Two and a half hours, 120.5 miles. That is how far away I am from my boyfriend now that he is at VMI for summer classes. I know there are girls out there that would love to be even that close to their boyfriends. I mean my situation really is not all that bad, I’ve been in worse. I mean I get to talk to him every night on the phone and I can even talk to him sometimes during the day via AIM. The plan right now is that he will also be coming home every weekend. So I have to go what all of four days and awake-up before I can see him again. Compared to last summer, when he was taking summer classes at the beginning of summer and then he had to go to LDAC at Ft. Lewis Washington on the whole other side of the country and I could not talk to him for several days at a time and even then it was brief because there was a long line for the payphones, this is cake. Knowing all of this, why do I still get that weird feeling in my stomach? I can’t really explain the feeling. I think I get it for a mixture of reasons. For one, he has been home for a year and so now I am having to make a whole new routine for myself, for example if I would go to his house after I got of work and now instead I go straight home. Secondly, I think its just the fact of knowing that he is not at home. Another reason I think I get these feelings, is because I know his living situation at school. Not that it is bad, but he doesn’t have TV nor his own bed, instead he has the computer and that great VMI hay. I know that I like having things to do and that it is boring and time drags when you don’t have anything and I hate that feeling and I don’t what him to have that feeling. He means the world to me and I can not stand the thought of him feeling sick, uncomfortable, hungry, sad, bored, or anything like that when I’m not around to where I could do something about it. Well that is just a few of my inside thoughts about this and since this is only the second day of it, I am sure I will get back into the swing of things.
VMI’s Class of 2008 Graduation May 19, 2008
Happiness, tears, and excitement adorned the majority of faces Friday at VMI’s commencement exercises. For the graduates, I believe their feelings were a little bittersweet, because while they are so glad to be finished with “the prison on the hill” and are looking forward to moving on to their next step in life, there is a sadness for what they are leaving behind. Being Brother Rats is one of the strongest bonds I have ever seen and now they are all going in different directions and many are headed to separate parts of the world. Over 50% of the Class of 2008 commissioned into the Armed Forces this past Thursday and are taking the next step in continuing to be a citizen soldier. Secretary of Defense Gates was the commencement guest speaker and he asked for all of the 2008 graduates to do their part for their country, whether on the military side or the civilian side, because we are in a time when it is greatly needed and he knows that they will go above and beyond to get the job done. He also thanked the previous VMI graduates that have been involved with the War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as payed tribute to the ones that have lost their lives. For the remaining Corps, there were only feelings of happiness, for as soon as the ceremony was over, summer furlough began and for the parents there were feelings of pride, happiness, and “I can’t believe my baby has grown up so fast”.
For those of you who remain at the Institute, your time will come, but for now embrace and enjoy those PTs, your BRs, curfews, and BRC that always seems to come so early and remember that you have chosen “the road less traveled.”
Dirty Dogs Have More Fun May 14, 2008
For all of you dog lovers out there, you better think twice before ever getting a solid white dog. I have a 10 month-old West Highland Terrier named Finnegan, who is impossible to keep clean. As much as he hates baths, you would think he would figure it out sooner or later that dirt=bath. About a month ago, I took Finnegan to Petsmart to have his hair and nails cut and a bath. After waiting for several hours I received a phone call from the grooming department and the girl proceeded to tell me that she could not cut his hair because everything she came near him with the clippers he would do an alligator roll, but that she was able to cut his nails and give him a bath and I could come pick him up. When I arrived there to get him, there was another owner picking up their dog, which happened to be a Mastiff. So in my mind I was wondering…”You mean to tell me you can handle this massive dog but you cant cut the hair of a puppy who weighs no more than 10-15pounds, this is your job!”
Well since it is getting warmer here in Southside Virginia, I decided that Finnegan needed to lose some of his hair and have a bath to keep the fleas and ticks away. So I took the job upon myself and lets just say to be such a little dog he sure is a handful. I could not use the clippers and instead had to trim him up with scissors. I guess my next option is to have the vet do it.
Another Semester Down May 6, 2008
Another semester down and a few more to go. I finished up this semester yesterday after my Epidemiology final exam. It was a doozy…18 pages long. Now I am just waiting for my grades and enjoying my break from school work for a while. I am taking summer classes starting June 2nd, so I better enjoy it while I can. As many colleges are finishing up in the next few weeks, lots of students are returning back home to start their summer break. I ran into a girl I went to high school with last night in the local Wal-Mart and I realized that I had absolutely no clue what to say to her other than “Hey, How are you?” It is hard to believe that I could not think of anything better to say to someone that I saw almost everyday for 4 years and technically even longer than that because we went to Middle school together too. Thats the way it goes though, as sad as it maybe. We all take different routes, make new friends, and go on our separate ways. It was not that hard for me to say good bye to people from high school. I keep up with about 4 people. However, I don’t think saying good bye to college friends is going to be as easy.
