volkov

Things have been going pretty well. Still on active duty. One month left and there's three short work weeks of the four because of Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. Ready to get off active duty; just not sure exactly what is next. have a lot to do to get back into school. I've been dragging my feet a little. Time to get really working on it. Need to get all my old transcripts together and figure out if I can even register for January.

This weekend was my unit's formal Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I got assigned to M.C. the event for the fourth time in a row which I was really hoping NOT to do, but it still ended up being the most fun that I've ever had at the Ball.

Got all fancified and dressed up in my Blues.



supposed to wear a plain white T-shirt under the uniform, but I wasn't havin' that.

did my speaking gig and the ceremony went off well. Sat at a table with some guys who had gone on the NATO mission with me (most of my unit spent most of this year guarding Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province while I got sent out to train Afghan Security Forces)
also had some of the Military Police that went to the NATO mission with us. They drove down all the way from Minnesota just to hang out and celebrate the year that we had.

These guys are crazy. Fun enough just to have their Minnesotan/North Dakotan accents in a room full of Texans and their accents! We headed out from the hotel to 6th street in downtown Austin. Stopped to get gas and do the "Wiggle" at cars passing by. We actually did the Wiggle quite a bit over the course of the evening.
What is the Wiggle?
Well:

Youtube link

yeah.... a lot of that. in Dress Blues. Had a great time out on 6th. We were warned that it might not be the best atmosphere downtown with UT having a home game against Tech and they were expecting a lot of rowdiness downtown, but it actually turned out to a great time. Lots of shots and drinks were bought. Some for us, which is always kind of weird, but awesome.

I had more to drink than I've had since I've been back. I am not entirely sure how we made it back to the hotel, but we did. Paying for it today, but I feel mostly recovered, and anyway it was totally worth it.




so yeah. good times. enjoying Austin. still it's going to be nice to get back home next weekend to hang with the roomies and my little ewok-faced friend.



also: 2 more comments and I hit 13,000! wooo! I am a comment posting MACHEEN!