Just a little bit...

Yeah I know. I haven't written anything in a while. Mostly its been because I have been sick, tired, too busy reading, or just plain blah. I'm getting a little better. Yesterday I had to come home from work early. I had a major migraine with my ear hurting as well. It was like two major explosions in my head that clashed against each other. I laid down to take a nap around 11:30 am and didn't wake up until 6 pm. That was only so I could pee and grab a bite to eat. Then back to bed. It hurt to breath, blink and everything was slow-mo. I had a hard time thinking or even forming sentences. Yeah it was a bad one. I still have the headache (it's been hanging around for almost a week now) but it's manageable. 

Last week I had my right eardrum blasted by someone making a pipe. I was sitting below the speaker when the pipe went off. It wouldn't have been bad if he wasn't so damn loud. I think the people at the other end of the base heard him. So of course I felt that dreadful "pop" in my ear and it hurt for 5 days. I was scared because it started off just like my left ear did. (A couple of years ago I had was near a horn when it went off and after 6 excrutiating months the doctors were able to determine it was nerve damage due to acuostic trama. It still hurts when it gets too cold.) Thankfully it isn't as bad and it only hurt for the few days. I can't catch a break.

Nothing else exciting has happened. We get ready to leave to get the boat fixed here soon. We will be out of commission for about a month. Supposedly we are still going to do some small boat adventures  but we'll see how that works out. Everything like to break. Speaking of breaking, the makers of our red gears (reduction gears-takes the rotation of from the engine to the propellers) have found that there is a factory flaw in the design and it effects every FRC being built. They have found a solution, but I have a feeling that it will just turn out to be a failure just like our engines.

On a good note the PUR filter I bought finally came in and I installed it on the sink on the mess deck. Now I can have filtered water for my coffee instead of having to get bottled water. I can finally drink the potable water without my stomach getting upset. I also bought the best polish EVER. 3M Marine Metal Restorer & Polish. It's like porn in a can, only for BM's. Because we get off on shiny shit. Haha. I took our bell which was so oxidized. It took me less than a quarter of amount of time it wpuld take me with Never-Dull. OMG! This shit is amazing!!!! You should buy some. Although it cost $23 for a small jar. But it only takes a little bit of polish and it is sooooooo worth it. Best stuff I have come across in my 6+ years in the Coast Guard.

Couldn't find the picture of the bell, but here is where I was polishing my "knocker"

Had to share...

 I had to share this because anyone who knows me, knows that this is sooo me!

It only takes a dollar...

It only takes a part worth a dollar to ruin a million dollar engine. Yes we are broken yet again. A bolt in part of the engine came loose because of some idiot back in Germany can't do his fucking job. Since he fail to tighten this said bolt, and his boss didn't double check (who needs QA right?) it came loose and banged around the engine causing it to be a piece of shit. So we are headed back to Rybovich Marina to have the engine REPLACED AGAIN! Yeah, same engine that was already replaced once. FUCK THIS SHIT!



The 3rd boat is already in West Palm getting repaired, we are headed there soon, and the 1st boat will be there shortly as well. Talk about a FAIL! The 4th boat is still in Key West doing it's preps. Its only a matter of time before it starts to break. They should just move our homeport to West Palm. Better yet, we all should sail back to Louisianna and beach all the FRC's and walk away.

We had only been underway a couple of hours when we shut the engine down. We were on our way to Key West to do a 3 week patrol. We didn't even make it half way there when the EOW came to the CO to tell him to shut down the starboard engine because of a knocking noise. So we shut it down and started to head back. We didn't pull into Miami. We waited off shore, cutting holes in the water, until a factory technician could come on board to look at the engine. Of course that meant the next day. So we patrolled off shore on one engine all night. Yeah GREAT idea. Needless to say, the next morning we lost the other engine. It just all of a sudden reduced power. The engineers secured the port engine and we sat drifting in the middle of the ocean with only the bow thruster. Thankfully it was only a loose plug so we were able to restart the port engine and took our happy asses back into Miami. Also during all of this we had major computer issues. We basically went both days without any computer access. Awesome.

