Something To Smile About
It was foggy on my way to Clemson Sunday morning. It was spent driving along at 15-25 MPH only able to see no more than 30 feet in front of me until I got part way down White Water Road, AKA NC 281. Suddenly along the State Line I looked out my side window and saw stars. That began a very chilly and windy day. I have made the drive in the past under the same conditions. Once along the White Water River I ran into a thick fog suddenly, I slowed way down and then saw the bank of the curve in my lights. I had come nearly to a complete stop and the bank was three feet from my headlights. Years ago I was coming across from Sylva and in a curve by Toxaway Falls on hwy 64 I was creeping along in the fog at 10MPH. I saw head lights shining around the corner at me. I was going down hill and could see the yellow line, I was having to follow it. The lights came around and he was in my lane, he swerved back over into his lane when he saw my lights. Thankfully he wasn't doing too fast himself. His lights were shining up hill making it harder to see. Chances are he couldn't see the yellow line. When he got next to me I saw the squad lights on top of the car. It was a Deputy. Probably a sighing of relief Deputy.
The drive takes me along the Oconee County SC side of Lake Keowee, named for both the Keowee River (fed by The Toxaway, Horsepasture, Thompson and White Water Rivers) and the Indian Town of Keowee. Lake Keowee has becomed very developed. The closer the road gets to the lake, the more big houses you see. The little town of Salem SC, and it's a little town, at a glance seems unaffected by it. Most of the development is closer to the Oconee Nuclear Station. Allot of history is on that ground down through there.
Even as I transfer to the Battalion headquartered out of Clemson, 3/323, it's the last time I drive it for that purpose. We're going to Athens Ga. We've managed to trade one college town for the other. Athens ain't so bad, it's roughly a two hour drive and being that the Navy has a supply school there, there is Government lodging available. For $24 a night you can get what I'm told is a pretty nice room. And, I'm not sure how it's working out, but the Army Reserve is paying the bill. I've not stayed in a Navy facility since I was at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico in 1989. I know it's been tossed around about closing the Navy School, but I don't know where it stands. It's a bit of an oddity, a Navy School in land locked Athens Ga. I don't know if it's the greatest use of my tax dollar, but the $24 a night lodging is something to smile about.
I'm still yet to get orders assigning me to the unit. With the big rearranging of the USAR Training Divisions things are a little slow. None the less, it's my new "home".
I like a job where I have a product, where I actually see results. That is one thing I can say about being an Instructor all of these years, though I worked more so as a facilitator, I produced a product. I saw the students come and I saw them go. But the way a Reserve Drill Sgt works is a little different. You carry the mission for a couple of weeks and hand it off to someone else. Frankly, I didn't find it oh so fulfilling. Yet, while I worked as an Advisor in Iraq, progress was slow. Often, painstakingly slow. We wanted to high five each other over minor accomplishments. Things with us, and the Iraqis, were built piece upon piece. "Schway Schway"...Little by little...Slowly....Iraqis look upon changes cautiously. They are the ones with their toes in the water darting their eyes back in forth before hopping in. Then wade in and see the water ain't so bad. So, now after having not been a Drill Seargent for over thirteen years I'm going back to it. This time, there is the satisfaction of building a team with the company strength so low. As new people come in, we build the team. That part is exciting. I enjoy leadership. As for handing off the mission to another team else before it's complete, well,like Iraq, I'll attmept to take satisfaction in those little building accomplishments.
I've been drafting this post for days. I wasn't going t post a video, however, I'm caving in. It's nearly Friday.
You have to admire a rock star that drives a beat up old car.
Papa Roach...To Be Loved.
This will make it easier for you to sing along.
To Be Loved lyrics
Listen up, turn it up and rock it out
party on, I wanna hear you scream and shout
this is real, as real as it gets
I came to get down to get some fucking respect
taking it back to hardcore level
you better be ready, put your pedal to the metal
taking it back to hardcore level
you better be ready, put your pedal to the metal.
Go!
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
I want domination
I want your submission
I see you’re not resisting
To this temptation
I’ve got one confession
A love deprivation
I’ve got a jet black heart
It’s all fucked up and it’s falling apart
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
I’ve got another confession
I fell to temptation
And there is no question
There was some connection
I’ve got to follow my heart
No matter how far
I’ve gotta roll the dice
Never look back and never think twice
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
Take your past and burn it up and let it go
Carry on; I’m stronger than you’ll ever know
That’s the deal; you get no respect
You’re gonna get yours
You better watch your fucking neck
Take your past and burn it up and let it go
Carry on; I’m stronger than you’ll ever know
That’s the deal; you get no respect
You’re gonna get yours
You better watch your fucking neck
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
Whoa I'll never give in
Whoa I'll never give up
Whoa I'll never give in
And I just wanna be, wanna be loved
Never Give in never give up
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Tuesday, December 18, 2007
19 Comments:
What does the pin up gurl have to do w/your post? Anything? Or perhaps just something purdy to look at? Eye candy for the day? Nice pic though.
