BuMmEr

Hello, my dearest fans.
A lot has happened since my last entry. Mostly bad things. On 19 January, 2007, the band (which included me) had to perform for my division's Change of Command ceremony. About an hour or so into the ceremony, I passed-out. Not just fainted; PASSED-OUT! I didn't even come-to until the people who carried me out of the gym had already laid me out on the concrete outside. UGH! How embarrassing. Anyways, to make things worse, my commander and my 1st Sergeant got their butts chewed by the division Chief of Staff for one of their soldiers falling out at the ceremony. My commander was PISSED!!! So, I was kicked-out of the band. Yes, right there, that very same day and everything, I was kicked OUT!!!! I was then sent to another company in my battalion. My new unit is HHC. Oy! They're basically the "mutt" of units. They are compiled of clerks, mechanics, MP's (military police), and other odds and ends. Since being banished to the HHC I have been shuffled around which keeps them from being able to train me to do any specific job, so I'd become a well-paid janitor. That is until yesterday. I was sent to the battalion S-1 office (admin), and I finally have a place. My new squad leader keeps me pretty squared away, and I'm finally getting the hang of HHC's PT. It was really hard, though, at first cuz the band basically just does enough PT to barely squeeze by. Now, I'm doing almost as much PT as I'd done in AIT! Sorry, the Army's got me talking like them. :^) *shrug*
Yesterday was the first day that I didn't cry. I've missed my job in the band, but I think I can hang in this new one. I don't really have a choice except to either have a positive or negetive attitude at my new job. Who knows? Maybe, one day, the band will want me back. Meh....I don't really care so long as I eventually get released from the clutches of the evil military.
On a happier note, Matthew got PROMOTED this past Thursday. Congrats, honey! He is now SGT Houghtelin!!!! :^) No, I am not forced to stand at parade rest for him or anything dumb like that. Besides, if he ever DID make me do that, he knows that he'd get a butt-whoopin' when he'd get home. Just kidding. I'm very proud of Matthew. He's worked really hard to get his E-5 (sergeant), and now that he's got it, he's trying to get over to my battalion. This would be super kewl cuz then we would be deployed to the same camp this time. We wouldn't have to be seperated. YAY!!! Deployment would still suck, but it would suck a lot less if we were able to see each other every day. Well, that's the update. Take care. TOODLES!!!!!!!!!

...snow day continued...

More pictures from today. Matthew is so sweet...clearing my jeep's windows of the 1/8" ice. Who'd have thunk? Ice? In TEXAS? No way! But here's the proof. We bummed around Killeen for a few hours. Matthew got his watch replaced by a new one at the Killeen mall...meanwhile I took advantage of Bath & Body Works semiannual sale. Bought some grapefruit bubble bath, mang-mandarine shower gel and creme body wash....I can't wait to take a bath tonight. Mmm...citrus. Then we went for lunch at Red Lobster...Matthew's first time there. He had some rainbow trout and I cheated on my veggie diet and had myself some grilled atlantic salmon. Soooooo good! I can't wait to take you there, Goober Pea!!!! After that we got some hot tea at Star-SHMUCKS and got some tuff bins for storage at Home Depot. We also went to Chameleon Encounters to pick Chi-Chi up some dinner. All they had was meal worms cuz their shipment didn't come in due to the ice and snow. They don't expect to recieve their shipment until the beginning of next week. Pretty sad, eh? Nothing else to write about. We've been kinda layin' around the apartment since 5pm. I did clean the bathroom. Yay for me! I've been meaning to do that for the past 3 days, but finally got to it today. I know, I'm a terrible procrastinator. C'est la vie. At least it's done now. I'm gonna end this now. "Cops most wildest police chases" is coming on right now. Toodles!!!!

FT.HOOD SNOW DAY!!!!!

It snowed last night! Pretty nifty. Yesterday Ft.Hood had a late start due to ice...then we got released early because it started sleeting! It was so icy yesterday that I actually slipped and fell on my bum right outside Papa Johns when I went to go pick up Matthew, Kerr, and I's dinner. Ouch! Everything was quiet last night. Woke up this morning with yet another late start and saw snow outside. SNOW!!! IN TEXAS!!!! Weird. I thought my snow days were over when I graduated high school...but thanks to these Texans, who have no clue how to drive in wintery conditions, I continue to have snow days! Hope you all might have a snow day too. Toodles!

MLK 4-day weekend

This 4-day weekend has been really nice and pretty fun. It's getting colder. Kinda weird, huh? Last night it froze. Tomorrow morning's PT is gonna suck. PT is always sucky, but it gets worse when it's cold out. Plus, all the roads are pretty icy right now...and it'll only be worse by tomorrow morning.
Back to the weekend's events. It's been fun. We've spent a lot of time with the Kersh's and their 1 yr old baby, Catherine. We went to the movie Primeval, which wasn't what we expected. It was basically about a killer crocodile/ civil war in Africa. Oy! What a disappointment. Then, on Saturday, we went bowling with the Kersh's and then continued to party by getting drunk and playing scrabble with them at their house. Oh yeah...we're a wild bunch! I know what you're thinking...pretty lame, right? We had fun, though. Then, last night, Matthew and I hung out with another of my band buddies, Kerr. We went to Denny's, then picked up a couple of new releases at the movie rental joint and watched the movies until midnight. We enjoyed ourselves. Today, Matthew and I have been just taking it easy. We've watched a couple movies, went grociery shopping, picked up some dinner for our lizard, and now we're just chillin; and watching the History Channel--a nice piece on Houdini. Not bad. I like just chillin;. This weekend has been kinda buzzing. We've been going and going all weekend. It's nice to just sit back once in a while.
Well, nothing else to bore you with . Take it easy. Hope you all enjoyed you MLK weekend.
Oh, next week starts "Change of Command" season. I'll be having to perform at a lot of ceremonies starting this week with my division's Change of Command/promotion of a general/uncasing of the division colors. UGH!!!! It's going to get really crazy around here!!! Take care. Toodles!!!!!

Partying with UTG!!!

[Top: Matthew and I, hammered, at my buddy's band's performance @ Jesters in Temple, TX. My buddy's band is called Under The Gun (UTG). Bottom: the band is setting up.]
Matthew and I thoroughly enjoyed our leave. Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding. Matthew and I are doing pretty well. It looks like we'll be moving into a different apartment sometime within the next month. Oy! So much to DO!!!! Work is going well. Matthew still has a couple of days of leave left, but then he'll be working, too! *evil laugh* Other than all that, it's the same old, same old. Saw my buddy's band perform down in Austin last weekend and then went to his house for a little after-party...sadly, Matthew got sick, but he's feeling better now! :^)
I miss all my friends (family, too). I can't wait for my next hunk of leave to get here! I hope everyone is continuing to do well. If not, I'm sorry.
I should get going. Gotta get some dinner ready for Matthew. Take it easy. L8R G8R's! Toodles.

Gettin' inked on leave!!! Woo-hoo!!

[Top: Corky's fresh, mythical Dragon tatoo! Second from top: My sadyr tattoo. Haven't taken a pic of my "Tinkerfell" yet but will do that soon. Third from top: Corky, my mother-in-law, getting inked. Bottom: Me watching Corky get her tat........p.s. all photos were taken by Matthew, hence the reason he is not pictured.]

Celebrating Christmas

[Top: Matthew playing with the new Lincoln Logs Kayla had gotten for Christmas. Chris is in there, too. Middle: Me, happy, on Christmas morning. Bottom: Me opening a present. Cousins Luke and Bill are behind me.]