I smoke a pack a day. Smoking calms me down, this is why. Not even sure if its the tobacco at this point. But I do not plan to quit right now.
Blog
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I Moved
Daily writing promptWhat positive events have taken place in your life over the past year?From Everett, Washington to Arlington, Texas. I also got a job as a Security Guard again. Then, I was enrolled into two University classes. I also am reading Luke for Advent, and a biography on Paul. I just finished the math portion of an Assessment for Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab, Chapter 31). It seems preliminary. Perhaps there are other tests later on.
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Yes
All the time. One time, in Washington State, my family and another family rented a cabin. The deer would come up to us. I always wondered, did they want a hand out?
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Yes, Japan
Especially Misawa. There was a time in my life, where I could not get away from Japan. Try as I might. But now, I miss Japan, and what it represented in my life- never giving up! I climbed Mt. Fuji! I also was on the USS Kitty Hawk for a while. I have been to the Honch, Reppongi, and Shubuya. I have been to Yokohoma, and other parts of Tokyo.
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One More Post!
I just wanted to share this meme. Anyone who has played World of Warcraft will get it.
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The Day’s Adventure
Today, I woke up early. For me. It was 8:30 AM. I knew today would be a big day. For, I am starting out on how to fund my studies. I first made it to UTA, by 9:30. I know this, because I paid for parking at 9:28, which lasted until 11:28 AM. Then, I went up to the Student Success Center in Ransom Hall. I have been there before. My old baby sitter, Eileen works there. I guess she runs the program. She is normally in her office. But when I went in, the students at the front told me, I would have to wait five minutes. I expected to have to wait. But, it didn’t take long for Eileen to show up.
After Eileen finished her conversation, she came in. She recognized me! “Good sign” I thought. She asked how I was doing, and I said “Fine”. But then, I told her how I signed up for two classes, and that I might have to drop them. Due to unexpected expenses with my car. (Remember, the alternator went out). So, she told me about the “MavShop” for scholarships. She told me she would send me the link in an e-mail. Then, I told her, “I am about to go to the Veteran’s Assistance Center”, to check on the Hazlewood Act. She encouraged me, to come back to TRiO! I was relieved. If I stick with my classes, I definitely will.
Anyways, Eileen was not kidding about sending me the link. She sent the e-mail as soon as I was headed towards the VAC. I appreciated her efforts, and decided to write to her, as soon as I could. (I prefer to write school e-mails from my laptop). Once I got to the VAC I explained my situation.
I still have some of the GI Bill left. But I want to save it for an emergency, because its not a lot. So, they showed me where to go under “forms”, in order to fill out the application. Ok, I got that I realized. On the application form, it asks for a GI Bill Eligibility Letter/Exhaustion letter. Thats why I think I might be able to go ahead and use the Hazlewood Act.
I got home, and began filling out the forms I needed. I also needed my DD-214, and then I called the VA. The VA sent me a copy of my GI Bill Eligibility letter, to my e-mail address. Another e-mail. Well, I got those two documents. Then, “Oh, wait”, I need to fill out the actual Hazlewood Act application, and then upload it to my computer somehow.
So, I filled out the form. Then, I went to scan it on my Dad’s printer. But it turns out, that his particular model of printer doesn’t include scan. So, off to Office Depot I went. After waiting a few minutes, I finally made it to the front of the line, and got my document scanned, and e-mailed to me. After that I went an ate at Chick-Fil-A. Yum.
So, after I ate, I went home. I sat down to finish the form I needed to fill out for my school for the Hazlewood Act. I uploaded all the documents I had, plus filled in my comments about still having some of the GI Bill, and as its not enough to finish school, saving it for an emergency. Then, I pressed “save” and “submit”, but I needed one more form. Its something that shows how much of the Hazlewood I have used. Well, I went to go get this missing form, and I couldn’t access the website. Not on my laptop, not on my phone. So, I looked up a phone number. I found a phone number and called it.
After I called the phone number, they called me back. But I missed it. Yet, they left a message for me. In it they gave me a different phone number. I will share it here, incase you decide to use the Hazlewood Act: 1512-463-3168. So, I called that number, and got through. They asked me to send a screen shot of what was happening. So, I did. I had to send the e-mail three times because I had the wrong e-mail. I kept thinking it was Hazelwood@tvc.taxes.gov. But the e-mail address is actually hazlewood@tvc.texas.gov.
Hannah was the person at the Texas Veteran’s Commission that helped me on the phone. She promptly e-mailed me back, to once she got my e-mail. I am grateful for her help. Who knows, maybe this thing will move forward in part because of her willingness to help. Still have not been able to access the site, but she assured me the IT people were on the case. So, here is another situation, where I just follow the next step, and trust God. Thank you, Hannah!
After that, and some reading, I was hungry. But I was not yet sure what to eat. So, I decided to go see Mom. She and Joey were just lounging in their chairs when I went over. But I gave my Mom the narrative, that I just gave you.
After stopping at my Mom’s I finally headed to go get some food. I decided to go to Grease Monkey, where I could get me a Student Burger and fries, as I now had my student ID again. Thanks to a couple of other people, whose names I don’t have.
That is what a Student Burger looks like. Cheapest burger in town, too.
