2009; A Year in Review.

This is the first year in my life that I have spent time away from my family for Christmas or spent any significant time away from them really . It was a different experience for sure. Yes, I was away from my immediate family, but I was blessed to be able to spend it with great friends. 2oo9 was a year full of new experiences for me; some good, some bad. I have learned a lot this year, and am thankful for that. Being out of school was a major change I had to get use too. I have been in school for nearly all my life, but at the same time not to be in that kind of environment was nice.

It has been a year since I first enlisted in the Air Force, wow a whole year has past. It is crazy to think back to where I was this time last year; my life was really different. I was thinking about accomplishing different things, and trying to finish school. Now, I live in another country, work on jets, and have a new group of friends to hang out with. Graduating from BMT and tech. school, were two of my biggest accomplishments this year. Getting through BMT and seeing my family on graduation weekend made it all worth it. I can honestly say that was one of the best days of my life is when I saw them for the first time. I knew I was done with BMT and onto a new chapter in my life. I had accomplished something that only 1% of Americans can or are willing to do, and that made me feel great.

Living in Korea has been different. So many new things to get used to. Working in a strange environment, making new friends, and adapting to the weather, and the culture all had some affect on me. I love living over here, but it is hard when we are 15 hours ahead of home. I feel like I'm in the future, and it's crazy. That is one thing that I do not think I'll ever get used too while living over here. I have been here for four months now, and only eight to go!

I am not sure what 2010 will hold for me but I am looking forward to ringing in the new year with my new found friends in Seoul, something I would not be able to experience had I not joined the Air Force. Joining the Air Force has opened a lot of doors for me, and more importantly lots and lots of travel opportunities! I can't wait to get back to Italy! Ciao!

The holiday spirit; a time for thanks!

The Holidays are among us. Fall is starting to feel more like winter with the snow fall and cold nights. Christmas is just around the corner, and somehow it feels almost like it isn't coming. This is the first year in my entire life that I will be away from my family and friends for Christmas. This is hard for me, especially when all I had to do is drive thirty-five minutes and I would be home. I am lucky now to get a phone call in once a week. It makes me sad that I will not be able to spend the holidays with them. I feel left out in a way. I will say that I have been blessed by the grace of God, and love him so much for that.

As of lately I have been really stressed out and feeling depressed due to work, and not seeing my family and friends. This is the time of year to spend with loved ones, and enjoy each others company! I have seeked out help for my issues, and have to say it has helped and all I ask is that the Lord give me the strength to get through it, I know he is with me each and everyday watching over me and making sure I am taken care of; Lord I love you for that! He has also given me the gift of amazing friends, without them I would be all alone. I thank him so much for that. Feeling alone while being half way around the globe is not a good feeling to have.

One more way that I know I am not forgotten back home and have been blessed, the ladies from church and my mom's friends have sent me care packages. I thank them for the kindness they share, and the for the gift of wanting to help others in times of need. I was honored to hear they wanted to help me out this year! I feel that God has a purpose for me and has called me to South Korea for a reason, and I know that I will get to see all of my family and friends back home soon enough. It is just hard adjusting to my new life style that I haven't always been accustomed too.

This is the third time I have listend to Cut Copy's Saturdays. I don't know why but it is putting me in a really great mood. It is bringing back fond memories of working at AE, and it is all together a uplifting great song! In fact I will listen to it one more time!!

Experiences

It has been about two months since first landing on the pennisula. I have seen and experienced a lot. This place is always changing. It reminds me of a scene from Pochantas where she is paddling down the river singing about how you never see the same river twice, meaning it's always changing and never the same. Being here I see the same places but I feel that it's never the same. To me, this can be a very exciting and challenging experience.

Recently I had experienced a lot of stress and frustration build up. It got to the point to where it was almost consuming my thoughts. I would walk to work thinking this would be an awful day, and I just know that I am going to do something wrong and get in trouble. I finally told someone, and talked to a Chaplin. Talking to the chaplin was the best thing I could do. I put my faith in God, and listened to what the chaplin was telling me. He put things in perspective, and really shined a new light on my situation which helped me understand my role. I was having a hard time grasping why I couldn't do things others around me could do. He responded to me by saying " If I knew and could do what they did, I would not have two stripes." He's right, I wouldn't. I think I was putting unreal expections on myself and found it devistating when I didn't meet or exceed those expections. My job now is to ask questions and lots of them! I get paid to do that. Going back to work after talking with him, had a positive effect. I found myself not taking it so harsh when I did make a mistake; it's ok I'm not perfect, nor do I want to be. I just want to be proficient at what I do and do it well! I am still learning a lot and I want to learn more.

At times, work can seem overwhelming and tends to have long hours. I can only hope in the future that I can learn to manage stress levels, and remember God is in control, and doesn't give me anything I couldn't handle. I thank him for allowing me to have caring people in my life who are willing to help me and be there for me when I need them. My friends, and family and people of the church have helped me, and one day when I am needed for one of them I hope that I am able to help them in the way they took the time to help me. I couldn't be without them in my life, so thank you Lord for letting me know such amazing people!

Two weeks into and still going.

I have been in Korea for two weeks now, and it is unbelievable! Sometimes it feels as if I am still in a dream, wondering if I am ever going to wake up to find myself back in Arkansas. I love it here. I have met some really cool people from the shop.

The weather here is great too. It is fall now, so it is getting a little colder, but I hear winter here is cold, so not sure if I am ready for that or not. It is cloudy today and I've only seen rain here once.

I went out to downtown Songtan last night to a few bars and had a really great time. My first experience in Korean bars, and they were playing American music, ha. I still had a good time with everyone.

