Thankfully, I haven't done much this weekend.  I am really exhausted from a difficult, but short week.  I am dreading next week, but I felt the same way in Basic Training.  You survive from weekend to weekend.  Actually, that is not much different from civilian life.  This morning I woke up too late for breakfast (it's over at 08:30) so I cannot take any Aleve.  Trust me, I will never let this happen again.  I am in miserable pain, plus I am starving.

Not having a car does suck.  However, it makes little sense to spend $300 - $500 a month towards a car that is just going to sit 75% of the time.  I really want to try to get along without it for as long as possible.

I am sorry that I don't have any pictures this week, so to make up for that, I have commentary.

My OCS class has about 150 people in it.  Of those, only 28 are female.  There are only 6 females in my platoon and I am the only female in my squad.  The vast, vast majority are white males.  Of the college options (people who have no previous military experience), there are only 2 or 3 who are not white.  Many of the minorities I have met here have a huge number of years of service (10+).  That makes for the potential of a pretty huge class distinction within the officer corps.  I am interested to see how it plays out.  Here many of the prior service people (of every background) seem to really have trouble making the shift from seeing things as senior enlisted vs. officer mindset.  For example, they are used to barking orders at people vs. seeing that we are all peers.

Anyway, just thinking out loud.

The Plan:

To Germany today.

To Dulles, then to Columbia, South Carolina on February 21. 

First I will go through "reception" where I will be issued my clothing, get more immunizations (I already have tons from going to Thailand, but I am told I will have to get them again), and tons and tons of paperwork.

On February 25 (the first anniversary of my father's death), I will start my training.  You can see exactly what I will be doing everyday at:
http://www.futuresoldiertrainingcenter.com/application/fsc/images/stories/resources/basic/bct_breakdown.pdf

I will post again whenever I can, but it probably will not be until mid-May (then I will put up one of my big catch up posts).

Wish me luck!

Today the sky is blue with tufts of dark grey clouds.  It's alternatively rainy and sunny.

Recently things looked so good for the project and today, there is only a glimmer of hope left.  I feel sick inside when I think of what I have personally invested in this.  Eden wants to come this summer, so I will stay - for now.

Just for fun (?), I am going to attempt to pass the Army physical fitness test this weekend.  There is no hope for the 15 push-ups (I hope to get 5), but the rest of it should go well.  Still I am unlikely to pass the medical exam.  Apparently the correct answer to, "which bones have you broken?" is not "all".  Also the answer for "how many days have you been hospitalized in your life" is not supposed to be a two digit number (might be 3 digits, I'd have to check; I think Carson pushed me over the 50 mark all by himself).  The whole entrance procedure for the military assumes that you are 18 and nothing much has ever happened to you in your life and that you need your hand held every step of the way - they will even drive you to your appointments.  Wait, I actually don't have a car so I would need that too.  

In researching everything, I saw that they have a "buddy program" where you and a friend can join and be guaranteed to go to Basic together.  Any other 30-somethings want to give this a try?  Just give your canes a rattle and let me know.