Back in the Saddle Again

Well, I am back in the saddle again… and I think I am getting saddle sore already! By that, I mean I am already tired of studying all the time and I just started. I had my first flight this past week and thanks to all those who threw up flare prayers, it went really well. I was quite nervous about the first flight, but I got a cool IP that didn’t come off the top rope with a forearm. I know that isn’t always going to be the case, but I will take them when I can get them! I had several sims and academics this past week, but Thursday marked the start of my sixteen flights. I am scheduled for a flight each day this next week, two sims, and multiple academic classes. It will be a jam packed week, but if all goes well, I could be a third of the way through the program by the end of it. Each flight builds on the previous, while in each phase…and there are four phases. I have four “formation,” two “offensive,” four “defensive,” four “surface attacks,” and a couple miscellaneous flights. Needless to say, the fourth formation and the fourth defensive flights are the hardest of the course, so I may have the fourth formation flight as early as Thursday…so remember me this week…as well as the next few! The amount of information that is required to be stored in my brain is above the capacity limit, so it makes things difficult. It is a hard course and even harder when you are stupid.

In important news, Candi and “junior” are doing very well. The “junior” part reminds me to bring up the point to everyone that we will NOT be naming him Jeremy. I know that is the coolest name, but it isn’t an option. Several people took what I said as the truth and let’s face it; you should never take what I say as the truth.

Here is the latest picture of Candi and the starter baby bump. I told her she should change her clothes, but she has been wearing this outfit since week 16 (for those of you who saw the 16 week photos, you'll know what I mean). We are now at week 20 and at the halfway point. It is all downhill from here.
We also found out that we will probably be in San Antonio until the middle of November. My class in Tucson isn’t going to start until the 29th. A woman a week from her due date is exactly how I wanted to pack and travel across three states! I already told her that I don’t want to hear any excuses about why she can’t pack, lift boxes, or drive a U-Haul at that time…I mean really! In other note worthy news, I have been sleeping on our hide-a-bed lately! Well, it is back to studying...man, I am tired of it.

Good News and Bad News

Which do you want first? I will give you the good news and then you can quit reading and act like there is no bad news. The Presley's are having a baby BOY...or at least that is what the ultrasound technician said we were getting in our order. As I put on Twitter, "at least I didn't have to test God's return policy." We are definitely excited, but I was more excited that we saw two legs, two arms, etc. However, I did only see one eye, so we might have a pirate baby. They weren't able to get all the pictures they wanted because he was a "low rider" and Candi will have to go back next week to get a few last pictures. I don't know if this is foreshadowing that he will become a Canyon County resident or if he is just low riding because that is what everyone one does here.

We are starting to decide on names and so far, "Jeremy" seems to be a favorite just because it is the best name possible. If we named him Jeremy, he could be nicknamed "The Dos" to celebrate that he will be born close to the border. We are open to suggestions, but I do want a "shawn" to be in some part of his name, since a lot of pro athletes have that in their name. Not that I will push him to be on a professional roster before he is 23 years old or anything, but we do want to set him up for success.

The bad news is that I started out my training with a failed simulator flight. I really didn't want to start this way, but it happened. I am now "that guy" and will get treated as such. It wasn't even new stuff that I messed up...not a good sign. We may be home before this boy is born, if I don't shape up. Anyway, I am pretty down about the whole thing, but the news of a seemingly healthy boy went a long way to getting me to step back from the window ledge.

We did make a quick day trip to Corpus Christi to see the beach, dolphins, and our old stomping grounds, not to mention a way to take my mind off of training. Candi did help me study on the way down there. It was a good time and the weather was perfect. Well, it is back to studying! See ya!

IFF has Officially Started

This week brought about the starting of my latest class, IFF (Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals). I mentioned it was going to be a tough one and that will probably prove to be a severe understatement. I was already told there was no reason for me to be here because I surely wasn’t going to pass, I already had to clean the squadron bar at 6:45 ON A SATURDAY MORNING, and the list is just starting. It is a hazing and I understand that. If you don’t believe me, just notice my new name tag with my callsign. I will tell you the “NG” stands for New Guy and if I told you the “F”…well, my mother might march right down here with her Ivory mouth wash!

The fun has just begun, but for right now, we are mainly wrapped up in lecture style academics. We could possibly start some simulator training by the end of this week and flying by the beginning of next week. On top of all that, they give us a lot of little jobs to teach us how to be a good “wingman.” We have to be the first ones in the squadron in the mornings (usually 6ish) to have coffee and popcorn ready, clean, restock the snack bar, and just getting the place ready for the day.

I knew this was going to be the case, so I made sure I enjoyed the time in between classes. I got one last round of golf in and it was a good one. I played around in the late afternoon, which found me having the course to myself. I found out why there was no one around…IT WAS AFRICA HOT! The heat is the reason I did so well…there was no one around to see me kick the ball or tee off a dozen times to find the best ball to play. No, I actually shot a legit 83! I about had a hole-in-one and I would have had no one to witness it. The divot of this tee shot on a 172 yard, par three was less than six inches from the cup. Here is a picture to prove it. Oh and in a totally unrelated item, I learned how to use a new picture doctoring software.