Wish I looked liked her and was on a beach w/a flower in my hair being all sultry and happy. Is she something to smile about or is the smile is that you are happy w/your new job position? Perhaps I will read it again when I have more time to figure it out. Either way I am glad you found a MOS you will enjoy. I am sure you will excel and be perfect for the job.
There is a Navy base that deals w/submarines in the hills of W.VA. No water or ocean for miles and miles. I got harassed by the gate guards going in.
Haven't watched the video yet, it's not Friday. Looks like a head banging one.
My baby girl is getting her tooth pulled today. Pray for her. $600 smackers to pull a dog's tooth. How do people afford children?
You have begun to post eye candy a lot. That is not a complaint, by the way. That is an affirmation.
The navy also has bases in the CA and NV deserts. So we can blow up shit without harming dolphins, I guess. Usually our landlocked bases have something to do with weapons testing/development or with learning survival skills.
It's the pilots, and probably SEALs that need the survival training. For us rank and file squids, "roughing it" was having the A/C go out or running out of coffee.
I think that the most satisfaction I always had in the navy was when I would go onto a ship, size up the dysfunctional little peckerheads I was sent to lead, and, despite their very vocal protestations, turn them into a well running team. Allways took a year to do it, except on USS VINCENNES, where all concerned were especially unable to function normally. I did it 4 times. I was a recruit on my first ship and therefore the, shall we say, in lower elevations of the feces running downhill scenario.
Mew, ouch on the dog. That's rough.
Actually, being a Drill Sgt is a Duty Position, not an MOS, my MOS is 11B, Infantry. But thanks.
The pin up is Bettie Page. I'm a tru fan of hers. In the words of BR549, "if I had known her, I'd been a better man".
Yes, Ed, I suppose tht is affirmative on the eye candy.
I know the Navy had a base in utah in WWII for training.
ed, it is true, getting peple together and guiding their work, watching the bonds form and getting to know one anothers strengths and weeknesses on the problem solving and team refining to see it function well is just...Rewarding.
Thanks for youll coming by.
Boy, did you'll see all of my typos? It's the key boards fault.
I just covered my eyes and went to the comments page. I ain't old enough to concentrate on no readin' and ritin' with dem dare pretty pictures starin' at me . . . sure was a nice picture though. If that picture don't put fog on your windshield, you wasn't alive on Hgwy 81 anyway . . . now to callm down and read the postin' so I can make a mature centered comment on readin' it. The others comments are fun though. 81 is that the road over to Table Rock?
Bill, the only place I'm familiar with 81 is in Anderson County SC. 64 runs through Table Rock/Lake Lure. BTW I love "Where The Red Fern Grows"! Thanks again.
You need to start training now if you're going to be staying in Navy quarters. I suggest you raise the thresholds and lower the top sills of your front and back doors at home so that you either trip or bang your head every time you pass through one of them.
:-)
Gunner, I wonder if a time came in Ed's life he kept finding himself stepping high and ducking every time he walked through a door?
We'll have to ask him.
Did you'll notice the girl crawling around on a chain in that video? You suppose she wants to be loved? I don't know.
I betcha high-stepping just comes natural to Ed. :-)
She might just be needing a Milk Bone.
I feel like I just travelled down the long and winding road... I was reading about something to smile about and how the stars came out (and imagining the beauty of stars on a crisp night), when the pin up popped up! Then I knew you weren't smiling about watching Orion hunt in the skies. Have a Merry Christian!
Yeah, Gunner, I wonder, is that a concert or a freak show?
Sage, thanks for coming by..."Have a merry Christian"...I like that. Sage, the way it's been down here the rain and clods...even the dense fog would be something to smile about. I'm letting Bettie do the smiling, it came natural to her.
I really couldn't make out any stars. Missed the meteor shower due to clouds, but clouds are nice.
Ummm...the video is a head banger, and yeah that gal needs a milk bone. Lyrics aren't bad but the rest is something left to be desired. Gave me a headache. Sometimes I wonder about you App.
Mew, I don't know about that "I love depravation" part, it's a little dysfunctional. I really like the girls swinging around over the audience. Lucky them, they get paid to do that. But, the guy drives around in a beat up old car. His parents might have given it to him.
Dysfunctional is a good word. the fire eaters have issues I think.
So ya liked the gals swinging over head eh?
Me, w/music like that I prefer swinging on an old oak tree in a nice quiet yard somewhere w/the dog chillin. Reckon that shows my age. Ya have to be spry to do their kinda swinging.
Old beat up cars are a good thing.
Are they fire eaters or breathers?
yeah, the swinging girls are cool. Dolly Parton used to sit on a swing and sing...That rimes.
Hey cutie!
Have a very Merry Christmas!
~xo
Lee Ann
Merry Christmas to you App and to each one of your bloggers. I enjoy their comments as much as your blog :-) Gods Blessings on you all!
eaten or breathing fire they have too much time on their hands....
Merry Christmas Ya'll!
Ah, same to you'll. Thanks.
Time for the next
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