Cashins Rants

So it lives...

2008-02-01T01:30:00.000-06:00

I'm listening to Rascal Flatts, I don't know why, a month ago I thought it was like nails on a chalkboard. It really grew on me, still don't know if the lead singer is a chick or a dude yet, i'll get it eventually.

You careen through life at a break neck pace, barely able to get a glimpse of the roses we're trying to smell, trying to savor their sweet fragrance, but no matter how amazing the smell, all we seem to remember are the thorns that pierced us acquiring it.

I thought of that, I like it. It's emo-ie but it has a distinct ring of truth to it. The time between this post and the previous one has run it's toll on me. I've become a better, wiser, person. I've made some pretty big changes in my life. Many of my friends that at least used to frequent here are framiliar with them.

I feel now my life is at a cross-roads. To make some decisions that have been haunting me since my birth, others that have been haunting me for a much shorter time. So to you my last dear reader, I shall finally share my only life regrets.

When I was 18 I had lauded about my enlistment into the USAF. I had passed the ASVAB, cleared my Med check and was getting processed for boot. My hopeful careers were "Nuclear Weapons Technician" and "Crew Master." I'm not going to lie to you guys, I really really wanted to play with the big bombs. When "The list" came out that showed the needs of the USAF that year, NWT and CM were nowhere to be found. My 3rd Choice, "Security Ops," was in high demand however. So I backed out, I was nothing short of a fucking coward. I would have been just peachy with Security Ops, but I used the lack of NWT as an excuse not to join. That decision has haunted me from the second I made it. I can still hear the disappointment in my recruiters voice when I called him.

I only have one other regret, and at the risk of sounding Cliche' i'm going to run with it anyway.

I never told her how I felt.

Yes, every single guy has "lost someone" they never had. No matter what your man tries to tell you, there was another that probably still troubles him. I was there, I had the opportunity to just fucking say it, and I blew it, I bit my tounge and said what I should have said, not what I wanted to. EVERY night, no matter where I am, the last thing I say before I fall into the sister of death that is sleep, I think "Why didn't I tell her?" My mind always answers "Because you're a fucking coward."

Now we come to what's commonly reffered to as, "The Point." Remeber when I mentioned that we dwell on the thorns of life? Well, enlisting in the USAF was an incredible experience that gave me a huge insight into military life, all the hopes of leaving the state to pursue something greater than myself, but what do I remember from that experience?

The click of the telephone on my last conversation with an Air Force recruiter.

Or her? I was honored to have even met her, let alone spend what little time there was together as friends, and with her all the time in the world still wasn't enough. It was awesome and I still have memories I wouldn't exchange for the world, but what do I remember?

When I couldn't just say "I'm in love with you."

So here I stand at my cross-roads. I've made my decision. I need to prove to myself that I am capable. Recently I made a large decision to go Marines, it was a decision I had been toying with for the past couple years but I finally said to myself it was time to shit or get off the pot, so last week I called the Officer Recruiter in Minneapolis and arranged a meeting to meet and get the paper work spooling. With this I can finally serve my country as I had originally intended, and prove to myself that I am a man. A lot of people think i'm going to back out and I don't blame them, hell i'm going through the same jitters I did back when I was 18. To be honest though I am very firm in this decision, the only things that would stop me from going are being let go because of a medical issue...

or her.

A ring on my finger from her, and i'd make whatever sacrafice necessary to keep her happy, even if it meant my own. I think it's time though for me to realize that that train has long since left the staiton, as if it were even there in the first place. These dilemmas in my life have forced me to try to live without regrets! It's been fantastic thus far, i've become more outgoing but I won't be pure and ready for life until I truly shed them, so here goes.

The day my heart exploded.

2007-05-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

So what are my excuses now, well i'm still insanely behind on my flight template, it's finals week, oh and my girlfriend of 4 years left me for another guy (Dyke). Not that I care, because today the worst thing ever happened to me today...