To top all this off, I am getting over being sick. I slept all last weekend. So Monday morning when I woke up I felt like crap and it progressively got worse as they day went on. I was kinda glad the we came back on Tuesday because that meant I could get some good drugs. Ok maybe not good, but at least sick call provided them instead of me buying them. Today is the first day I feel really good. I had to stop taking the meds because they made me loopy as hell.

So this week we return to work to sit on our asses and pretend we are a patrol boat.

Still In Florida...

So Friday I had duty and I was STILL waiting on my orders. The 11th was suppose to be the last day for priority 1-3 to get them according to the BM timeline posted a while back. So since I had yet to get them I decided to look up that message again to see if maybe I had mistaken the date. As I was looking at the message board I saw I message from the 9th that all priority 1-3 BM orders have been completed and those who didn't receive their orders yet should contact their AO (assignment officer) immediately. Not good.

So I went down to talk to the XO and show him the message. He called the AO and was like "WTF?" After a few "Uh huh, yes, ok, I see" he hung up the phone. XO turned to me and stated that the AO has had my orders done for a while and just forgot to release them! SERIOUSLY!!!

Anyways, I get to stay in Sunny Florida. I got my #11 Station Port Canaveral. Not quite what I was hoping for. I mean it was my #1 station, but I really needed to get an ATON unit for my career. A buoy tender would have been perfect because I would have gotten my sea time and ATON experience all at once. I guess the Coast Guard doesn't believe in "two birds, one stone". I am glad I got a station though. I really wanted to work on my pursuit and tactical coxswain. At the station I can do that. Plus they have 3 RBS (response boat small 25ft) which is the boat I have always loved and actually got my first coxswain qual on.

BUT at least it isn't Miami anymore! UH, I am so over this town! I can't  stand the way people are here. There is just too many people with too many attitudes. I will only be a couple of hours from here so I can still visit if I want. But I'm excited to see what Cape Canaveral brings. I should go on a field trip when I get back from patrol. Just to see how it all is. I was only there briefly when we evacuated for that one hurricane. I really didn't get to see too much.

So I guess we shall see how things go. I will have alot to think about when I get there. If I should stay a second the whole time so I have a better change at getting an ATON unit or advancing and taking a change. Only time will tell. My horoscope said that this will be an awesome year for me. Let's hope it's right!

My Fourteenth Tattoo...

And not a moment too soon. I have finally begun to work on my full sleeve. A big chunk of it is done by my latest piece. I still have room for a little more. That will be done a little while from now.

This bad boy was done by Chris Slota at Rock-a-Billy Tattoos in Lauderhill, Fl. I think I have found my "tattoo guy" here in Florida. He is amazing. The guy who did my foot tattoo (see My Twelveth Tattoo...) recommended this new shop. There were quite a few artists there and after looking at all their books twice I decided on Chris. He had alot of really colorful tattoos. It works with the rest of my arm.

The meaning behind this tattoo is simple. I love the sea and really old pirate style sail boats. I wanted the sails to be tattered because it shows that the things I had been through haven't always been smooth. The palm trees were also added because nothing makes me happier than palm trees and sunshine.

Stencil

Outline

Shading

Final

Done by Chris Slota at Rock-A-Billy Tattoos in Lauderhill, FL

Lower right arm

It may be mind over matter... but to me, I mind if I matter.

New Years Resolution...

I use to think that not having any friends was the worst. Not so much anymore. At least when you don't have any friends there is no expectation of going out and having a good time, only to be ditched. I am tired of having "friends" that are only friends to your face. "Oh lets go and celebrate your birthday this weekend" or "Lets go do (insert the fuck whatever)".  Or they all hang out or go do something and don't call you. Seriously? I'm a big girl. Just tell me if you don't want me around. It's better to do that then lead someone on thinking you want to have them around.

