Twenty years ago, on a little island in South Carolina, I was yelled at by a loud, intimidating Drill Instructor. He told me to get off his bus.
I ran off that bus, sped over to the yellow footprints and stood on them, at the position of attention.
I didn’t move unless told to move, I yelled until my throat was sore and my voice was hoarse. I ate faster than I ever had before. Ran faster than I ever had before, and my feet hurt more than they ever had before that. I cleaned harder than I ever had before. I moved faster than I ever had before. I also woke up earlier than I ever had before.
I was broken down over the next three months and built back up.
It was a very memorable part of my life, and I proudly earned the title US Marine.
The following 4 years were truly memorable. I’ve made many friends brothers and sisters over the last twenty years and have also maintained relationships with my brothers who stood on the yellow footprints that same day. Like John, Jeff, and Mike.
Here I am twenty years later, thinking about what it would have been like to be retired today, at 38 years old.
Paris Day 0
We left the house about 7am on Wednesday. Long term parking was very convenient. American Airlines curb side checking is either very selective or racist. They let white people cut in front of us, not once, but twice. Jaime was going to get angry, which is a shock, because it’s normally me.
Our flight to Dallas went off without a hitch, though the flight was packed and I’m a little too large for the seats.
In Dallas, we ate at one of the expensive airport restaurants. It was alright. What sucks is everything is on the other side of the TSA security checkpoint, so we had to go through it a couple times as we went outside to smoke.
We finally we boarded the plane to Paris. It wasn’t packed so Jaime and I got to stretch out.
FACT: even if I’m laying across three seats, I still am crammed and can’t sleep. I think the old man in front of us shit himself too. It was foul!
We flew opposite the earth rotation, so we saw day and night, then day again fairly quickly. We are 8 hours ahead of everybody in Arizona.
My super awesome headphones broke at the jack, that sucks bad. I had to use some crappy iPod earphones. It’s such a long flight.
Paris Day 1
Once in Paris, small shock to our system, it was freezing cold. we took a cab to our hotel. On the way we caught a glimpse of the sacre cours and saw the arc de triomph.
For a four star hotel, our room is very small with a leaky sink. I pity those fools in three star or less.
the location of our hotel gives us quick walking access to everything. We walked around after our nap then grabbed some dinner at the pepiniere brasserie. We snapped a few pictures.
Coffee here comes in tiny cups.
I didn’t think the food was that amazing or tasty. Could be the place.
Paris Day 2
Wow, what a day!
Though, we woke up extremely early (3am), we had a great breakfast at the hotel, and then walked our feet off.
We saw the Madelaine. A huge columned church. The columns made me look small.
We went to the Musee l’Orangerie which is French for “Claude Monet’s Purpley-Blue Painting”
Don’t get me wrong but it truly should be called that. A large museum built specifically for two room large painting. There is some other stuff there too, like Picasso’s works.
We then walked over to the Musee du Louvre.
It’s definitely a must for everybody. No matter if you are into art or not. There are many things to see. Just outside is a small arc, which is massive. Once inside the glass pyramid, there are many areas you can go. There are numerous paintings and statues and artifacts from the whole worlds history. While there, we ate lunch, just a baguette and another sandwich. We walked our feet off. So much that we took a cab home.
We were so tired, we took a long nap. When we got up, we didn’t want to be late for our tour of France via double-decker bus, that we nearly ran the mile to the bus stop.
After the tour, which was amazing and recommended for anybody new to Paris, we walked about, found a cafe called Coupe d’Or and we both had a nice little meal of rotisserie chicken and fries, for a late dinner, I think the waiter was hitting on my wife. Which he should, she’s pretty sexy. We then went home.
I had my first glass of wine tonight, wow it was good and warmed me up. I must have been drunk because I tried to convince Jaime that we should run a sixty mile marathon. I think she talked me out of it.
Paris Day 3
I finally slept in. It must have been the walking or whatnot. I woke up at 3, but then went back to sleep until 8.
We ate breakfast and I was amazed at how hard it was to get coffee. They forgot the first time, then later, I had to ask a couple more times to get a refill.
Breakfast is very filling here. It must be the selection but after breakfast, I’m good until late dinner (8pm late).