So I didn't do to hot on the last aviation exam, the HSI whooped my ass up and down the stairs. So like the good Aviation student I am, I go in for my retake. While that might not sound very exciting, here, I'll liven things up a bit.

If I don't get at least a C on the retake I have to repeat the entire course.

Well thats not really a big deal, I can handle this, I step into his office politely ask if he's available now, says sure thing, hands me the retake and invites me to sit down and take it at his desk. I happily oblige, because I have nothing to worry about, I spent the better part of the night studying the HSI and situational awareness, at least 3 hours total. I can read them backwards, forwards, in the dark and with a monkey on my back, an angry one. So i'm not worried in the least bit, I sit down, look over the test and that's when my heart lept into my throat and then back down into my stomach where it drilled a hole through my spleen.

It was 10 questions.....multiple choice.

Not a single damn HSI interpretation question. Granted I read through the rest of the material, but that accounted for probably about 20-15% of my study time. So here's where i'm sitting at, I've got 10 questions to answer, can only get 2 wrong, pretty much didn't study any of this and if I don't rock this out i'm taking summer school....oh joy.

First 3 questions, BAM BAM BAM, instant easy Q's. 5 more and i'm rocking the casba. I fill out the 4th with a little bit of hesitation, then rock on and hit 4 more, BAM BAM BAM BAM. Hell i've got a shot at this. What are the last 2? Oh simple true and false, but i've seen these before, I had them on the last test! OMG!!!! I got the first one wrong and then 2nd one right!!! EASY A!

So what did I put the first time?

The party in my head just came to a grinding fucking hault. I could not remember what I put the first time. So was the first one true and the 2nd one false? or were they both false? or both true? Well now my heart was beating so fast I couldn't discern the beats from one another. This was it, my summer, my career, in 3 minutes or less. I hastily picked True and True. Turned it over and looked over all my answers, I couldn't afford a mistake here, obviously. I made the motion to turn it into him, stopped....

I changed 3 Answers, all 3 of the ones I was questioning, the 4th one and the last 2. The last 2 now being false and false. I passed it to him across his desk, my heart was beating so fast I thought i'd go into cardiac arrest, bust out the paddles and apply the juice, we're gonna need to shock this kid. He looked it over quickly, then reached into his desk to grab his red pen. It's alright, we have to break a few eggs to make an oml-.......

He just marked the 3rd one wrong.

One of my for sure answers, was just marked wrong....All I can think of now is that I hope my Dad leaves a little bit of my face intact for Mom after he disembowels me and chokes me with my own intestines. I'm gonna die, I don't wanna go to Bismarck tomorrow. He continued the march of the red pen...past the first one I was questioning, talk about saved by gut, the change paid off. Now I just need to get one of those last 2 right and i'll be home free, maybe it's not so bad. He flipped it, looked it over then flipped it back over. I DID IT!!!! and only 1 wrong! Oh shit he just flipped it back over.

150 JOULES, CLEAR!!! *application of the paddles*

He ran his pen over my answers of the last 2 quickly, read them over, then flipped it back to the front, "Good job, only 1 wrong, don't forget the final tomorrow at 10:15!"

My heart has now exploded, because it hurts, ALOT, what else could it be? I somehow stumble out of the office, and make my way towards the exit and my car...well at least I don't need to study block 5 for the final! I definitely don't need to go through that again.

Record time

2007-04-19T18:13:00.000-05:00

Wow that only took a few days.

This was coming up the day of the shooting, Gun Control, seriouly guys, they haven't even finished carving the gravestones, calm down.

Personally if some students had been armed perhaps the body count would have been far more minimal, also if gun control had been slightly more strict then maybe he wouldn't have been able to get a hold of the guns he had.

All I know is it's a little soon, pray for the families, pray for the dead, we can discuss this later.

Iranians...crazy or misunderstood?

