So I've completed my two week orientation. I've finished and done well in my survival and engineering classes, I've participated in the T/S State of Michigan Coast Guard Inspection, I've rowed a lifeboat a couple miles out to the red #8 buoy at 0400, and am now done for the week.
Now to head back to pick up and put together what's left of my house. I've got a new place up here, that's much closer in that the old one. I'm right on the West Bay within a couple minutes walk of the Academy. Pretty rad, I know. I'll get an address out to people once I know it.
Come visit! It'll be more fun if you come in the next couple weeks while Grand Traverse is still a sunny paradise but most of the "fudgies" have gone home. But you'd be welcome anytime. I'll probably have some sort of gainful employment soon, but I can always find time or lose sleep for friends. And thanks for your comments and support through the last couple months. Its gone by incredibly fast, but even with the numerous distractions I'm still really happy to be where I am.
So when I first started thinking about making this change, I toyed with the idea of starting over from zero. Selling everything I had gathered and just going back to the start with nothing. In the end, I decided to hold onto most of it for as long as I could. But the universe doesn't like half measures, and someone decided to help me get the rest of the way. The short version: My house has been tossed, there is very little left, and almost everything I own is contained in the corner of a farmhouse in Traverse City. This consists of about 3 days worth of clothes, a guitar, a coffee grinder and 8 boxes of cereal.
The part that is the most heartbreaking by far is my computer, which represents about 15 years worth of writing, lyrics, and music. I backed it all up, but most of it was backed up to protect against computer failure, not theft, so there is a lot of it missing. I was really planning to get Gmail File System working, too, but never quite got the time. I was planning to take it up north with me, but I thought "It's only two weeks, and I'll be back to pick it up then." And if wishes were horses we'd be knee deep in shit.
Most of my recording equipment was out already (thanks, Sid) so that is thankfully safe. I'm not sure how much is left, as I can't go by. My Da and Jeff are supposed to stop by today and I'll get the full report, and then I'll trek down this weekend to salvage what I can.
It's dissappointing. But truthfully, I was worried with the house empty and nobody stopping by that it would happen sooner or later. And if I've got to face it, I've always been a fan of sooner. So that's it, it's done and it won't get worse. I'll get a check from the insurance company and maybe that will help to carry me through. I'll write more, and the stuff that was worth saving will be found or I'll recreate it. Nobody was hurt and everybody is safe. And I no longer have to have dread in the back of my mind that it will happen. Its past tense now.
Da said, "You know the quote, right? Life is good, if you don't *weaken*."
Well, fuck em, they'll have to do worse than this.
Maritime is like jail, but in a good way.
Don't confuse the statement. I am having fun, and am glad I'm here. But its true that the Academy is a lot like all the good parts of being in jail. All meals are provided. There's tons of time to read. You spend time with lots of people that you probably never would have met otherwise, and while they may not all be people you'll be close friends with, they have great stories and are interesting to meet. The primary activity is best described as "milling about". We muster on deck. We muster in the companionways. We muster in the gallery. We muster on shore which is the only place to smoke, which we also do a lot.
In most ways, a lot like the good parts of jail. This is only compounded by the new security regulations, which require us to maintain the harbor as a restricted area and hold watches. But we can leave pretty much at will before 11.
Got to climb in and out of life rafts and up the side of the ship on a Jacob's ladder today while wearing a survival suit, which is much tougher than it looks. The Chief caught a King Salmon yesterday and Al baked it up in the galley for a late-night snack. Its been raining lately, but we were swimming anyway. All in all, things are very well.
And so I have arrived. I have some pictures to share but no way yet to get them out of my camera and into the Internet. I will continue to investigate.
Today we rowed. I got to take a turn both as a rower (number 8 mostly as well as some time at number 1) and as coxun. Went pretty well and got the hang of it after a while. There were some problems with minor mutinys with some members calling rest pre-emptively, but once we got together we were able to move the old lifeboat pretty well.
So far things are going well. There are about 40 of us living aboard the T/S State of Michigan. We're organized into teams that have different watches or details, but so far it isn't too different from an intensive school term. I've met a few people in a situation not too diffferent from me. Of course there are dozens of 18-year olds fresh from school with a bit more energy than sense. I was one of those once too and I remember it well. But I've found a small cadre of 26-40 year olds to hang out with that can have better conversations. Including one 57-year old former printer and insurance business owner. So I don't really feel like I'm too late here.
Most of the day is taken up in class. We have two classes during this two-week orientation period. One is an intro to Marine Engineering, which familiarizes all with the basic workings of the ship. For those in the deck program, this may be the most technical information they get into, so it helps them to be familiar with the systems if the need ever arises. The other class is Survival at Sea, which satisfies the Water Survival / Lifeboatman training required, and details all of the emergency system, regulations and drills required. They are both pretty interesting and have learned quite a few new things, but they are still entry level and I know I'll learn a lot more once I get into some of the deeper classes.
In most ways it isn't much different from college. We have to wear uniforms, and just to make it difficult there are 3 uniforms, just for the ship, and which one you wear depends upon where you are working and what the uniform of the day is (which is announced over the ship address the night before). Of course, the ship uniforms are different from the Academy uniforms, which we also have and which also come in multiple versions.
We can't leave the ship between 5 PM and 7 AM without signing out and can't return aboard without a photo ID. This is actually a part of the Ship's Security Plan (required by government regulations put in place after 9/11), and isn't too much of a challenge.
But even most of these modest requirements will relax once the normal term starts. Uniforms will be required, but you can live and come and go as you please. Went to the bookstore yesterday: That much hasn't changed. $600 for the term.
Altogether we have cadets from Alaska, Colorado, California and the Bahamas, as well as a large contingent from the Great Lakes area. Everyone has been decent or at least tolerable. Still I'm anxious to get through this part into the classes, and ultimately anxious to get beyond that to next summer for my first 90 days at sea. And still, I have no doubts that this is the right path.
Went to OnStar for the last time ever. Weird. I was expecting to get out there around 1:30 but I've got some kind of responsibility disease that made me stick around even after they'd took my badge and pager and everything, trying to make sure all the files that were needed were available. Sigh and ah well, its the last day so I guess I'm glad I did my best at it.
So within the next couple hours I'll be hitting the road. I report to the Training Ship at 1000 Sunday, and I'll be there for a couple weeks. I'm cancelling my cable modem and voip phone service, so if you want to get a hold of me, cell phone is the only way. And I'm not sure how good it will be either.
I may have Internet on and off while I'm there and if so I'll send out some updates, otherwise it will be a couple weeks.
Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I feel fantastic. Now if I could just get everything packed.
While you're at it, think some good thoughts for Chris and Sandra who are off for a tour in the sandbox in another week. Here's wishing its cooler than 100 and the insurgents decide to quit and go home. Safe home, guys, and thank you for your service.
BTW: With the last of my Sears credit I bought a digital camera so I can share some pictures. A bit of a switch since I've never been a "carrying a camera" guy, but I'll learn slowly.