Currently in "people-person" phase

I love anonymity and I love being noticed
Just the same as anybody else
Years ago I told you how I loved to be alone
These days I'd be perjuring myself
~ Caedmon's Call

The excitement continues...

Yesterday morning was driving with night vision goggles. It is the trippiest experience I have ever had in my life! Besides the fact that it was already pitch black out, we were driving in the middle of the woods, effectively shutting out what little light there was in the night sky. There were times when I thought for sure I was head straight for a bush, instead of the open road I was on. I did come close to hitting a tree, but thankfully, there were other people in the car and they saw the tree before I did. =)
In the afternoon we learned how to ram through cars and do J-turns. I have always wanted to learn how to do a J-turn!!! But when it came down to it, I was scared (surprising, considering how much I love to drive and general lack of fear in cars). My first try was a miserable failure! =( But if at first you don't succeed... =) I tried6 or 7 times more, improving with each one. I would not consider myself proficient by any means, but I think if it came down to it, I could certainly execute a fairly successful J-turn.
Today was driving in hostile conditions... uh, I'll leave it at that. =) We got some great video footage, so maybe if you are really nice to me, I'll let you see it. =)

Yup. Still a morning person...

First, I think I messed up the time on my last post. My alarm was set for 0300. We have to be at the classroom and in gear by 0400 (not so bad). For some reason, just knowing that I had to get up in a couple of hours pretty much prevented me from sleeping at all. I finally just got up at 0230. It was all good though... my current favorite Superchick song came on the radio, so I'm good to go. =P

Good morning, sunshine!

That is the way I like to great my siblings in the morning when I am waking them up. This earned me the nickname of "Sunshine" from my dear sisters (both night owls). Yes, I am a morning person, I confess. This often angers family, coworkers, and friends. I can't help it. There is something so satisfying about being the only one ina group that is happy to be awake. =) Tomorrow will be a test, though. The first class begins in a few hours (at 0300). We are going to be doing some driving exercises, wearing night vision goggles (obviously, we need it to be dark enough outside). I am very excited about this, but am a little concerned about being awake enough for it. Only time will tell... (will write about it tomorrow if I can get on the computer).

Not for the weak of heart...er, I mean, stomach

Up until today I felt like I have done a fairly good job of keeping up with the guys and holding my own, but then came first aid training... The first bad thing that happened was that I was asked to be the victim, lying flat on my belly in front of the class (which would not have been bad - I could have fallen asleep if she didn't have to do all those demonstrations on me!). When the touching began, I held it together for as long as I could (it wasn't long) until my entire body began convulsing in a fit of giggles (what the instructor did not realize when she chose me is that I am probably the single most ticklish person in the universe!). I was DYING!!! I just kept thinking this can't go on much longer - she has touched every part of my body that is reachable, but then she would manage to get her hand further down my vest, or under my body. When I was finally rolled onto my back, I could feel the tears (my eyes always tear up when I laugh) rolling down my cheeks. At that point, one of the guys suggested that the instructor demonstrate inserting the nose tube. I tried to shoot him a look of death, but it was difficult, given my rather vulnerable position. Thankfully, the instructor did not even consider his request. After all that torture was over, we had to practice on each other (fortunately, there was another girl in my group!). The second bad part of the day was the practical exercise... We had three manequins in various states of injury and we had to be the first reponders. After pulling the pants off our guy, we quickly assertained that his left leg was badly cut and his femoral artery was pumping out blood very quickly (in reality, a raw chicken breast with tubes pumping fake blood was strapped to the life-sized doll). I applied pressure to the wound as an instructor continually kept the blood pumping. Unfortunately, the tube came loose and flew our of the chicken, spraying one of my classmates in the face. This was more than I could handle and I let out a loud shriek. Once the tube was back in place, we continued putting the tourniquet on (or I should say my classmate did, while I held the chicken down as blood spurted through my fingers and all over the concrete). I was truly nausiated. The blood not only looked real, but because it had been out in the hot sun for a while before the exercise began, it was the right temperature too. I was very thankful for my latex gloves, but even that was not enough. I was never more happy to be finished with a class before in my life. And now I know for sure that I could NEVER be a nurse! Unfortunately, I head back for more of the same tomorrow I am afraid... I can only hope it goes better. C, I have a whole new respect for you!!!

Is that a tattoo?!

After church, I went for a walk along the water. As I passed this older man, he asked rather loudly, and in a voice that conveyed dismay, "is that a tattoo?!" I was slightly confused when I realized he was talking to me. I mean, yes, I have a tattoo, but there was no way he could possibly see the little dolphin on my right ankle, since he was standing to my left. The confusion must have been evident in my expression, because he quickly pointed to his shoulder, indicating that he meant the Finding Nemo band-aid on my shoulder. I laughed, realizing what he was talking about. "No," I said "it's a band-aid." He smiled and looked relieved. I didn't bother to show him my real tattoo. =) I thought it was odd that this complete stranger even cared wether or not I had a tattoo, but it was kinda funny.

Pop-culturally challenged

My musical education has one major deficiency, or so some of my classmates seem to think. About 8 years ago, I had a friend who tried to get me up to speed on 80s music. He introduced me to Duran Duran, Pat Benetar, and a few others. I'm not a huge 80s music fan, so I thought my knowledge sufficient. Apparently, I still managed to miss most of the entire Classic Rock genre. This fact both dismayed and amused the guys I was hanging with yesterday. After a day at the beach, I was exhausted and so surrendered the wheel to a willing driver, unfortunately, that meant also surrendering the radio dial. =( With each new song that came over the airwaves, the question came: "who is this?" The answer I provided never changed: "I don't know." Even now I cannot remember the songs that played, or the artists that wrote them, with the exception of John Melloncamp (sp?) because I thought his name was funny and I had heard the song many times before. I guess that kind of music just doesn't make much of an impression on me.