2007-04-04T20:35:00.000-05:00

By now you've probably heard that the captured British sailors will be released by the Iranian government. Who knows why, they claimed it was an "Easter present" to the British people, and good for them.

Part of me can't help but wonder if this is just a ploy put on by the Iranians to gain favor for their nuclear program on the world stage. Another thinks that Tehran genuniely wants to be viewed better period. In the end though it was definitely a good move, and smart, we'll have to see how this unfolds.

Arrrrgggghhh old man winter HATES me!

2007-04-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

Winter just won't die and let me finish my flight course...

KGFK 021853Z 36015G21KT 10SM OVC021 M02/M07 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP180

T10221067KGFK 021720Z 021818 35012KT P6SM OVC022
TEMPO 1822 BKN016
FM0400 01015KT 4SM -SN BR OVC015
TEMPO 0711 2SM -SN

In other news Vote Rudy '08!

He's lying he really is dead

2007-03-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

No i'm fine.

I'm so far behind my flight template it's not even funny. Top that with spring break and a new found addiction to "World of Warcraft" and you find where i'm at right now. With little free time and even less to think about a decent blog post with.....a point.

On a SUPER positive note, to make up for my lack of posting I present to you the trailer for POTC:3

Gorgeous...

2007-03-01T19:22:00.000-06:00

Why do I want to be a pilot?

The View

ME ME ME ME ME

2007-02-27T13:10:00.000-06:00

I'm shocked.

College students think they are "speical"

Well not really.

I see this but it's not as big of deal here, probably because this is the upper midwest. I can see how it's much more prevelant in more liberal states. Why? Well perhaps teaching kids that they're always right makes them actually think they are. OMFG!!!! Another shocker. Our school system is getting to the point, in fact in many systems it already is, where students are never wrong. I've heard some teachers gripe how they can't even mark wrong answers on spelling tests. Couple that with anytime a kid trips and skins his knee his parents are dragged in for "Negligence/Abuse" what have you. It all adds up to a dismal future generation.

Perhaps we should start treating kids like....kids. Not other adults. This is why I worry about the future....

A shimmering ray of hope

2007-02-15T14:04:00.000-06:00

Hooray!

Rudy has thrown his hat in. Rudy is my man for '08. While he's pro-choice I think he's less pro-choice as he is pro-states rights. Which is actually something that makes him look good in my book. But oh well, I'm probably wrong about this whole assumption.

Jeb Bush would be an awesome candidate as well, but I think the Bush name is going to be toxic venom for the next few years. Maybe in a few Jeb, maybe in a few...

Barely the minimum

2007-01-29T14:20:00.000-06:00

I've been against a minimum wage increase for sometime. When you increase the wage employers cut hours and hire less employees, oh and raise prices. Liberals NEED to raise the wage, why?

Gee, it’s almost like minimum wage laws hurt the very people they’re supposed to help by raising them right out of a job. Conservatives have been saying this for decades, but what the hell do we know? And, ultimately, raising the minimum wage isn’t really supposed to do anything for the poor, it’s to make liberals feel better about themselves. That’s the primary motivating force behind pretty much everything liberals do, their pathological need to congratulate themselves for how wonderful and compassionate they are.

Lee, despite his faults, certainly hits one every now and again which is why I keep stopping by every so often. With minimum wage he summed up my feelings so well it's as if I were writing them.

Just a thought

2007-01-26T11:17:00.000-06:00

Back in the day Bush was NAILED for nominating "Harriet Mears" as a justice of the supreme court, rightfuly so. The outcry from the left about her inexperience could be heard from New York to LA.

Now the Left is pushing for Barack Obama for president, a man who has only served 2 years in the US senate, most of that time spent writing books.

Hypocirsy, thy name is Democrat.

It has been done

2007-01-16T16:09:00.000-06:00

What has our society come to?

Well apparently the US Government has decided that the author of THIS blog is of a mental and physical state to pilot a single-engine-land aircraft. Scary, now will they let me do it for money? We'll see in 2 years.

