The goings on...

So, a bunch of stuff has happened over the last few days, and I figure what better way to let everyone know that blog it. That's what these things are for, aren't they? Besides, most of you probably check this before you check your e-mail anyway... addicts.

Over the last few months, my camera (Canon S2 IS) has been acting funny and won't turn on, or when it does, will shut itself off when you push the *take a freaking picture already* button. Upon extensive Googling, I found I had 3 options:

1) Take it to a repair shop and pay more than it was actually worth to get it fixed. To what degree of fixed, nobody knows for sure.

2) Hit it "firmly" (which is sort of subjective) on a table. No kidding, several people said to do it.

3) Take it apart and try to mess with the motor and get it to work right.

Being the man I am, I opted for #3.

It didn't work. I now have a camera in about 3462624573457 pieces in front of me and no idea how to get it back together. I think some springs shot across the room too.

So needless to say, before more pictures get put up, I need a new camera.

Which brings me to goings on number two over the last weekend.

Saturday, the Machinists Union at HawkerBeechcraft voted down the contract by 90% and voted to strike by 89%. So, either I cross the picket line, or I strike. I figure since I voted to strike, I should probably do just that. Which then means no income contribution from me, and losing that much per month doesn't leave room for buying cool things like a new camera. Hopefully though, the $552,000 in interest the company pays per day on the loan for the purchase of the company and the loss of ~$10m in profits per week starts to add up rather soon and we can get the contract we deserve (without the vacation and benefits takeaways) and get back to work in a timely manner.

That said, I've recently been exploring my options for furthering my Army career. The reasons for this are
a) because the only way for me to get a promotion in the next 5 years is for the correct 3 people to retire, which likely won't happen
and
b) to get into a career field that involves less getting shot at

Since Mona and I decided that it would be better if I not pursue flight school at this time, that pretty much leaves me with trying to be a Medic. Even this could prove to be a problem, since my unit just paid who knows how much to send me to a month long school to learn the Bradley, and was planning on sending my team to this Saudi training deal in February, then we're *supposed* to deploy with them to Afghanistan in the fall of 2009. So, getting my commander to sign off on a letter letting me out of the unit may or may not be a difficult task to overcome. I guess we'll find out in the morning when I start making phone calls.

So, that's pretty much that, and perhaps I'll blog another blog later.