Sweet words, rare words, cherished words.

On le facebook recently it was thus poised that instead of going to a club to pick up chicks by buying them drinks that instead one aught to go to a bookstore instead and pick up chicks by buying them a book. Google was not forthcoming with this thread/webpage but the idea and thought lives on!

I mention this story because today I went to the base library for the first time today (yay another library card :D) and I rented a book (Atlas Shrugged) and 2 movies I haven't seen (X-Men 3 and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) and Harry Potter 4 audiotape in hopes that I can listen to it and play video games at the same time. As I was checking out, I noticed a basket of disarrayed books. I asked the librarian what they were AND SHE SAID THEY WERE FREE.  Sweet words, rare words, cherished words to grace my ears. Usually these books have 1 gem in them and I end up getting a ton of random books BUT IT WAS DIFFERENT TODAY! God smiled upon me and I got SEVEN books out of the 12 book series The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. I was absolutely giddy. I got 14 books total and I do feel a little guilty taking all the happiness for myself but I left 90% of the basket so really, reader, you should be proud of me ;)

In other good news I also found that all letters I send from base back to the states are free! I just write "free mail". This magical phrase! It reminds me of my Grandpa Lee who always wrote "First Class Mail" (underlined) on all my letters he wrote me through high school and college and, to be honest, I always doubted he paid the extra fee for it. Isn't there an extra fee for first class? None the less, it made me feel special because I was worthy of first class mail.

And I get to use the R2D2 MAILBOX!!!! AHHHHH!!!!

In more disgusting news, I got a smallpox shot and what it basically does is give you small pox but only in one tiny area. I don't know how it works, but if you ever wondered what smallpox looked like  (or my carpet) here's a pic of my arm.

Bendy Straws.

 Here's my pic of the tree of life! Got to go there! It was great fun. It really is the only remarkable foliage as far as the eye can see. Amazing! There were some guys there that we were afraid were going to ask if they wanted to wash our car (Guys are always doing that in Bahrain and its unnerving at first) At least they aren't like American bums, they actually do something in return for some monetary help. Anyways, if you ever get the chance I recommend you make it a picnic day cause otherwise you get there and there's not much else to do but stare at it. Then you can sit there and eat you're food while the two Arabs sit off in their plastic chairs and awkwardly make sure you don't steal any rocks. I want to go back and sketch some of it one day. One day...

 This is a throwback to when I went diving at Manatee Springs. Floods are Cah-razy!

 Here are some trees we got to walk thru that I love. Also love Sis Draper ^^They are one of my favorite trees and I  loved it!

We also went diving in this too. That's a nice layer of throwable foliage that was great fun to dive in. No alligators to be found tho :)

As to Bahrain the most exciting thing that has happened (since all I've really been doing is paperwork) is that a Skyscraper caught fire. Don't know why and I of course hope everyone got out alright, but it was cool to witness. Even the crane caught on fire.

Notable: The skyline in Bahrain often has more cranes than buildings haha. They are always building, which is good for the economy one can suppose.

Went to an American restaurant today TGI Fridays and, let me tell you, American restaurants are different abroad haha. This on all the waiters wore ridiculous hats (a pokemon hat, gaudy jester hats, an angry birds hat) and vests covered in buttons. I've never seen that before so yeah. I am determined to get McDonald's delivered to me in the near future. It's shocking they don't have it in America amiright!

Also all the straws are bendy straws. Who knows why but this is something I can get used to.


There's merchants and peddlers aplenty. While they continue to bug others, they only heckle me once, I respond in Arabic, and I keep walking and hear no more from them. I can only assume I shock them that I know Arabic and it amuses me greatly.


That's about it right now. I'll try to get more pictures but I keep forgetting to take my ipod with me to take them haha. Til next time!

Bahrain beginnings

I am in a literal real life Kingdom and that is weird to me. Weird to me that kings still exist. That they might still rule a country. I mean, that's what the Arab Spring is all about, getting psudo-democracies but still.

The best thing is that as soon as I stepped off the plane, it smelled like Redondo Beach, but 20 degrees hotter...ok more like 50 but lets be optimistic here.

What else, what else...I have already shocked a room of 10+ ppl by informing them that I do not drink alcohol, but they were cool about it. It's still amusing to note.

Food-wise I have already had schwarma (and will prob it eat everyday) and this little fruit below called a mangoteen. You just eat the white part and it is magical. I love it! It's like $5 for 6 of them tho!

 

In other exciting news, about 2 ish years ago I saw an article in the newspaper saying that as a promo these mailboxes (below) of R2D2 were being put up all over the states. I NEVER FOUND ONE AND BELIEVE YOU ME I LOOKED. BUT THERE'S ONE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Believe you me it will be getting all of my letters back to the states haha

Misc.

