flight ops, more Haiti and MSCs

I'm outside again loving the wi-fi. I guess it has been installed on the ship. I'm waiting to be excited until I know for sure. I should teach you a term now. Scuttlebutt. defined: rumor. Rumors run rapid and I never believe anything I hear until it has been confirmed by someone with authority. I know rumors are a thing of every day life but believe me when I say they take on a whole new level here.
I took so many pictures in Haiti the day I was onshore but never got a chance to share. These women were at the public market we drove through. We were stuck in traffic for a long time. Of course I didn't mind because of the volume of activity for me to watch. People were everywhere. They were walking in the traffic that has no rules. No stop signs, no right or wrong side of the street. Everyone honking. Under the parked trucks people are selling onions and other wares.

This guy is the Bozeman {Boz} of the ship. He is one of the MSC's on board and saw the opportunity to set up a cart outside where the boats are being launched. Quite the entrepreneur. They are the engineers and captains who run the ship and aren't military. I have a matching bracelet now like the one he is wearing. The MSC's let me know that I'm officially one of the crew by wearing it. It's a cool knot type thing that has a interesting name {that I've forgotten} but it's a love knot sailors give to the ladies.
the helicopter comes and goes so often that that constant vibrating in the mess decks or seeing it hover above us is just another background noise. {and fun to watch}More fishing. One of my favorite things about life on the Comfort {other than the 3 huge meals a day} are the skies. Never the same thing twice.

office with a view: 1-83-0

Abandon ship drill. RP2 Fields and RP3 Strothers. The 2 guys I work with in the library.

Serving chow

We haven't had access to internet for days now. I brought my laptop outside to see if I could get lucky with wi-fi and I did!! It's fast and the view is unbelievable! I'm port side, in the shade, watching the boats come and go with the people going to shore. Dom Rep is just right there. So close, but I haven't made it there yet. Hopefully next week.
Fitting that the Ministry Team would go fishing together as a farewell party to Rev. Sparks.

'Sparky'
He is a one of a kind character. I've had such a good time working with these guys.

My friend Chuck.

constellations

Haiti is in our rear view mirror so to speak. We pulled out of the bay around 1700 last night and the sea and sunset were absolutely beautiful {pictures to come, I promise}

I love when we are underway. I could be a sailor, or maybe a pirate. {their outfits are cuter}The rolling makes it fun to walk down the halls like a drunken sailor, the wind feels great after the humid heat, the movement makes me sleep like a baby. All of it.

It's been a bit of a holiday on board since we got underway. We were told to take advantage of the relaxed schedule. Get some extra sleep, decompress. I had good intentions of sleeping for hours.

We met for sacrament meeting last night, then went out to the flight deck and watched 'Taken' projected on the side of the helicopter garage.

I couldn't focus on the movie, I was too distracted by the backdrop. I have never seen so many stars in my life.

After the movie Daryl, Chuck and I went up to the highest deck where the pallets are kept and laid back on lounge chairs made out of crates and enjoyed the view. Time flew by and I didn't realize I'd missed on my extra sleep time, but it was well worth it. I wish I weren't so tired so I could think of words to describe the beauty and the awe I felt looking at one of Heavenly Father's beautiful creations that is so much bigger than my understanding.

hope floats

The little blip on the horizon is The Comfort. {The other tiny spec is the helicopter.} Seeing it from this perspective is strange because I've spent the last 19 days {with the exception of 1 day} on this ship. Crazy to be reminded of how small it is in comparison to it's surroundings when all the places I spend my time, day and night, are contained in that small space.

The Tooth. Need I say more? It's hot and the eyes are to low to see out of. I have all kinds of jokes. What do you call a tooth when it faints?

Impacted.

funny right?

cloud nine

It’s hard to choose what to tell you guys about. There is so much going on all the time, and so much of it unlike anything I’ve ever done.

Monday night I discovered I wasn’t on the manifest to get on a boat to go to Haiti as planned. I tried tracking down the right person to fix the problem, but couldn’t find her. I set my alarm for 5 am anyway and got up after deciding that I would figure something out.

I saw ‘Big Al’ on the MasDec where we ‘muster’ to go and asked him who I should talk to about getting on a boat. He told me I wasn’t going to be able to get on one since they were full. Instead, I should come up to the flight deck and catch a ride on the helicopter. Oh, if I have to. WHAT?! WOW.

Bird's eye of the busy market

The next 15 minutes were the longest because we were waiting to see if the other slated passengers would show up. They didn’t. Al asked if I had a long sleeve shirt in my pack. No, but I’ll get one. I’ve never made the trek up and down the 86 stairs so fast in my stay here on the Comfort.