Three day weekend this week! Thank you Family Day! I can't wait. I hope to make it to Seuol. I am starting to learn basic and I mean basic Korean. I want to learn more and as much as I can. We'll see how far I get in a year.

I want to start volunteering. Not only to get good EPR bullets, but to make a difference, and to see what lies beyond the gates of Osan. I am anxious to see what the rest of this tour has to offer.

South Korea!

I have arrived to the land of the morning calm after a 12 hour nonstop flight! I have to say this country took me by surprise! I must admit, at first coming over here I wasn't sure how I felt about being stationed here. I thought things were going to be different from what I have experienced. All I can say is this country is one the most interesting and diverse places I've visited. The landscape here is amazing.

The drive from Seoul to Osan was pretty exciting. Everywhere you look there are high rise apartment buildings, and lots of traffic. The land reminds me of home as pine trees dot the land all over. The weather is absolutely perfect. Not to hot, and light jacket weather at night. What more could you ask for? This is much better than being in Wichita Falls, TX where the high was 90* plus in the afternoon.

The base is pretty nice too. I think I will invest in a bike, because there is too much walking involved, and that just takes up time. The BX is probably the nicest and biggest ones I've been too. Lots of vendors and restaurants to choose from! AND they have two of my favorites places; Starbucks and Chili's. I am happy about that, and will be celebrating there for my birthday tomorrow night! Seeing F-16's fly over all day is very exciting, although it's not like I won't be working on them all day!

The city outside base is great! Lots of shops, and fun people; like Song Tan Sally....don't ask.....The shop owners like to bargin with you I found out, so it's pretty neat you don't have to pay the first price you hear. I look forward to going back out, and finally making it to Seoul one day! But take my advice; don't buy the squishy animals you throw on the ground because as I found out first hand, they will explode all over you! It was funny nonetheless!

Overall, I am extremely happy I got stationed here. This base is fast paced and I think that it could have its advantages. I'll learn fast and pass my CDCs and get promoted and get to take more college classes sooner! I am looking forward to what the future holds for me here at Osan!

creative inspirations

Creativity is defined as the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.

While watching the movie Coraline; it amazes me at the level of creativity behind it. Not only the storyline, but also the artistic side to it. Thus being, the music, the figures in the film, the set. One must have lots of patients to create a stop motion film that is close to two hours long. I could not imagine what it would be like taking thousands of photos and moving the clay figures frame by frame. The end result is one amazing work of art. You watch it maybe not thinking about what it actually took to make the film. Going back to the definition; transcending ideas, patterns, and imagination are all at play here. Where does one come up with these ideas? I definiatly feel that artists influence other artists. I know that artists past and present have had some influence in the work that I've created, and I like that.

Does ones creativity just come and go? Can one ever lose it? That, I do not know. But being creative allows you to express yourself, feelings, and communicate something through a different kind of medium be it on paper, film, or spoken.

Inspiration is all around you; at least it is for me. Looking out the window, I see so many different things that could be ideas for next works of art. so many patterns out there, so many shapes, mostly man made i.e the dorm or the concrete road barriers that line the side of the street creating not only visual movement but repitition. It's like someone took a snapshot and said "Here, talk about what you see using the elements and principals of design." It would be so easy. That's what I love about art. It's not just in a history book or in a museum. I see potentinal works of art out in nature everyday, and it continues to give you new types of mediums or inspirations, thus, using your creativity and turning into something!

I have been listening to Imogen Heap a lot lately. Words can not describe how creative and innovative that woman is. She continues to amaze me. She inspires me to go outside my boundries and limits. Her music, if you haven't listend to it STOP reading and do so now! The amount of work and time and thought that goes into it is mind boggling!.! For example, take the song The Fire; she incorporated a recording of a crackling fire as the background of her playing the piano. The piano just envokes such a distinct feeling against the fire sound it just ahhh there's no way for me to really explain it! Where did get the idea about putting the sound of a fire in with the sound of a piano, and have it work? I would love to know wher inspirations come from. Her music puts me in a very relaxed mode; one where I can think about how I can express feelings and or emotions through my work of art.

If you are still reading this, that's great, and I was able to hold your attention about the subject. I am curious as to where you get inspirations or ideas or creativity from? Are they the same as mine? Do minds really think a like?

Life's lessons

In my short time of being in the military, I have learned a lot. Somethings I already knew, somthings I didn't. After tech. training, I learnd a few more things about being in the Air Force. One thing it has taught me is to have patients. If you do not have that, then you will not go far in your career. Also, my training squadron believes in group punishments. You're wondering, what's the big deal with that, right? Wrong!

The MTL's believe that it is teaching us a lesson. what lesson is that? A lesson in watching over each other and being a 'good wingman' or sayings come into play like '...never leave an airman behind...'? I have not once learned anything from being punished from other peoples mistakes other than the fact it makes me irritated to no end. Am I being a bad wingman because I am doing the right thing and staying out of trouble, or for not making sure my fellow wingman are doing what they are suppose to be doing? I stay away from pretty much everybody in my squadron for the exception of ten people, who are which of age. I stay away because I rather not be around those people. So, the question arises again of am I being a bad wingman because I decided to stay in that night and watch movies, and not babysit the others who can't do the right thing?

I only wonder these things because this morning, people decided not to go to PT, and we had to get into PT gear after duty hours and do PT for their mistakes. Thank God, we just got a lecture on being a good wingman. A good point was brought up about if people miss out on our mission, the job doesn't get done. That is true. So maybe I need to step up and watchout for my wingman. It just bugs me that I Know how to be responsible, and do the right thing, yes, there have been times where I did not go to PT, or even late, but I have learned my lesson, and based on those actions, will not do it again. Maybe this is their wake up call? I sure hope so. And let this be one of their life lessons.