Today Jaime looked like a hot French model. Le yumm!!! I’m such a lucky guy. We went to the Eiffel tower today and WOW, it’s impressive. We took some pictures then made out under it.
Our camera battery died so that kind of sucks. We took the rest of our pictures for the day on her tablet. (not in the current linked photo album)
After, we walked home and on the way we saw the flame of liberty which is a replica of the flame the statue of liberty has. It might be smaller because it was not impressive.
Once we made it back to the hotel, I think we were done for the night. We hit the hotel bar and even ate there. There wine is good, I didn’t try to convince Jaime of more marathon running or other silliness I think. The bartender was nice and we struck up some conversation with him.
Paris Day 4
Well, I got up at 3 again. I was even the last to fall asleep last night. I did get to fall back asleep and we went to breakfast as usual but a little later then hit up the Pantheon and the tons/crypts underneath, the bath-house and the little museum they had, the Eglise Sulpice, the Luxembourg gardens, the musee d’orsay and the famous coffee place called les deux magots.
The Pantheon wasn’t that wonderful to me, truly only because I don’t know enough about the history or the people who are buried there. It was pretty though. There was a giant clock of sorts on the ground in the center of the room and a metal ball suspended by a super long string. As the ball swung, it would swing over the right time. Magic? Mystery? No! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum it’s science!!!
The Cluny Museum bath-house had pretty cool statues and truly made you think of the days when a bunch of dudes would get together, get naked and chat.
The Eglise (church) Sulpice was quite nice. Being a Sunday, we went to church and I lit a candle for my mom, I also told her about it on Facebook!! I’m a good boy!
The Luxembourg gardens were very beautiful, the toilets were out of order though and I had to go! But I can hold it forever and after walking the whole park, we headed to les deux magots for some cappuccino, some hot chocolate and a Napoleon.
The two coffees and the Napoleon were about 25€. Roughly $33.
I’m definitely glad that we fill up on breakfast at the hotel.
Paris Day 5
We woke up sort of early and had breakfast, then after we got ready to go, went to the Arc de Triomphe which is amazing, huge, and has a lot of steps.
We went to the the Eglise de Notre Dame. Pretty cool, I feel that the one in Montreal is prettier, but this is the original.
We went back to the Louvre again, I brought some sticky notes and wrote our names on it and put it under a bench. Haha, my name is at the Louvre!
Paris Day 6
Galleries Lafayette, which is like a huge overpriced mall, like the Fashion Square in Scottsdale. We then went back to the Louvre and looked for some Royal Jewels and crowns and such but couldn’t find them, we basically got lost in the Louvre, that sucker is huge. We bought some little things at some shops near the Louvre. Later on we bought a bunch of souvenirs. We bought a lock the other day and we placed it at the bridge on the North of the Musee D’Orsay. If you are ever there, look for our lock!
We went back to the hotel, on the way, we stopped at the Monoprix, which is like a great, big, Walgreens. We should have stopped there our first day for sandwiches, fruit, and souvenirs. Seriously!
A vehicle came to pick us up to take us to the Moulin Rouge (french for Red Windmill) and ate dinner there. We met a couple right next to us who let us drink some of their Absinthe. Right out of their glasses. Strong stuff. The show was awesome! Sorry, no cameras = no pictures.
Paris, Bon Voyage
Early the next morning began our long journey home. I can’t believe that my wife got us this trip. She planned out everything in detail. I love my wife so much and can’t thank her enough for the experience of a lifetime.
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Last weekend we got to spend time with most of our family. My mom, uncle Dave and aunt Nervie was here and we cooked some Filipino food. Sinigang and Lumpia. Very tasty.
Yesterday for Christmas eve, my brother and soon to be sister-in-law come over and we ate and then did a video chat with mom and the rest of the family in Montreal.
For Jaime and I’s first Christmas together as a married couple did we ever spoil each other!
My mom, Uncle Dave and Aunt Nervie came to visit. It was a quick weekend! I cooked sinagang and it was delicious. We also made a bunch of lumpia. When everybody came over, Jaime invited her half of the family to come over as well.