I lucked out with a seat next to the door. We lifted off in the blink of an eye. One minute I'm watching the guys on the deck, the next we are way above the boat and turning on a dime. It wasn't until then that realized they were going to leave the doors open for us so we could have a clear view of the scenery below. I was told the trip would be a short one, but because the XO was with us and he was going to Haiti to look at the different medical sites and projects going on, we flew along the shoreline and did a few loops around the area. I didn’t mind the extended trip in the slightest.

I hadn’t lived until I rode in a helicopter! I took a ton of pictures {close to 200 total thruout the day} I had the time of my life and yesterday I had the thought, ‘How am I going to top this?’ It seems impossible.

The day was one of those days that everything is simply awesome. One of the humanitains here in Haiti needed to be escorted into the gated area where we landed. The pallets of donated goods are being stored there and she was there with two big trucks to take food to the people in need. This required a ride through a very crowded market place. I was taking it all in as much as I could because I knew it was rare glimpse of the city. Normal procedure is directly to and from the medical sites. How did I get so lucky to see so much of what makes Haiti so cool?

Next, we drove into town where the Seabees are working on fixing up a hospital. From there we were escorted by a guard on a short walk down the road to the Institute where I worked {or played} the rest of the day as ‘The Tooth’.

I walked the outdoor halls in my 7’ foam insulated costume in ‘hot as Haiti’ weather in between classes at a health fair for young nurses from different institutes. While they were in class I hung out on the balcony overlooking the busy street below drinking water and enjoying the constant flow of foot traffic below. The people walking by would smile and wave.

From the reports coming back all week from people coming back from the country I expected to not like Haiti, but I did. It is beautiful in a hectic, vibrant way. It is the most populated country in the world. Isn’t that crazy?

The other crazy thing is that I'm here in the lounge putting this post on the net and realized I didn't upload a picture of me in The Tooth getup. Goodness, that just won't do. I'll post it later.

bonjou

Nothing new for me to tell you, just enjoying my saturday afternoon. The hospital has patients, the dignitaries have come and gone, my laundry is done... I don't know what else to do today. I had the slacker shift at the library today. One whole hour to cover the morning shift while Reyes went to chow.

I like seeing the variety of boats that come by during the day.

Doesn't that look like the Black Pearl in the distance? OK, not really, but I'd prefer Johnny Depp over the real pirates out there.

chow celebrity

Chow {meals} is fun. I like standing in lines and having a bunch of starchy stuff to pick from to eat. I'm catching on to how where to fresh stuff hides out in the line up and I'm staying away from all the other stuff. {My ankels are totally swollen from all the salt}

I was enjoying my hard boiled egg, oatmeal and melons yesterday morning when a couple new faces sat down at my table. I hadn't seen them around yet but that really isn't surprising. We introduced ourselves and I found out they had just come on board with the Rear Admiral for a few days.

We were chatting about whatever when one of the colleagues came and sat down. The first thing I noticed was 'NCIS' on her shirt. OH! SWEET!

She left to get a drink and I asked them if she was for real? Of course. They laughed and said they'd introduce me. I got shy.

I was starstruck. I love that show. She gave me a badge. I show it to everyone.

Haiti

The fantail. Love this part of the ship. It's where everyone goes to escape the beige-ness. OK, so maybe I'm the only one escaping the horrible color of the walls, but everyone loves the fresh air and relative quiet altho there is still plenty of noise there too. I haven't heard complete silence since I got here. Don't take it for granted.

Republic of Haiti

I know it is just water but I haven't got tired of looking at it yet.

Wandering the ship the other night we found a lounge chair on one of the decks that is used to store all the donated goods. Can't find me? This is where I'll be hiding.

I was out on the fantail last night after dinner enjoying the fresh air when I noticed a flashing light off in the distance. It took me a second to realize it wasn't a boat, it was a lighthouse. Land. Haiti.

We didn't actually pull in to the port until this morning. I heard the first call to the MAS deck to muster and board the boats to go ashore and the excitement level went up a notch. Right now as I'm typing the helicopter is landing after being gone for about a half hour. It has been coming and going all morning as well as the boats taking in supplies and the first 'boots on the ground' setting up for the clinics tomorrow. The whole ship has been buzzing with this enthusiasm that is so contagious. I woke up this morning for the third morning in a row without the aid of my alarm clock ready to get up and do something. Anything. It's like I've been plugged in to some invisible battery. That, or the amount of carb consumption is propelling me up and down the stairs, but I think it is the feeling of being part of something like this that keeps us all buzzing.

Working with the Chaplain has been a treat. I go to am mornings with him and his staff. We talk about the upcoming day and ways that we can be most useful. I've filled out my paperwork to go onshore sometime next week to do some community stuff including being a part of Project Hand Clasp. {giving out teddy bears to kids}

second day

update: Don't use the military email address I gave out. I don't have access to it anymore. If you've sent anything to it, please send it again to my gmail account.

Life is good. I'm somewhere on the way to Haiti. We are going 'the long way' so we get there about the same time as the others meeting us there. We are in the Bermuda Triangle! How cool is that?

