The Constorium of Greater Minds

18 days late on this one. time was a commodity the last few months of 2009. long days and late nights of work and what for? but 2009 was mostly good, just enough bad to complete the balance. started out the year in a relationship that has since grown into something strong and perhaps…undying? who knows? i like to think i do. right away we were tested as the blue ridge deployed for a couple of months on the usual course from singapore to manila to south korea. the journey was fun and my role on the ship was enjoyable as i finally had a feeling of mastery over my position on the bridge. every night lisa and i talked on the phone…good thing blue ridge is a communications ship…thank you american taxpayers for footing the long distance bill. hmm, how many post mid-watch conversations did we have? i can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be apart from loved ones during the days of letter mail. oh, but before setting sail there was an unforgettable tour of new zealand with jeff. saw an old friend from uw in auckland and bore witness to some of the most beautiful country in the world. a trip not soon to be forgotten. jumping forward. returned from deployment to finish out my last three months in japan. cliche, yes, but bitter sweet, too. lots of weekends in tokyo. walking my favorite spots, committing things to memory. yoyogi park, harajuku, daikanyama, nights in ropongi. lisa arrived for june, my last month. i took off for two weeks and we let loose in tokyo and relaxed on the island of niijima. spent time visiting with friends and all the time growing together. i said goodbye to lisa and to japan on the morning of july 2nd. she on a flight home to manchester and i on a flight san diego with a stop off in seattle. a few nights in seattle visiting em and mo and other compadres. then down to san diego which i promptly left on a train north to stay with nick in LA for the week. finally, back down to san diego to begin a month and a half of DCA (damage control assistant) school. fast forward 1.5 months and i check on board the new ship, uss halsey. wow, life could not have been different from six months ago. but, trying to make the most of a new experience, trying to live a life that is very noticeably not complete – missing a major component in the form of a beautiful girl one content and an entire ocean away. so here i am, in the real navy, the adventure found on blue ridge is gone, the original cast is spread out across the globe, the glamour has disappeared. but, while 2009 ended in stress mode when it came to the professional side of life, it also ended wonderfully on a personal level. i flew home to europe for the first time since winter 2007. saw my parents, lisa saw my parents, i saw lisa’s family, visited london for the first time in ages, met some of lisa’s friends, was delayed an extra two nights and had pretty much the most amazing time with lisa. now back in america and awaiting what 2010 holds. it’s my last full year in the navy…perhaps. depending on things that will reveal themselves mid year i may stay around for a couple of years as lieutenant allen but that will depend on a few circumstances out of my control and whatever reveals itself this year i take comfort in the idea (edit: fact, so i’m a little superstitious) that it will be the last lisa and i spend apart. oh, and jeff is in town and z will be soon…things are looking up a bit. 2010 is all about staying positive, strengthening relationships, looking towards the future while remembering to enjoy the present. here’s wishing your best days of 2009 are your worst of 2010. peace