Later that night, we migrated over to my Pat and Courtney’s place and spent the night there. The next day we went to church, then chilled for a bit before heading to C-Fu for some yummy chinese food (that is where the picture is taken). Then, as quick as everyone got here, they left. We dropped them off at the airport. It was a very good quality weekend of family fun. I really enjoyed it.
This is a picture of myself and Steven Kennard. 16 years before this picture, he was my Sergeant at VMA-311. Great guy, everybody loves him. He Facebooked me out of the blue with his number and lo’ and behold, we met up at the American Legion on 35th ave and Thunderbird.
It was very good to see him and meet his mom whom he was visiting for Thanksgiving. We hope it will be the start of many reunions.
Yesterday was pretty busy. We had cleaned the house and cooked for 14 people. Much fun!
It was also Jaime’s birthday, so it’s official, I’m no longer sleeping with a 20 something year old woman. LOL
I just finished my lunch today and it was just as good as it was for dinner yesterday. I’m very happy and thankful of my life right now.
In other awesome and exciting news. I’m also done with Christmas shopping! I’ve been buying things online for the last few weeks, like a boss!
Damien and William shooting dog poop with their airsoft guns from atop an RV thats still in my yard for some reason
We buy in bulk and I eat red meat. So, we shop and Costco and I buy 6lbs of hamburger meat at a time. Some of you who don’t know how to seal meat up so that you can not only buy in bulk, but you can easily put into your freezer and get it unfrozen and ready to cook in minutes!
I have a hard core food sealer, check this baby out!
Now, since I get 6lbs of red meat, I divide the package into 6 even and equal parts and make giant 1lb meatballs out of them.
Once you get your bags made, and the meat sealed up, take a rolling pin to it. Look at this awesomeness!
Now they fit into the freezer in a stack the size of a pizza box and when you put hot water in the sink and throw one of these in to defrost, it will take literally 1 minute!!! How awesome is that?
This year, Halloween for us spanned 2 1/2 weeks!
We went to Jeff and Teri’s Halloween party up in New River and then a week later, had a Halloween party to go to with Karie and our friends. Then just yesterday was finally Halloween and Jaime and I watched some Ghost hunting stuff on TV while answering the door and giving candy to little kids!
I really didn’t need a mask as I could make babies cry just by looking at them.
We were day of the dead peeps. Our front yard is still decorated with the ‘pet cemetery’.
I made a Halloween cake for work, though I didn’t dress up (I had to give new employee orientation and didn’t want to be parading around as a banana for that!)
If you were late to the show, my brother finally popped the question to Courtney and asked her to marry him. Of course this comes as a shock to me because I totally thought Pat was gay. (kidding!)
Congrats to Patrick and Courtney! Save the date for next October-ish!
Starting this past Monday, I’ve been in ITIL v3 training up until Wednesday afternoon, when we took the certification test.
I got this fancy certificate from taking the class. Continue reading →
Friday, about noon, we took off for the weekend. Our voyage would normally be drive up to Lake Powell, with boats and camping gear. Not this time, this year we drove south to Rocky Point, in Mexico. We stayed at the Sonoran Sea, which was quite nice. Nice and quiet. A little too quiet.
Once night time fell, on our first day, we were a little disappointed. We were on our Patio laughing while playing a drinking game and were told to keep it down. The whole place was about 25% occupied… Our neighbors upstairs were told to turn their music down. That kinda sucked.
My nightstand was stamped with “Made in America” on the inside in the drawer. How funny is that? hahaha
We also found out that the hot water heater was on a different circuit. When it was finally found on Sunday, Jaime and I found out that the hot water didn’t reach our bathroom. Boooo!!!!!!
Really though, for the price that we paid, six of us, for $100 each, for four days, that’s a nice luxury condo for $25 a day. You can’t beat that!
One day, Jaime just wanted to go into town and buy massive amounts of fresh fish and shrimp, we all jumped into the car and Rob drove us through town and started haggling and giving the vendors a hard time. We got a great deal and vendors even peeled, deveined and butterflied.
We ate like kings that night and weren’t too full! Later we went over to the Boobar, the bar that Camille and Jaime went to for Jaime’s bachelorette party. It was actually pleasant. I thought it would be a shit hole. I don’t know when it happened, but there is no smoking allowed in bars in Mexico. I think cigarettes cost even more down there too. How funny is that?