I also decided to try out the Texas Ski Ranch on Saturday. It is a wakeboard and water skiing park where you can get lessons on a private lake or try this “cable pull.”

A track runs around a circular water course and you get pulled around by a cable system. It looked a lot cooler than it was, but most of that negativity is probably because I couldn’t figure it out. They had man made jumps of all sizes that you could go off (I didn’t have the courage to try the 12’ jump) but they were the only ways to get air. Two guys were veterans at the system and could pull and turn at the right spots to get the cable to help them attain air for a jump, but I could never get it figured out. It was fun because haven’t been able to go wakeboarding this year, but it was nothing like going behind a boat and jumping off the wake. I would argue that at this place you only “board” because there is no wake unless you were describing the water after I did a nice back flop off the six foot high ramp. Of course, Candi was there taking these pictures and cheering me on. Her cheering tends to be a lot of clapping and laughing after I have taken a spill, but beggars can’t be choosers!

Our friend & old roommate through pilot training, Jamie, came through San Antonio yesterday. It was nice to see him again. He's already visited us twice while no one else has even visited us once. Not to make anyone feel bad...

Candi continues to work from home and continues to be busy. She battled a bit of a sore throat this week, but the reality of being pregnant set in this week when she bought her first maternity swimsuit…or fatty clothes as I call them, when I am looking for a swift forearm to the head. She continues to use rubber bands to extend the life of her current wardrobe, but those days are going to be quickly gone. She has a starter baby bump and it is going to get bigger before it gets smaller. I feel most of my comments are going to make my lip go through the same process. There is a time and place for snide comments regarding weight, shape, and eating habits and I am starting to realize that they aren’t during pregnancy.

Please remember us in your thoughts and prayers as Candi has a doctor’s appointment on Friday to get an ultrasound, which we are hoping to find out if it is a boy or if we have to exchange it for one. Also remember me in my training. Until next week, see ya!

Last Week Before the Pain

Ah, the last week of my break comes to an end. We tried to enjoy the week and do a much as possible, however, hurricane Alex had other plans. It rained and wasn’t very nice for most of the week and weekend, but it did bring cooler temperatures. And by cooler temperatures, I mean mid 80’s instead of mid 90’s, but the humidity was the inverse. I guess you can’t have it all.

To get out of house, I went to the golf store and they talked me into a new driver. I braved the rain to try it out on Friday and was even able to get a quick round in on the weekend. I tell you what, the salesman was a liar! The new club hits just as crooked as the old club. If I didn’t know how skilled I was I would start to think it was the swinger and not the club…yes, I realized I called myself a swinger.

Candi eventually got tired of carrying my clubs, so we had to do something she wanted to do. Top of her list, was to watch the UFC 116 fight. I didn’t know she was into watching fighting so much; I figured she got that all out of her system when she continually hits, punches, and throws me around. Anyway, we tried to find a spot to watch the fight since we didn’t want to pay the $45 to watch it on our TV. Apparently, all of south Texas had the same idea and some pretty smart (but made me mad) business owners charged cover charges just to get into their restaurants/bars. We finally found a place for Candi to watch it…Hooters! It was so packed that we ended up watching from the sidewalk, outside the building. However, I did see something funny that made me realize we were in Texas….a very pregnant waitress. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but that’s not the image that most people conjure up when they think of Hooters.

If you think I do a lot to cater to Candi- going golfing for her, watching fighting with her, etc., you are right. But, it was time for a little Jeremy time! I chose that we go to the Natural Bridge Caverns about 30min. away. These caverns were pretty neat, although they look like every other cavern I have been to, but Candi had never been to one. Here are a few pictures:


The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. We watched two sets of fireworks, one at the base and one at an adjacent city. They were both really good. We wondered if there would even be any because we only saw one fireworks stand the entire time and it was way out in the country. Our neighbors obviously knew where to go, because they tried to keep our dogs on their toes (paws) all night long with their “bombs bursting in air.”

For all of you that said, “oh yeah, we will come visit you” but never gave it a second thought, there is a really good BBQ place just East of here called Texas Pride. Now do you want to come see us? How about if I tell you there is an accordion in their band? As I said on Twitter (which then makes it to my Facebook status), it ain’t music around here if there ain’t an accordion in it!

Candi is starting to look pregnant. She should start to fit right in around here. I have said many times I have never seen so many fat people in my life, but a news article on Friday backs me. Over 70%...yes over two-thirds…of Texas kids could not pass the state mandated physical fitness test. Only 9% of high school senior boys and 8% of high school senior girls could pass the test. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY? I can’t wait to financially support these people when they develop health problems and can’t work or pay for their health care.

Anyway, back to Candi. She continues to grow and although she has been spending a lot of time working lately, she still finds time to find the end of the Internet with regards to any topic related to having a baby. I am not complaining, because she gives me the “Cliff’s Notes” version and saves me all the reading. I am anxiously awaiting our July 16th doctor’s appointment to find out if we have a boy or a boy (can you tell what I want??!!). Candi doesn’t care either way, but I want to know.

I start IFF on Thursday, so start sending prayers, thoughts, good vibes, or whatever mode you use my way PLEASE. It will be the most intense two months I have had, so as you have seen before, my tone in these posts will probably start changing to a more “poor me” one…SO DEAL WITH IT! See ya!