I'M DONE

My New Years resolution will be to only hang out with those TRUE friends. Even though they are married or have kids. When we want to hang out, we will. I completely understand that there are more important things going on in your life right now. Thank you for not forgetting about me.

For all those who pretend to be my friend and want to hang out... well... call or text me if you want but don't expect me to come or invite you to anything anymore.

And on one last note.... Those so called "guys" out there who talk to you like the want you but don't follow through...Yeah. We are done too. My time and company is too good to be wasted on you.

Blah..Blah..Blah..Today...

Ok so to get you up to date on what all happened while I was gone. Hmm....where to start? I guess I will just jumble it all up and hope you understand. Haha. Typical me.

So for the second part of OT&E we went up to Portsmouth Virginia. That was a terrible idea. The boat broke and we got stuck there for an extra week. Totally sucked. It was cold and gloomy almost the whole time. If it wasn't for the bar on base, we would have gone crazy. Virginia can be summed up in two categories: Work and Play (what little of it we got).

Work

So every time the boat went out, something went wrong. I'm not going into details but we eventually got it handled enough to make it home. We also got our asses handed to us on our first attempt home. We made it to Hatteras, NC and had to turn around because we were going head into 20 foot waves. Not cool. I flew out of my rack twice on that night. 

We also had everyone in a 20 mile radius coming to tour the boat. It seemed non-stop. Uhh. The Atlantic Area Commander even taped his Holiday Speech on our boat. Yup, we were the new kids. During the 3 weeks we were there we really only had 3 days off. I fought for a 4th day and won, but most of us worked a little bit at some point in the day. 

The command did schedule a couple of moral days. Forced moral. It really wasn't that bad, but I would have just enjoyed sleeping all day. One day we went down to the Outer Banks and visited all the Richard Etheridge sites. I got to stop at my old local bar on the way home, so that was awesome! I really miss the people there. 

The other trip was to Washington DC. We left a 5 am and didn't get back till 2 am! Long ass day. AND we didn't even get to see everything. We did get to see part of the White House and Congress and what not. I will admit I didn't really see anyone working.

Play

Not much play really happened, but we made the best out of a bad situation. At least I can always count on us to get together and do that! We did go out on the town as much as we could. If not out then at the Wheel House (the base bar).

There was ALOT of shenanigans. As usual. Dancing, sporadic karaoke, random acts of drunkenness, birthdays and us just losing our damn minds. Haha. In this extra time, I went with one of the guys on the boat to his tattoo guy. I had every intention to just go and hang out. But of course I ended up getting on at the end of the night. I may have had a few to drink at that point. Hence the post on My Thirteenth Tattoo. Yeeeeeaaaahhhhh. I'm a little crazy. 

I'm just glad to be back home. I had duty on Christmas Eve and a check in day on the 28th, but other than that I have been off and will be until the 7th. I am pretty content in doing absolutely nothing! I have gone out a couple of times but mostly I have just been jogging everyday and just relaxing. I need time off to just be me and be away from work. Cause starting next week it's back to work, then back out on patrol.

Lucky Number 13...

I have gotten to #13 on my tattoo count. Too bad your not going to see this one. It's just for me. I may turn into one of those "Uh what possessed my to get this". Mostly because I had a few beers in me.  Haha yup. It was bound to happen at some time. Maybe eventually I will post it a picture of it. Maybe.

I will tell you that I got it when I was up in Virginia. I tried to get a hold of my guy to finish my sleeve, but he is booked up until late February. One of the guys on the boat has a friend that does his so I went with him. Originally it was just him getting a tattoo and I was just going to hang out. But you know me....

Haven't disappeared...

No I haven't disappeared, I have just been busy or stuck with shitty reception. I'm back now and have SO much to write about. Except not right now. Haha. Don't worry it will be here soon I promise. I just need to get my thought coherent enough for everyone to understand.

I will say that it involves OT&E, Virginia, Tattoos, Ohioans, Fatty fatty, BEER!, and some more.

I wanted to give a quick post to tell you I'm alive and most importantly:

I have a feeling its going to be an AWESOME year for me!