Yep

It's so nice, I wanna hear the same song twice.


Got a nice birthday blessing from my parental units, thanks for having sexual intercourse and combining two zygotes to create this guy.


Few months left, or maybe more, depends on how I feel.


Nothing really new to update, same shit, different day.

Man of Constant Sorrow

Happy St. Patricks Day

Rob will be drinking water and smoking cigarettes all night in lieu of this.

Cheese Doodles, Grape Soda

Another pay-day, another couple weeks gone, not much to reflect upon but I guess I'll write my thoughts anyways. Oh, and another picture with Jesse James (ironically my brother's name as well.)

Set to be here until at least July, sometimes hoping I can stay longer, sometimes wishing I could just come home and get back to college and move on to bigger, better (less money, fuck) things and enjoy my 20's outside of the Middle East which is where I seem to keep finding myself. I just love being around the military, after spending four years on active duty it became the life that at times I thought I was meant for. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about my Marines and the boys that I served with, and those that I trained and helped grow up to become leaders themselves in the grunts. I just hated the bullshit, that was all, the non-necessities that the military thrives upon that drives the guys on the lower end of the stick absolutely insane. But I loved my job, every aspect of being a grunt requires pristine intelligence and action. Unfortunately in that job field, even the most minor overlooked mistake can cost a life, and that's why I think I was best suited for it because I constantly update and check myself to make sure I'm good to go at all times. It's never fun being caught with your pants down in the military, especially when you have numerous other Marines looking to you for wisdom and guidance. The pressure of always being the best, and having that drive to continue to learn and improve myself as a Marine and as an individual is what I miss. It's four years that I will never forget, even when my hair turns gray and falls out, I will still remember my time in the Marines.

The world seems to be falling apart around us, I really blame my generation somewhat for this for their lackadaisical tendencies, and overall failure to adapt to a thriving culture and country. Success is not simply measured by how far you've gone, but how far you are willing to go, and if you stop to relax for too long, someone else will have found the opportunity that you turned your back upon. All my friends and family are always hounding on me that I should just relax and take a break, but I'm not a fan of that, I've always been the early bird who gets the godamned worm and plan on keeping it that way. Risks are always worth it whether you succeed or fail, because either way it is a learning experience that you can add another brick to your personal repertoire with.

Spoke to my Uncle Jack today on the phone for a good twenty minutes, really happy to hear he is in good health and that he is still chugging alone just fine. When we were working on the Bagel Place with him and my father, it had to be some of the best times I've had since I left active duty. My family is what defines me, every nitty gritty detail about me is derived somewhere from within my family. Hopefully I will get my mother's genes, because she is an absolutely gorgeous woman at her age, it blows my mind every time I come home and my mother hasn't seemed to age a single day.

But, that's all for now. Back to the Afghanistan Vacation.

Semper Fidelis,
Rob

01MAR2011

Updated.

The Bearded Folk, and the VP

The Three Musketeers

Cards to my chest

A new year, another month soon to be gone by, back to the reflective aspect of life.

You learn a lot from being around people, by how they carry themselves, how they act, what they say and the utmost, what they do. I have known quite a number of folks in my life, and from each of them I have learned things that keep me ahead of the game. Such as what not to say, or what not to do in specific company or to a specified person. Although I have warned people in the past what I do and do not tolerate, people seem to still tend to step over those boundaries consistently, and whether they are friends, family or whomever, I will make note of that and typically denounce it immediately on the spot. By what I've done for so many people, bending over backwards have the time just to help even a stranger out, I expect people to be willing enough to be patient with me when I'm frustrated, or be cohesive enough to understand when to just leave me be. I don't do this it for shits and giggles, I do it expecting that sometime in the future (while unlikely) when it comes time that I need help with something, that the action will be replicated and I won't even have to ask for assistance.

It's just a simple fact of life that the person who asks first is usually the last person to give, but I've done my best to be the reciprocal of that idea. Any of my friends, and any of my family members will tell you that no matter what time, day or situation, I would gladly be there to help. It started as early as high school, especially in JROTC, any kid that needed my help whether on a personal or professional level would always receive it. Even though time and time again I would get fucked over by that same person. I am truly forgiving, but I do not ever forget in the same sense.

Be well and Semper Fidelis,
Rob

Dashing through the snow.

Afghan Snow and Andrea.
And me and Andrea.

For Me Momma

Even though sometimes places like this one can get the best of you, you find to cherish the simple things, like getting to talk to my mom when she wakes up about whatever and hearing that my family is doing well without me around. Being away has sparked new life in me, new opportunity, and most importantly, has given me back my ability to think smarter, not harder. Having all those bills and debts, and not having a way to pay them off effectively began to take it's toll on not only my mind, but in a sense my freedom to be worry free. Now that they are gone it has lifted quite the burden off of my shoulders and allowed me to move on to my next financial downfall.

Hopefully going to take the Border Patrol test soon after I get home from here, cracking open another door to possibility of finding a somewhat career that best suits me, and because it is a federal job, it will allow me to rate a pension after 16 years of service; always a plus. The other possibility that has been running around my head is going back into the military, but I won't allow myself to do that again while I'm single, if it is to happen, I would only do it if I am happily married. Have always been intrigued by the Army Special Forces community, and with enough hard work and dedication to physically improving myself to be adaptable to that work life again, I'm 100% sure I could do it.

Turning 24 this year, and I feel like I have done so much, but not so much that has secured a decent future for me and my potential family. This drives me nuts sometimes, because I try to enjoy now, but I'm one of those people that has to make sure that everything will go right in the future as well. Sometimes those two things are quite conflicting, but I find a way to make shit work for me.

Off to the gym.

Semper Fidelis,
Rob