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A Son Of God
You know those lineages in the Bible? There long. Boring, and if you lose your place at any point, you pretty much have to start all over. But I am going to show you a lineage that is not boring. Let me show you a lineage that is not boring! Joseph:
The Ancestors of Jesus
Luke 3: 23B Jesus, so people thought, was the son of Joseph, Son of Eli, Son of Matthat, son of Levi, Son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, 25 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, 26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda, 27 son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, 28 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er, 29 son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, 30 son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, 31 son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, 32 son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon, 33 son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah, 34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, 35 son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, 36 son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, 37 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.
This is the lineage of Joseph, the husband of Mary, in the Bible. What I want you to notice, at the end, in bold is the phrase “son of God”. See how, Joseph is, because of the lineage of Jesus, a son of God.
I have been reading through Luke, for Advent. I came across this, and wanted to share it with you. I wrote it down, also so that I would remember it. Thank you for reading my blog!
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Smoking
You have often seen, how I smoke, in my very own writing. I would not have started smoking. I believe it is a nasty habit. That is why.
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I Have Never Been Able To Tell
The reason is, that I tend to be a night owl. I am up all night, and sleep all day. So, I rarely if ever use my “morning” persona lol. But its a nice thought, and question for those who can answer. The NAVY messed up my sleep habit, with years of being on the night watch. That is why.
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My Grief Turns To Joy
Now that I have discussed my grief (mixed with joy, for what was, and if God intervenes, what may be as well), I can now discuss matters which bring me joy. My friend Billy. I use the word “friend”, but I have had him described as a brother. I appreciate this term. I admire the things Billy shares.
From time to time, Billy will use his wisdom with me. I get it in short bursts. It is encouraging, and I eagerly look forward to each morsel. But perhaps I could elaborate, a little on Billy. Well, for one, I feel strongly that he is my little brother, “William’s” namesake.
I did not always appreciate Billy. I remember when our families first began to “hangout”. I noticed we shared many things in common. For example, a neat array of firearms. Also, both our Moms (my “Aunt Mary”), enjoyed reading to there children. We both sat through John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, as our Moms read it to us. Also, the Hiding Place as well.
Our Moms first started talking, in 1995, I believe, at Church. They were living in a camper at the time, in the church parking lot. I remember the camper being there. I was not sure who was in it, though. I have always been kind of an introvert. We were at the time, attending the OPC Church in Bothell, Washington. Trinity.
I remember the first time the Robinsons came over. That was really the first time I had ever remembered meeting Billy. We showed Billy, and his brother Matthew (Matt, as he was called) the woods. The old foundation. The river and the park, up in Arlington, Washington.
For some reason, Thanksgiving became a big deal to our families. Every Thanksgiving, we would go somewhere. One year, we even rented a cabin from a NAVY recreational facility on the coast! That was so cool. I still remember watching Airplane, for the first time. I cracked up at that one, even as a kid.
Billy was really into watching movies back then. He was the one who bought Jingle All The Way. He gave it to me for my birthday. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he goes on a mission to find his son a Turbo Man doll. That was probably his funniest movie!
Our Moms also delved into Psalm singing. For a while, we even looked at some music history, which ended up being fascinating to me. I appreciated the Psalm singing and music history more, later in life. While I was in the NAVY, and as I did not regularly attend church I could recall the many promises of God, from singing in the Psalter. Sometimes we would try and find the longest one. I found one that had 23 verses to it! We sang it, and Billy went into the bathroom lol.
I remember a game we used to play. It was Axis & Allies. My Dad, and his Dad, my Uncle Rob would take Billy and me hunting. One year, in 1996, we went. Billy told me to bring our game with me. So, I put it on top of all the guns in the Chevy Nova. Instead of doing much hunting, we got snowed in. So, Billy and me got to play a lot of Axis & Allies that hunting season. Yes, we were in the old camper they had used to stay in, so we were nice and warm, plus we had hot chocolate.
We did make it out hunting a little bit, that time. I remember going out just after it had finished snowing. It was so silent. I still remember the silence, because it was deafening. It made me think of it being at night, yet the sun was out. It was so beautiful, seeing all the white. I wish I had a picture of it. It made me think of the North Pole.
In the end, Billy’s family had to move to Michigan. I was always saddened by that. But eventually, I got to travel, and fly to Michigan and I visited Billy for his graduation from Christian Liberty Academy. That was in 2000. Right after I had first connected with “icanslamsatan”. I remember that Billy had a car, and we would go driving sometimes. He took me into Grand Rapids for the first time. It was neat. You really ought to go.
Every now and then, Grand Rapids comes up. When it does, I think of Billy. Billy has a certain love for that place, and I think its wonderful. One time, after I had gotten out of the NAVY, I took a class on World Religions, at TCC. During the class, we reviewed the Apostles Creed and guess where the translation was from? Grand Rapids! Of all the different copies they chose to use the one from Grand Rapids, that I had read when I was a child. So, naturally, this was another moment where I thought of Billy.
Well, that is all for this post. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and you got the grasp of the truth of closeness with Billy, in my youth. Maybe I will write more later, but Billy got off of Social Media years ago. Sometimes, I think I should get off as well. But right now, my Facebook has a lot of engagement. Hopefully, for the right reasons.
The Courier 