Single Awareness Weekend #1

Last week really felt long.  Probably due to circumstances regarding the previous weekend, but I survived.

Friday

Friday was an interesting day.  I had intended for it to be a relaxing Friday at work, but as always, everyone else always has different plans than me.  At 0600 I was at work, gettin' my work on, doin' what I do.  Right around 0800 I get a call from one of the ITs asking me if I was ready to do my EAWS board.  I said, not really but I would.  He then told me that they were planning on doing my board at 11.  I said, "11... today?"  He said, "Yep."  I asked if I had to be in my NSUs (the uniform I got my volunteer award in) and he said yes.  Great.  It was at home, not staged, not ready and I was at work, alone, doing what I do.  Fantastic.

Thanks Navy for those curve balls.  Keeps me on my toes.

After cramming in some studying for an hour and a half and ignoring all work problems that I could, I went home and changed uniforms.  When I got back to work, I still had 15 minutes till my board.  It was at that point the Navy was like, oh, you were feeling relaxed still?  Nahhhh.. Good game girl.  Here you go!  And all hell broke loose in my office and I was the only person there that could fix all the things.  Several people were in the office for different things and I was on the phone with a Chief and LCDR and finally said, "I'm sorry, but I've done all I can do for you and I have to go to my board now, it starts in 3 minutes and I'm not there yet."  I grabbed my stuff, walked out of the office, stopped, took a breath, and walked across the hangar for my board.

My board was not with the ITs like I had anticipated (I had been studying with them), it was with an LS3 and an LS2.  True to my study time with the ITs, I knew the stuff they didn't know and they knew the stuff I didn't know, which makes for a great board honestly.  I didn't do nearly as bad as I thought I would.  Although the first question they asked me I didn't know, which was definitely a blow to my confidence until I reassessed and reassured myself that there was going to be things I didn't know.  PS.  It was an acronym right off the bat and there was no acronym glossary in the entire study guide.  The one thing I'm willing to do for the EAWS program is make a stupid acronym guide for both phases because it was ridiculous how many acronyms were NOT defined!  For someone who isn't in the aviation world (ever) it was extremely difficult.

After missing lunch and switching boards (they did 2 boards at the same time.  One group administered the common core for the ITs while another group administered the platform specific for the LS's and I), we were finally done around 1400.  They called us back in a few minutes later to congratulate us on getting our wings.  I was relieved and excited and surprised.  Towards the end of the 2nd board, we were definitely struggling, part of which (I believe) might have been due to the fact that no one had eaten lunch, the board or the boardees (us)).  I think they took that into consideration, thankfully.

Hello dual quals.  PO2(IDW/AW) Teh Megan.

After disassembling my study guide and happily throwing the entire thing in the recycle bin, I changed into workout clothes and headed to the gym to burn all the calories I had eaten (ha.) and then headed to Target meet another GEGR friend who had Phil since she had taken him to donate his bloods.  After getting home and bringing in all the Christmas presents at my door and feeding Phil dinner, I called Teh FL Greyhound Wife and suggested we go get Shop Kicks since every where was 200 points for walk-ins and I suggested we eat since I hadn't done that enough for the day.

She agreed and came over and we went to Texas Roadhouse for lunch dinner.  Then we hit up all the Shop Kick stores in SoMD.  Then I had some (more) retail therapy time at Kohl's where I got some adorable striped shirts (which are apparently in now again) and a cute black dress (thank you break up diet!).  We had been out way longer than either of us had anticipated.  This had messed with my scheduled drinking plans, but it was for the best.

Saturday

I finally went through the process of opening my "Christmas" presents aka break up retail therapy presents.  I had ordered a 5.1 speaker set from Woot, a small bluetooth speaker so I could listen to music upstairs, and Cards Against Humanity.  Saturday morning after determining it was too cold for a walk with Teh Greyhound Neighbor-Wife, I finally got motivated and hooked up the speaker bar and the rear speakers and sub.  LOOOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE IT!  I jammed all day on Saturday.  The real motivation for setting up the speakers was so that I could clean and have music playing.  I did have some technical difficulties, which was all my computer, not any of the speakers.  I worked through them, which is always frustrating but rewarding when it all finally works out.

After I got the jamz going, I was able to start the laundry, do the dishes (for the week), I dusted before I set the speakers up (since it was easier and NEEDED to be done), I finished dusting the rest of the house after the music was on, scooped poop, fixed up a new piece of cardboard to hold my ribbons/warfare pins, and I vacuumed the entire house while flitting back to the computer for "breaks" in between activities.

