Thursday, March 5, 2009

4,000 Quesions - #8: Excitement

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Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #8: What's the most exciting thing you've ever done?

Hmmmm....exciting can have so many meanings. I think I'm going to choose Army Basic Training. It was an incredible experience on so many levels: Me and my Lady Bug
  • I was only 17, and really didn't understand the concept of signing my actual life over to the US government (GI stands for Government Issue), but had the chutzpah to do it anyway. I made the decison without my parents' knowledge, but had to get their signatures before everything became legal because I was under age.
  • To get to Basic, I went on my FIRST airplane ride ever. We actually walked out onto the tarmac and climbed up a set of steps that had been wheeled to the side of the plane.
  • It was the first time away from my family, and I was traveling all over the states BY MYSELF in my little "Lady Bug" (that I bought used for $300; I swear it's the car that is used for golf practice in the first few scenes of the movie Tin Cup). People would always beep and wave at me on the highway in my cleverly painted little car (thanks, family), covered with Army stickers.
I joined the Army because I came from a family of 9 children and there was simply no money for college. By joining, I could travel, earn income, AND earn money for college. Not to mention, I could attend college while on active duty, which I did, and ALL expenses were paid for.

There are just so many things about Basic Training that were new and different, I hardly know where to begin:
  • Before you read this next comment, and start to wonder about me, let me begin with this disclaimer: I don't currently use or own weapons, and am so glad I never neA scrawny young Private E-2.eded to use one to hurt anyone, but I did learn to shoot at targets as a kid and always felt at ease on the rifle range. That being said...I really liked using an M-16! It has a regular and a semi-automatic setting; we only got to use the semi-automatic setting once in awhile, as it used up so much ammo, but it really was fun. I earned my Expert medal for the rifle and the Sharpshooter medal for the grenade.
  • I was in the best physical shape of my life, could knock out push ups and sit ups like nobody's business, and was a master of the "front leaning rest." (The only part of PT that I dreaded was running.)
  • I could low-crawl in the mud under barbed wire, knew drill and ceremony steps perfectly, and could move lithely through an obstacle course. Like all of the other soldiers, I felt strong and invincible.
  • I'm a sucker for precision, so my uniform, bed, locker, boots, patches, etc, were always according to regulation, which usually made my drill sergeants say, as they stood in front of me inspecting me, "Stone, always squared away."

A funny story I remember is from my very first formal inspection. I had never heard the term "Army brat" but sort of grew up like one. When the Captain, who was very scary to me, and his entourage got to me (remember...I'm a Virgo...everything in my locker was folded and placed EXACTLY according to the Army manual), he looked over me and my area and said, "Stone, are you a military brat?" As far as I knew, a "brat" was a derogatory term to describe an ill-natured person. So, I had two options:

  1. AGREE with the Captain, and call myself a bad name.
  2. DISAGREE with the Captain, and maybe fail inspection or make Basic life hard for myself.

What was I supposed to do? Standing stiffly at attention, my fingers gripped the seams of my pants and my eyes stared unwaveringly ahead. In my 17-year-old-oh-my-God-this-is-the-Captain stupor, I said the first thing that came to mind: "I don't know, sir." He just looked at me funny and kept moving on down the line of scared soldiers. I can only imagine what he must have been thinking.

Photo info: (yes, these photos were taken with a Polaroid, which was my first camera purchase ever...film is no longer made for these!)
Photo #1: Me after Basic Training graduation, in my Class Bs and my Clark Kents.
Photo #2: Crossing into Alabama on my way from South Carolina to Texas, with the odometer about to hit 100,000 miles and me in my old style BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform); now, they're made in a camouflage pattern, but the first set I was issued was this olive drab color.

Your turn...what's the most exciting thing you've ever done?
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10 comments:

Skebba said...

I'm sorry, you've so outblitzed me on the excitement meter that I would be ashamed to post anything after that!

Love the VW Bug - one of my favourites.

LoveANewIdea said...

Kelly-
Oh dear...I hope I don't put people off! I want to hear everyone's story about excitement...

Skebba said...

Ok I'll stop being lazy and write something soon!

Skebba said...

I've been thinking about this question, trying to come up with something EXCITING, thinking fantastical, amazing, pop-your-eyes out incredible.
Nothing. The only thing that keeps coming back to my mind, (which probably wouldn't rate on most people's excitement meter) is when I was able to birth my second son naturally. That moment was probably the standout most incredible moment of my life.

Hey, I was also thinking about your 4000 questions theme, and wondered if you'd heard of Mister Linky's Magical Widgets?
http://www.blenza.com/linkies/
I've seen it used on other people's blogs for open questions which people can answer on their own blogs and provide the link from your blog. Might be a good idea for your 4000 questions, no?

LoveANewIdea said...

Kelly-
I think that IS pretty exciting...and brave. And, I bet it did pop your eyes out!!

PS - never heard of Mister Linky...will have to check that out. See, you ARE a tech guru.

Anonymous said...

As one of those "army brats" I can see the funny side to that. Especially when seeing non-army brats wondering what answer the General or RSM (British Army) actually wanted. To be honest I think you're "I don't know" was one of the safest answers!

As for the most exciting thing I am doing, well quitting my job, travelling around Europe and then coming home and setting up my own business!

Happy Travelling
Overland Wannabe

LoveANewIdea said...

Overland-
Thanks for stopping by! I've been following your blog with special interest, as you're doing exactly what I'd like to do, but haven't gotten up the courage to do yet, or figured out how to make money to live on while I do it!

Blair said...

haha...Like Kelly, I have had a hard time deciding on this one too! I really enjoyed your story so much...it's hard finding something that compares.

Buuut, I would have to say that traveling to Hong Kong with my sister and my best friend when I was 18 was one of the most exciting times of my life. It was the first time I had ever gone overseas, and traveled somewhere significant without my parents!

LoveANewIdea said...

Blair
Hi...good to have you stop by! I'm very envious of your trip to Hong Kong. That was probably the trip of a lifetime, especially at that age and with no parents in tow! That also makes me think of a blog I follow that you might find interesting, about a young woman who is now living in China and trying to learn the language; she writes about her daily life there...http://sheinchina.blogspot.com/

Blair said...

Ooooh! Thanks for the link; I'll be sure to check it out. I love reading about other people's travels...it gives me good ideas for when I get to start traveling again!

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