rate... because the division as a whole made a lower score than we could've on the inspection, we had the IT (punitive or intensive training workouts) session of a lifetime.  During which, as has happened nearly every time since my second week here, my muscles completely failed and I eventually had to sit down and just drink water, which is not looked on kindly.  (I do, by the way, drink plenty of water each day, mostly due to my background as a long-distance runner, and also due to my lack of dislike for the stuff, which a lot of people use as an excuse -- disliking the taste or lack there-of of water, that is -- to not drink enough.  Most health probems here, besides colds and whatnot, are due to dehydration.  Not in my case.)

I had been talking a bit before the session with one of my petty officers about being concerned that I seem to be in WORSE shape physically than I was when I got here.  And he was saying I'll be fine on the tests, which wasn't the only point of that whole conversation.  So meanwhile, I've had this really nasty, non-productive cough thing going on for about a week or week-and-a-half now, and it's getting worse every day.  So senior chief and earlier mentioned petty officer each finally caught on tonight and said I need to go to medical.  I tried to briefly explain that because of my shin splints and the fiasco with my dentist, I couldn't afford to go to medical, and had two different results.  Senior chief's conversation with me ended in, I think, a decision that since I'd already gotten Sudafed from medical and still had plenty to take, that should help me.

But with petty officer earlier, he was saying that they'd be keeping an eye on me and if I looked like I was hurting, they'd send me to medical.  And then he said, "you won't get asmo'd," which was fabulous because that was one of my big concerns, since ASMO means being transferred to another division and thus set back in training and thus graduating later.  I cannot stay in this place one day longer than necessary -- this past month has been far too long already.

However, I am getting more disciplined (somewhat) and praise God no matter what.

 
 
FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2004.  2237

From some Navy paperwork about post-tooth-extraction care:  Do not drink alcoholic beverages.  This includes the use of mouthwashes, ALL of which contain alcohol.  You may use an acohol-free mouthwash.  (emphasis mine)

From a cadence we sing while marching sometimes:  They say that in the NAVY, the coffee's mighty fine.  It looks like muddy water, and tastes like turpentine.  Oh Lord, I wanna go Home.  But they won't let me go home.
One of the silley-worst things about being yoeman is when I'm working in the office and the RDC's come in with some fast food or a fresh salad topped with perfect little cubes of some fragrant cheese.  Likewise, every morning when they've got coffee and I, of course, don't.  Even though I'm tired as all get-out and don't get to take a nap during the day.  Of course, it wouldn't be cool for me to get some and not my shipmates, but I'm not sure I'd let a cup of coffee go to waste if they set it down beside me.  Alas, they don't, so it's a moot point, I suppose.  It's a good thing I still like the galley food, for the most part.  Especially the hashbrowns.  Mmmmm.

We were woken up at 0400 today to conduct a man-overboard drill, for which I had to call the muster (as I do during fire alarms and any other time we're mustering up) VERY EARLY.  I've had this bad chest cold (one of the coughing-all-the-time,-never-productively types) for maybe a week or 10 days now, getting worse each day.  So my voice is scratchy and squeeky and whatnot (just noticed I mention the cough in the last entry), and early morning hours (earlier even than 0530 as I'm used to) only enhance that.  Perhaps I sounded like Smeogol (sp?) but either way, we completed our muster.  With one very sleepy yoeman.  On that note, goodnight.
 
 

SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2004.  1418

We had a bomb threat today during our holiday routine, so I've got a lot less time than normal.
So, one more line from another, not-earlier-quoted cadence:  "Mama, mama, can't you see what the Navy's done to me...  I used to drive a Chevrolet.  Now I'm marching every day."

Love y'all, write more next week!
Patty