Private Pilot....it feels as good as it sounds.

I give up

2006-12-22T03:52:00.000-06:00

A completely new effin template..... all my customization deleted, new from scratch, what do I get?

Eff it, I quit. The Sidebar will from here on refferred to as the "Bottom bar"

*UPDATE*

It appears to be fine in Firefox...works for me, mission success.

Still not dead

2006-12-16T17:00:00.000-06:00

I live.

I'm on the final stretch of becoming a licensed pilot. I've refused to update until I can say that I am one. I kind of broke that with this post, but oh well. Just so you guys know how undeniably awesome I am.

Happy 5th Anniversary

2006-11-16T03:35:00.000-06:00

Five years ago today I met someone very special, someone that changed my life for the better.

Thanks for the memories Chief, how long until our 3rd adventure now?

Leave it to San Francisco

2006-11-16T02:27:00.000-06:00

As many of you know I attend, a World Class Flight School. Because of this, I'm surrounded by USAF ROTC cadets. Seriously, these guys....are the biggest bunch of idiots i've ever met in my life. Need a stupid and pointless question to be asked? Call on me! The Academy reject. Any long time readers of this blog know i'm one of the biggest supporters of our military. I agree with the program, and I respect them and give them kudos for signing up. Seriously though, no common sense whatsoever.

With that having been said, San Francisco is at it again.

Banning the JRTOC program in high schools? You have got to be effin kidding me. Only in San Francisco will you find bullshit like this. The quotes are golden, here's my favorites.

"We need to teach a curriculum of peace."

Yup..... Need I remind you this is the city that banned handguns. A Shocker, I know.

Opponents said the armed forces should have no place in public schools, and the military's discriminatory stance on gays makes the presence of JROTC unacceptable.

You can't make this stuff up folks. As long as the school is receiving public tax dollars the military is more than allowed to set up camp. You don't want the military there? Find your own damn money. End of discussion. This is my favorite quote however...

Opponents acknowledged the program is popular and even helps some students stay in school and out of trouble.

Yet they also said the program exists to lure students to sign up for the armed forces.

HOLY SHIT STOP THE PRESSES!!!! Someone has earned a gold star. Communists in SF were able to figure out that the JROTC's goal is to promote leadership and encourage the military as a career. Yes, this VOLUNTARY program. I'm shocked. The article also had pictures, I added a good one...with a few Cashin twists.

Oh yea, it's Thursday isn't it? It's an older one but it's definitely my favorite hands down.

What do you think of this sweet post and picture kool-aid man?

OMFG!!!!!!

2006-11-13T17:03:00.000-06:00

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been praying for this day since May 2002. I've been screaming it at the top of my lungs, and now it's finally happened. Recently they announced that Halo would be postponed. That made me cry, but this, seeing this, it could possible be the best day ever. I can't even put it into words. See for yourself...

Right Here

Election 06

2006-11-08T02:19:00.000-06:00

I voted

End.

I litter, blow me

2006-11-04T02:28:00.000-06:00

Yay more studies.

We'll be out of fish by 2050

What a load of garbage. Honestly, are these the same people that said Oil would be completely gone by the year 2000? or that all the trees would be chopped down by now? I'm betting yes. How do I know this is garabage? With this simple quote.

Worm said. “If the long-term trend continues, all fish and seafood species are projected to collapse within my lifetime — by 2048.”

within his lifetime? 45 years? I'm 20, by the time this happens i'll be 65. So how old is this guy? Even if he's 30 he'll only make it to 75. Which lets me guess that the guy is to damn inexperienced to know what the hell he is talking about. He's also the "Lead Author." Which would logically put him as the most experienced of the entire study. I'm not discounting his study entirely, the climate is warming (Naturally) and some species will die out subsequently. It's been this way since....well....ever. I'm just a little tired of clicking on a news website and reading.