 I needed to share this from ifunny. Absolutely priceless and I wish I had invented it.





AHHH. New glasses :) I was going to an old person look, thought I'd try it out for a bit and
prob get new glasses in 3 months ahha






And here's some cool fruit configurations that the people at the cafeteria put together. They have chops!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

It is one of the most singular experiences in this day and age to inform someone, particularly a someone in the military, that I do not have pre-marital sex. It is probably one of the most rewarding faces they make in the whole world.

Also don't play the game "Name the book based on the famous first line" with people who don't read as much as you. It just makes you realize you read probably too much. That or memorize the first sentences in books too often.

I found myself defending/explaining my commitment to not watching rated R films about 4 times in the past 3 days. I hope it seems at least reasonable. Faith isn't always reason, but faith is a reason. All the same it also brought to question the fact that I read rated R books but not the movies? I mean I just read Lone Survivor and that would def be rated R if they portrayed it right...but I mean any movie could be rated R if you portrayed it right. OR YOU COULD BE LIKE INDIANA JONES AND JUST PORTRAY MOVIES BETTER SO I COULD SEE COOL MOVIES LIKE DJANGO WITHOUT IT BEING RATED R. But then some of the material is worthy of being rated R; Saving Private Ryan, The King's Speech, Schindler's List. I have a list of rated R movies I would watch, that I want to. Oh well. Life is rated R if not worse and I'm just going to show this vote of faith and believe the prophet knows what he's talking about. And I think intense books are different cause you just don't have to imagine what you don't feel like imagining I guess...

I gave a few verbal lashings lately. It's impressive when I'm that articulate. One was about a guy messing with my very hard to make bun. I'm starting to grow my hair out and I have to wear it a certain way for work and this guy was messing up my hair! It takes forever! So I gave him the what for! Honestly!


I've had to say 'To each his own' a lot too. I really do love my life and I love my friends here and all the friends I've left behind. But today I was talking with two guys who were bragging that they each had committed adultery by literally banging some guys wife and I was awestruck. Awestuck that I was the sole owner of the opinion that this was not something to be bragged about. And I just...no no no I am not judging the people whose opinions differ than mine. I sincerely believe to each his own but I was just...it's sometimes hard not being validated in the opinions you hold so dear such as fidelity and honor. So many people believe they doesn't exist anymore and I just feel like I silently hold my hand up in the corner saying yes they do! Yes they do.

So I guess this is an update on philosophical life rather than what I've really been up to. Not much I tell you what! FFXIV COME OUT TOMORROW THO SO I'MMA BE PLAYING THAT.

Nothing is as Nothing does

Today I was working the Bridge of Sighs again. Not much else to report activity-wise. I realized last night at a church activity I take Murder in the Dark WAAAAAAAAYYYY too seriously. I'm risking giving away my hiding spaces in a Mormon chapel, but when we could only hide in the culteral hall or the hallways, well, lets just say I got very creative with some chalkboards, chairs, and hiding my white pasty skin so it wouldn't reflect in the dark. Did I mention one of my new id's makes me look like an albino. I DO NOT OVEREXAGGERATE. But the picture is best not shared, so if you see me in person just ask. Everyone loves albino's.

I love googling things.

Le weekend

I swam with the fishies

Why yes I did! Ichetucknee springs is where I went and it was gorgeous. I saw these fishes and swam with schools anywhere from 5-70 in the river cause I brought my mask and snorkle from diving class. I also saw a 20lb catfish and some little green fishies. Then I'd pop up out of no where and scare the living daylights out of other tubers hehehe. 

Man, I have made fun of Florida most of my life, and still do, but it never ceases to show me just how beautiful it is.

For Example

 Got to swim in these springs here as well as tubing down the river. Amazing! Of course I was risk averse and didn't bring my own camera. Lucky you Google is obliging with some pictures.

Then today was church. I was moved by the music and we talked about Pioneers and John Taylor. But the scripture came to mind from Mosiah chapter 12 where Noah's posse doesn't see themselves as hypocrites cause they live a distorted Moses' Law and Abinadi is like; no, no, you are wrong. Anyways it just reminded me why we go to church on Sundays, every week, for three hours. Because sometimes we are like those 'priests'. We can't see how backwards we are or how we have done something wrong and by going to church it corrects us, if we listen. I mean honestly, the least we can do for God is devote a measly 3 hours in 1 week to studying more of his Gospel right? I've missed going to church, it's been 5 weeks since I've been to a Sacrament meeting and I've felt it.