I'll wear the wings on top in NSUs, but I plan to keep my IDW on top for my camis (because I can and because I'm cheap).

After being productive, I had to download Grey's since abc.com now requires you to log into your cable service provider to watch this most recent episode.  Seriously?  I hate network TV taking over lives.  I hate that I can't stop watching Grey's Anatomy even more.  I really struggled through most of the episode.  After the fall cliff hanger I was really expecting more.  Then again, Shonda is focused on Scandal now (which everyone says I need to watch), so she doesn't care about her baby.  I was in complete "Meh" mode until the final 3 minutes when the episode FINALLY hit me in a good too soon way.

It was the voice over that really sucker punched me and left me bawling on my couch realizing that as hard as my decision was, I did do the best thing and even if it hurts sometimes, I made the RIGHT decision for me.

Writing about that was very hard not to include spoilers.  That means I care.

I made it my goal to not get out of my pjs on Saturday after making it halfway through the day.  I was successful.  The other big part of the day was that Sam arrived to the airport in Spain!!!  While I tried to go to bed early, chatting with Mr. Scrooge prevented that successful endeavor.

Sunday

I woke up and checked my phone to learn that Sam had arrived in FL via photos!  One of the best wake ups in a while.  I got ready and got to church and had a surprise, I didn't have to sit in the booth!  It was another cosmically good day.  I got to worship my heart out and then afterwards I went to brunch with Teh Singing Podcaster and Teh Singing Cat Lady.  We saw the most adorable puppy while we were waiting for our table.  We finally got our table and bellies were satisfied.

While I had been at lunch, Teh Coast Guardian had called me and asked if Phil and I were interested in going on a walk at St. Mary's City River State Park.  We definitely were since I hadn't worked out since Friday.  When I got home I got ready and packed up Phil in Yurtle to meet Teh Coast Guardian and Teh Humanitarian.  We walked and chatted about life and orders and Alaska and boys and Phil and Sam and moving and life.  We felt the temperature drop 10° during our hour trek.  After the walk, I took Phil home and made a poor life decision: to go to Walmart on the night before a snow storm was supposed to roll in to pick up some items I couldn't get at Target and I needed milk (because I was out, not because OMGSNOW).  /facepalm.  I tried to have the same mindset as I always do at Walmart, just be patient, you're not in a hurry, you have no where to be other than on the couch...  It was mostly successful.

When I came home, it was chillax evening with Philbo while oooh-ing and aaawwww-ing over Sam pics.

Loooooove her!

I was successful at going to bed early on Sunday night, even though I really didn't need to.  I had gotten the message that VX1 was closed on Monday due to the storm that was coming in... unless there was nothing on the ground when it was time to go to work...

Monday

I woke up around 0450 without an alarm, which is disappointing but worked out.  I checked my weather app and knew that there was nothing on the ground before I even bothered getting out of the bed.  But I had been told that VX1 was closed, so I didn't really make any real attempts to get up and get ready.  I did chat with Mr. Scrooge for a short bit, checked the FBs from my phone and saw that the VX1 facebook status had been updated to say that we were closed, closed for today.  I no longer felt any guilt about still being in bed.  I finally fell back asleep for a little bit, enjoying it because as soon as Sam gets here, that might not be a possibility.

I eventually got up and considered making my goal to stay in my PJs all day again.. but then Teh Greyhound Neighbor-Wife messaged me and invited me to go sledding... and who turns down sledding?  Not this girl!  I guess it worked out that I didn't get my TA letter to AMU so they wouldn't let me sign into my class this morning, even though today was the first day the class opened and I already gave them the remaining monies that the Navy doesn't pay..  I'm not even complaining.  Sledding standing in the cold was way more fun than forum assignments and readings anyways.

I made it the furthest!

Chris tried to beat me.. he failed.

All bundled up!

WIPEOUT!  This photo totally makes me giggle.

Hanging out in the snow.

There were more photos of Sam:

After sledding, I snuggled up with a blankie, hot chocolate, and my computer for the rest of the day trying to get warm again.  I even put my socks in the dryer so they would help thaw my toes.  The worst part of the day was letting Phil out and he decided to zoomie in the snow and I wasn't able to get it on video!  It was super unexpected because he rarely zoomies ever.  I guess there was enough snow to make him want to frolic.  I had taken him out to run around a bit in the main courtyard area of the neighborhood, but he has to stay on a leash and can only go as fast as me (short distances he much faster than me, imagine that).


So to recap that was: lazy, dogs, snow, surprise 3 day weekend!

Linking up with these ladies: