Stay on Target...Stay on Target...

It's almost over, Yea!! I just have to wake up and sit through our graduation festivities tomorrow, then I'm hittin' the road for about 820 miles. I should probably start packing instead of blogging, but I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seat waiting for my next post. And who am I to keep my loyal readers waiting? (You better be loyal!)

The end results: our flight in the top 1/3 of the school--we're 9th; we are the top flight academically in the school; and we're the top flight in our squadron, 3-0, for flickerball (it's a made-up leadership game). As far as my individual accomplishments, hey, I passed and wasn't in the bottom of my flight and that's good enough for me.

Making the grade--mostly,

Marty

Wanted: Sudan Briefing

Sixteen hours from now I have to give a briefing on Sudan. Uh, I haven't started writing it yet...Arghhh!

The last two days I've been hiding in my room trying to get my internet connection reestablished. I've finally given up on that and decided to seek out other means for access. I'm now at Panera Bread pouring caffine into my veins as a preemptive measure for the long night ahead of me. And no this short posting isn't distracting me from my task. To the contrary, it's the only thing keeping my head from exploding.

So if there's anyone out there who wants to give my briefing for me...

Keeping brief so I can work on my briefing,

Marty

Test 2 Down

I just finished my second and final test with an 89 percent. It was a little more difficult than the first test, but I studied differently this time. I didn't stress out about it and even managed to get a full night's sleep last night. Sure, I gave up a few points, but it was worth it.

One more week left--just one 13 minute briefing, sit-ups, push-ups, and a 3 mile run.

In the home stretch,

Marty

Mustache March

Here's the exciting picture I promised...


All the guys in my flight decided during the first week of class that we would participate in a little tradition aircrews often have when they deploy. It took me two weeks to get that beauty and about 30 seconds to shave it off last night. My apologies to anyone who thought facial hair is just what I needed.

Smoooooooth,

Marty

My Sons

Being away from my boys is very distracting. They grow up so fast and I feel when I have to go TDY (temporary duty) I miss so much of their lives. This is what I'm missing right now...

Aiden hiding out in a huge basket in our living room where we normally hide some of his toys.

Ethan finding more than a passing interest in one of his digits and his mom trying to convince him that if he takes a pacifier instead we can take that away from him later.

Three weeks and counting,

Marty

...With Flying Colors

I just finished my first test and passed with a 91 percent. I have really been stressing about it for the last two weeks. It didn't help that on the first day of SOS they built it up to terrifying proportions. Thankfully it's over and I won't have to stress over another test for at least a couple of weeks. Next up (Monday), Job Briefing...now if I can only orate what exactly it is that I do.

Weekend plans: work on briefing, work on country research project, stress about both.

Getting gray hair one day at a time,

Marty

Intermittent Connectivity

I'm supposed to have a broadband connection in my room here, but I'm lucky if it ever works. I even went so far as to buy a new laptop computer (sorry Dave, still not a Mac). I admit, some of my connectivity issues were because of the 5 year old computer I was trying to use. It's not that the computer itself is useless, rather there were some other issues that I failed to resolve before I departed for my class. I'm sure it will still do fine for some menial tasks that don't take much processing power. Nonetheless, the computer was old and in need of replacement.

I need to get back to studying for my test Friday. I'll post an exciting picture for you soon...you'll see.

Trying to keep up in the computing world,

Marty