I like the rolling of the ship. It's weird and different. I'm rocking back and forth as I write this and it is a totally cool feeling.

The water is beautiful. A blue color I've only ever seen in a tube of paint. Aquamarine? Gorgeous. I have found that anywhere I have to go onboard can be rerouted so that I 'have' to go outside to get there. This is easy to do since even tho I live on the lowest level, and muster in a low level, and you'd think I'd never see the light of day, I have to come up to a main level to get there. Why not go outside to do it?

Met with our commander yesterday to get my assignment. I'm working in the library while we are 'underway' and filling in wherever needed. When we get to our destinations I will be working on 'com rels' re: going on shore to help with community projects. We've had lots of briefings to go to and lots more on the schedule today. {I'm in the Navy now!} Love the briefings, feels official. {I can hear you laughing Ben}

First Full Day

Started early, or I guess just blended with yesterday in a way.

I've moved into my berth, there are 93 racks {bunks} stacked 3 high.  We
aren't at capacity, Rachel and I have 6 to ourselves and we both are on
the middle bunk.  Not too high, not too low.  Skinny little bed with a
curtain to keep out the glare of the emergency exit sign located
directly across from me.

The head {bathroom} is nearby. The mess hall is 8 floors up.  The flight
deck is 2 more above that.  I went outside this morning to see what was
happening and found that we were already underway.  We were escorted out
to sea by fire fighter boats spraying water.  The Witch Doctors {guys
who take care of the helicopters} were more than happy to show me around
and explain their part of the mission.

Everyone is very friendly.  I'm trying to remember all the names.  There
are 900+ people onboard from all branches of military, including
military from Canada, France, Venezuela, etc.  There are doctors from
all over the world, a dental school from CA, Project Hope, Face, the
list goes on and will be even longer as the mission goes on.

We did an orientation this morning to let us know about the boat, safety
etc.  We will at some point be blindfolded and have to find our way to
an exit.  {looking forward to this}

We just finished lunch.  My new buddy Rachel and I sat down at an empty
table for what we thought would be a quick lunch so we could go take
naps {less than a couple hours of sleep total last night} when a
friendly gentleman asked to join us.  Soon the table was full and I
asked him what his command was.  He didn't answer directly, but the man
next to him said "He's the man in charge."  Commodore.  But 'Call me
Bob.' Is what he told us.

This has been my experience with everyone on board so far.  Friendly,
easy going, and ready to work.  We get to Haiti Thursday morning, will
start taking on patients the following day, then surgeries start the day
after that.

Off to 'muster' we do this 3 times a day.  Meet with our commander and
take roll.  If we are late or don't make it they assume the worse.  Stop
the boat {takes 3 miles to do so} turn around {another mile} and
commence a man over board search.

3 minutes to climb 6 flights, better get goin

Miss u all.

bon voyage

To do lists:

• finals are finished.

• my stuff has been moved to the basement and awaits in a tidy pile in my new room for me to come home and put it all away. I'm so excited to put it all away! Something to look forward to when I get home

• my bags are packed and have been weighed {45 lbs. and not an inch to spare}
  

• the alarm has been set for 4:30 {just getting used to military schedules I suppose}
  

• new blog set up for the usns comfort - continuing promise {check the sidebar}
  

• I have run ten thousand errands and crossed everything off of my lists...except saying goodbye. I avoid it like the plague. I don't do it. So if you are wondering why I haven't said goodbye? It's just something I avoid.

Left to do: Teach my dad how to blog so you guys can see what we're up to. {Hoping for updates once a week} I've set it up so your comments will get forwarded to my military email. I'll miss checking in with your blogs so if there is anything going on remember your friend {me} and fill me in the old fashion way {re: email!}

All aboard!

final + moving

blurry proof of hours of work over the last month on my studio final. So crazy that after all that time spent the only thing I have to show are two boards {and a specification cd detailing every last fixture, fabric and accessory in the space}

What I'd really love is to see if the space actually works. It does in my head but would someone really want to live there? It's a bit anticlimactic to spend all that time thinking of every last detail, present the thing, then stop thinking about it and add the boards to the growing pile in my room.
We're playing musical rooms here at the house. Frybaby promised me I'd see this happen if I lived here long enough. I love change! The guys are being moved from the basement to the top floor and Coree, Casey and I are taking over the basement. Most excited about the closet below the stairs. I feel like I'm bargain shopping in my own closet. {It rocks in there}

I went and picked colors for the new room {technically the theater room}. My favorite out of the bunch is Golden Cricket - yellow with some great gray/green undertones. It is a warm, but not in a big obvious way so it can help with the mental coolness of the basement. Can't wait to see if the 'client' likes it.

A major + to the day is my new drafting table I picked up from my studio professor tonight for a total bargain. Handmade and sleek. Has me excited about next semester.