NEW STUDY SUGGEST WE WILL ALL DIE OR BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY 2010

Why can't I ever read about puppies, and how they are so cute or something?

Hate to say I told you so

2006-10-31T14:14:00.000-06:00

Myself and others within my blogroll (JJ comes to mind) have been screaming for years about the importance of saying "Fuck political correctness." How it screws everyone over and a politically correct society has no society. Only bland nothingness, a generic acceptable culture to "all beliefs and faiths." Now those Politically correct douche bags have finally gone and fucking done it.

They've removed a cross from a chapal altar fearing it would offend those of a non-christian nature.

The chapal was that of a college, it's used for many student events both secular and religious. Most quoted said they disagreed with the move and that they were never offended. Here's my favortie part though...

Second-year Engineering student Ilgaz Toros, a practicing Muslim, agreed.

"The fact that it is a religious place shouldn't be denied," Toros said

Even other religions agree. What if this was a mosque? Would they bother even touching it? or is it just christians who get shit on all the time? Well no one likes the jew's either so we're not completely alone.

Dodgeball is coming....

2006-10-31T02:19:00.000-06:00

Any and all Jolly Rogers, below are the details for the 2007 Winterfest Tournament.......this one is not going to slip away, I want a T-Shirt

WINTERFEST INDOOR DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT
Divisions: Men's, Women's, Coed
Location: Area Gyms
Date: Saturday and Sunday, February 17-18
Call 241-1398 for more information.

For more than just hanging coats

2006-10-30T12:38:00.000-06:00

Our college newspaper is a liberal rag comaparable only to the Daily Kos. No surprise.

However one of their letters this week was criticising abortion, a topic that drives me mad and was actually the debate that drove me to the conservative side of thpx 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7416/2112/320/DSC01322.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
We got to the game extra early (5 pm) and the doors weren't even open yet. But once they did, we made a quick dash to a SRO spot in right field. It was a great vantage point, and we could see the whole field. Before the game started, the bullpen was warming up on the field.

Then the star pitcher for the night, Jeff Weaver, came out and threw some pitches to Yadier Molina. Weaver did surprisingly well on Friday. I remember commenting that you can never be too sure how the game will go when Weaver is pitching.
tar pitcher for the night, Jeff Weaver, came out and threw some pitches to Yadier Molina. Weaver did surprisingly well on Friday. I remember commenting that you can never be too sure how the game will go when Weaver is pitching.

*UPDATE*

I don't know what the hell happened, but as I was posting blogger crashed, and look at this...I think I may have traded posts with someone who was posting the same time as me, who know. I'm keeping it just cause it's funny that someone might have my abortion views on their baseball blog. HAHAHA.

The day before...

2006-10-14T00:21:00.000-05:00

My big giant stage 14 stage check is tomorrow. I'm excited to get the damn thing done so I can finally return to normal flight training. In other news I now work at "Wally-World", I know, yell at me in the comments.

and for those that were genreally curious these are the aircraft I fly

UND owns about 80 of these aircraft if i'm not mistake. I've actually flown the one in the very front. Oh the memories...how they hurt my wallet so.

LLO Week 24

2006-10-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

Of all my 24 or so LLO weeks, i've come to notice something....

Lindsay Lohan doesn not change facial expressions!!!!1

thank YTMND for the awesome picture.

Shut up

2006-10-11T00:34:00.000-05:00

I got a facebook, now leave me alone.

Yesterday I was bitched at by 3 different people about not being on facebook. Even my cousin complained! So now you can leave me alone, for I have opened up another site that I will never check or update (and you thought cashin's rants was bad, HA!) . I like this site a lot more than any of the other crap I have. Sorry also for missing LLO week, I had my first stage check and things have been pretty stressful and short of time. I'll be sure to update as soon as I finish the stage check completely and finally start flying again. Arrrrggghhhh being grounded sucks.