Solitude and Back to School

This week has been a restful, quiet week. No long plane flights, no endless boring briefings, no out-processing. Mostly I just made phone calls and worked out. I spent a lot of time alone. Just waking up late and easing into the days. I have enjoyed the solitude and It felt good to ease back into real life again. All of that changes this weekend though. Tomorrow I go back to school in Austin. That being, Basic NCO class which starts tomorrow at 1300. The army has what we call NCOES (Non-commissioned officer education system). There are several courses that the army requires in order for NCOs to get promoted to the next rank. In my case, in order to get promoted to Sergeant First Class (or E-7) I need to complete BNCOC (basic non-commissioned officer course). There are two phases, with the basic phase beginning this next week and phase II (which is job specific) held at a later date. I actually have taken this course before....15 years ago. But, the army thinks it will be beneficial for me to take it again. Of course I don't remember much from the last time anyway, so what the hell. At anyrate I am ready and looking forward to getting this started and over with so I can get back home. Plans are being made for my return....my man G has begun planning for a big homecoming/birthdays bash for me and Christa. He sent me the menu....un-freaking believable...god he can cook. In addition to that, I am planning a small little get-away for T and me and Eric and Wanda. Looks like a cruise up the east coast for about 4 days! Yeah...that sounds like a great time too. I think I will need a little extra PT to keep the weight off the next few weeks. Ha Ha. Something very exciting happened tonight. I went to Starbucks and there on the newstand was the NYT!!! Yeah...cool. And it was todays date. In fine print, under the weather, was a sentence that said...PRINTED IN AUSTIN! Thats right. The New York Times was published right there in Austin. HA HA. How effin cool is that. Austin....you are my favorite city in Texas! (btw, Austin has gone Democratic for several decades....a little dot of blue in a sea of red....they voted for John Kerry and Al Gore!) Anyway, I am off to read my NYT and then to sleep in preparation for tommorow. Check back with me later this coming week.