As with most things, I am either ahead or behind the time. For blogging it is the latter. Does anyone still blog? I have read a fair share of them in the last 12 years, but it wasn't until a friend shared a link for theirs that I decided I would try and make one again. The blogged rants will have no set course, just serve as a record of the roller coastered life of insanity that I live. From now until the time that this loses interest to me.
No promises as to the experience anyone will have when reading this. After all for me this is therapeutic, so no fucking apologies.
When I was young I was told that the key to happiness is to find a job that is doing something you enjoy. It took me a while. At the age of 22, I joined the US Coast Guard. At first I thought made a truly stupid decision, I tried to get thrown out. Nothing too unforgivable, I didn't want to spend any time in a brig. But the Executive Officer (XO) who is second in command on a boat for those who don't speak Military, decided not to let me quit. It pissed me off something fierce. One day I found out he was going to kick out another guy who didn't want to be in, I stormed into his stateroom furious and yelled at him "What the fuck, Sir? Why are you letting ###### out?" He looked at me from behind his desk, smiled and told his wife he would call her back a little later and hung up the phone. His smile seemed to extend from ear to ear. He told me "Son, next time knock." And I felt so ashamed I couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. "I have faith that you will become a great sailor and something the Coast Guard would be proud to claim as a member." I retorted back "Save the recruiting speech for someone else."
He laughed and told me "I thought that it sounded like a recruiting speech too."
I immediately looked up to see him chuckle. "Truth is I have been thinking about how I would ever tell you that, since you asked me to kick you out." Puzzled and mouth gaping wide I just stared at him. "I have been doing this job for most of your life and I am fantastic judge of character, some like ###### just don't have what it takes but you do."
He went on to tell me a lot more that day,
The thing that changed me the most was when he told me "You will make a difference in this world, you will forever change the lives of the people who come in contact with you."
Every day since I make it my purpose in life to affect people I meet. Sometimes I am sure people think I am a prick or vulgar or whatever. But I will be remembered when I leave this world. Hopefully most of it will have a positive effect.
