Just an update before the holidays...

Heya folks,

It's official: I'm a civilian. Friday was my last day in the Navy. Over the weekend, the wife and I plotted course across the United States, embarking on a 19-hour drive from Virginia to Texas. We've got an apartment all set up, but the movers won't arrive with our stuff until Dec. 2nd, so we're staying at my mother-in-law's house for the week. I had a big job interview yesterday, so keep your fingers crossed, because at the moment I'm a jobless bum. My mummy would be so disappointed.

Well, that's all I got, folks. I don't even have a relevant picture to share with you, so I'll leave you with this:



For some reason, my wife thinks this picture is amusing. I fail to see the humor.

-Sailor Matt

One of us needs help, and it's not me...

So, we're moving, right? I get out of the Navy in three days, and we're moving to the Great State of Texas (I say that like I've ever lived there). In the midst of packing up our stuff, however, I have come to a very serious realization... My wife has too much yarn.

My wife, you see, is a crocheting maniac. She makes baby booties and hats and other such nonsense and sells them on eBay. She makes a decent amount of money, too. Our Jamaica trip last month was almost entirely funded by her compulsive crochet habit. But every habit comes with a price...

I've added some props to give the next photo a little perspective:

I think an audit of my wife's re-investment expenses might be in order. I damn near threw out my back trying to move that thing.

-Sailor Matt

Running For Livestock!

Heya folks, just wanted to drop a line and mention that I've embarked on a charity effort for Heifer International. Inspired by Patrick Rothfuss' charity challenge (here), I've created Running for Livestock, a shameless attempt at soliciting donations for this honorable cause. I've pledged to run a mile for every $10 I raise, so if yer lookin' to see me eat my words, head on over to my Donation Page and make a contribution. At the moment, I'm up to $80... I'd better start hittin' the pavement!

On the other hand, you could head over to Pat's Donation Page if you're interested in a raffle for sweet author swag. Either way, our global community wins, which makes you a hero in my book.

-Sailor Matt

Living the Life

An uninteresting sequence of events transpired this afternoon that ultimately resulted in me returning home from the barber shop with a healthy plate of Chinese food, to be eaten alone. As I sat in the quiet room, munching on my lunch, I came to realize how picturesque this sight must be. I'm seated at a card table with a beer at my left and a computer to my right, shoveling in mouthfuls of takeout Chinese. I think I even dribbled a little on my shirt. Few women (although there are some) would understand the awesomeness of this experience. My wife would say that I'm not taking care of myself. I argue that I am taking care of myself, and this bachelor-styled meal was exactly what I needed. Cathartic, even.

No one wants to eat fast food on a card table for every meal; my wife makes incredible pork chops and rice, and a mean chicken and wild rice soup that I wouldn't give up for the world. Still, the TV dinner will always have a place in the man's heart, right next to his appreciation for war movies and the secret desire to brew his own beer. This quiet afternoon was pure bliss.

And the fact that I blogged while eating my man-lunch makes it that much more awesome.

-Sailor Matt

Halloween Costume 2008!

Holy Toledo! I just realized that I haven't shared with ya'll this year's Halloween costume! The party was awesome and my Tribal Warrior costume rocked, but it was colder than a witch's tit outside (that means it was really cold). I wanted to add some warpaint, but ran out of time before the guests started showing up...

I hope the movers don't break my skull staff when they pack up our stuff in a few weeks. Its really a cool staff.

-Sailor Matt

Munchies!

I do a fair amount of exercise to maintain my girlish figure. In fact, I make a concerted effort to go running twice a week. A day's run is usually six miles, and after a healthy jaunt like that I tend to acquire an incredible craving for food. More specifically, sweet food. In fact, just the other day I consumed the following within 20 minutes of returning home from such a workout:

That's a 965 calorie sugar coma, folks. Seriously, I have to ask myself- what the hell's the point?

Coincidentally, this is also why my wife and I share a love/hate relationship. She says she gains weight just by thinking about food, and I lose weight if I don't eat enough of it. Together, we bring balance to the Universe.

-Sailor Matt

Two Alarm Fire on Halloween Night

Well, folks... I'm sorry to report that not everybody in my neighborhood was able to enjoy their evening on Halloween Night. A fire broke out in one of the buildings in my apartment complex around 8:00 on All Hallows' Eve. Fortunately, no one was injured, but a few dreams were shattered as some returned home from Halloween festivities to find that their homes were gone. 11 units in the 12-unit building were affected.

These photos were taken from my patio:

Taken from the news helicopter:

The aftermath:

An article about the fire can be found here.

It was a sad night in the neighborhood.

-Sailor Matt