I also naturally have some poor quality pictures of doodles I doodled.

 This is a Final Fantasy 14 character (A Miqo'te) I made for the beta and will make again when it comes out (2 weeks!!!) and I'm super excited for it. Though I am probably going to make my main character one of these cause no one makes female ones of them and I feel bad for them and must therefore make one :) I didn't play the original ffxiv cause I heard it was wanting, but I can attest that this one makes up for it in leaps and bounds. It has it shortcomings, i.e. I want it to play like SWTOR but it doesn't, but I love it. Its class system is utterly unique and wonderful and the world and characters are gorgeous. I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

 This here is a character from a book I'm writing. I have a lot of time to think while I'm standing there  on watch so I come up with stories and this is the one I'm currently working on. It's still in the works tho sooooo....I'm not going to really say anything else on it.

 Besides that church was pretty regular. The sunday school teacher looked like Jim from the office and I had trouble not thinking about the office and making Jim faces haha. But all in all it was good. The RS teacher actually gave the best lesson, one she had prepared only 5 minutes before and, I find, those are always the best ones.

 Then something great happened! Bro Draper gave me the Pimsleur method to borrow to go over my Arabic! I hope it helps hone what skills I already have, tho they be little, and I'm looking forward to it :)

Lastly some Animal Crossing.

 This building is ridiculous and therefore I had to have it in my town. Enough said.

Truman: The early bird gathers no moss! The rolling stone catches the worm!

Today I outran the rain.

It was the weirdest sensation. I was getting back from workout time and it started drizzling. When is started raining I began running. I ran til it drizzled again. This proceeded to occur three more times until I got back home and it was most amusing since it began to POUR five minutes later haha.

At my cafeteria (which I did walk in the rain to haha but it's only a block away if that) every single table you eat at is a sports table. Today I finally found my team! :D

Today was a video game day otherwise. Glorious lazy day. Too bad slothfulness is a sin.

However I was looking up outfits for my little animal crossing character and realize, I really need to learn japanese sometimes. QUERY: If the website is in Japanese...why is the url I use in English?

THOUGHT: Maybe I just need to learn enough Japanese to read "English version of this website link"

Look at a room in my house in Animal Crossing! BUT! More importantly! Look at the dress I'm wearing!

Looking at all of the cute outfits inspired me to make the following.

These are QR codes so I can share them with other peoples who want to wear it too :)

And did I take meticulous time making this whilst looking at multiple pictures of Luke and Yoda? Why yes I did.

Lastly I watch stuff whilst playing some games. Games at times (like mini games in Animal Crossing) just aren't that challenging, so I multitask. As mentioned aforehand, my muse atm is Star Trek and something amazing happened today. I have seen this dog...

 

...on various things related to Star Trek and I had ALWAYS wondered why in the world it was on an episode and, needless to say, when I found it in one of today's episodes (Season 1 episode 5), it made me laugh. Also, look at William Shatner and George Takei's face. Priceless.

Also this is my new phone lock screen. It makes me happy.

Lastly, remember 'The Truman Show'? Well I just watched it last week on Netflix and, let me tell you, when someone said "good afternoon, good evening, and good night" to me today, I was delighted :) And so I say it to you.

First Post!

So, this isn't my first blog experience. However this one is to be more of a journal, reminiscent of my days and adventures. And copious bragging about the latter. I could have continued with my other blogs I suppose but like myspace users finally got tired and went over to facebook, I thought I'd start another. :)

So something I was thinking of at work today, this week I let people in and out of the building for work. Very exciting, I know, and has nothing to do with my mechanics job, but I get off at 1pm so I can't really complain!

I've noted as people come in, they sigh. This naturally led me to remember my travels in Venice Italy. There is the famous sight there the Bridge of Sighs. To make a tall tale short, prisoners would be condemned to life in prison and taken from the palace over this bridge and into the prison there. The guards noted as I did at work that the people would sigh as they take their last glimpse of the sun. Depressing right? Haha. Well at least work is no life in prison, that I can attest to. If only everyone were so optimistic I guess.

GOAL: Being more grateful for whats I gots.

Here's a link/picture that (hopefully) shows you what it looks like

 

This is how it looked when I went hahahaha.

 

Here I am inside sighing my little heart out. Well worth it if you get the chance.

Some things you can look forward to in this blog is Star Trek references seeing as I just started the series.

Maybe some song quotes of mostly Motown. Definitely I will try to get some pictures up of my upcoming SCUBA endeavors. And lots of video game posts :D

EXCLAMATION: The last 3 people I have asked "Do you know Gershwin?"  Have responded in the negative!!!! THIS IS A SCARY WORLD TO ME.