Fire Hose

2 weeks of classes done, and the best way to describe the level of knowledge being taught is like trying to get a drink of water from a fire hose on full blast. It's kind of like this:

Except my instructors don't ask if we're ready, we just have to take it. It's not so much that the information is impossible, it's just that it's such a foreign nature that it takes so long to adjust. 20 isn't pronounced "twenty" it's "two-zero." We get "bingoed" each time one of our instructors hears us saying it wrong and owe a dollar to the pot. I haven't had too much trouble adjusting, but some others have. I owe a dollar...some are upwards of 10-12! At the end of the year we have a "Bingo" party with all the money that we "raised."He talks at such a high speed that it's hard to understand. He's a Marine, so some of their lingo is different than mine. Couple all of that together with a domineering instructor who makes you feel stupid for no knowing the answer to his question, even when you knew the answer, but weren't asked the question...I had no idea one man could posses so much power over 30 students. Each class is about 4 hours long, sometimes longer, and most students, including myself don't really fully understand the content until the last 30 minutes, haha. The homework can take upwards of 2 hours, so it's a real time consuming course. It's the hardest intellectual class I've ever been in, and has one of the highest failure rate for intellectual Army courses. I'm keeping my head above water, maintaining a 90+ and that's all that counts. 

My brain is already fried...

Weekends and Holidays are my saving grace around here. this last week we got the 4th and the 5th off, but had class friday. Saturday the 30th was by far one of the better days here. Alan Jackson with Easton Corbin and Gloriana came to Ft. Sill. He's an iconic country music star. 

Alan Jackson

He song my favorite song of his...It's kind of emotional, but how could you not sing it on an Army base? Rumor has it Brad Paisley will be playing here in mid August...FOR FREE! Those tickets could easily go for $100 when he has openers like Miranda Lambert and The Band Perry.

It's not an Oklahoma country concert unless you buy Coors light by the pitcher.

I of course spent some more time on the lake on the 4th of July. This time my uncle Mark is over from Nevada to visit his 2 kids (Shannell and Mark jr.), their spouses, and 2 grandkids, and brought his son Josh with him as well. When Josh and I get together, things get a little rowdy...we like jokes and to harass our family...it's pretty great, plus the others just cant keep up! : ) Mark used to pull me and some friends around on my dad's boat when he lived in oregon. I haven't seen them in a long time, so it was some good family time. In fact, today, I'm going back up to Sentinel to have a BBQ and maybe help install some accessories on the Shannell and Rodney's boat. 

Well that's about all I've got for now, I think I've covered it all. I miss everyone back home and only have 100 days left!!