blog@thechrisbrowningexperience

Not so much anymore. Although, I do get upset when people look over my shoulder. It bothers me.

Well, we’re into Week 3 of our cruise, and I think things are slightly tilting downhill (albeit, temporarily). Not so much to cause a landslide, but enough drip drip drippage to become mildy annoying. I wonder how it will turn out? Speaking in generalities, the military is quite good at making your life inconvenient. And this applies to a whole scope of things, from making you deploy within a 5 day window for six months, to waking you up in the middle of the night to help clean your berthing. It’s the piddly things like this that get under your skin for 6 months. Already people are becoming snippity, I wonder what will happen in the months to come? At the very least, though, it’s teaching me to be very, very flexible. And patient. Ungodly amounts of patience. I’m going to be like a stone wall covered in ice with freezie-pops on top when it comes to patience after this.

So I’ve determined that while the military has made me into a better person, at this point in the game, it most definitely is time for me to finish up. It’s like a proportion. The bullshit to learning-and-growing-as-a-person ratio has capped off. There’s an excess of bullshit, and a minimal amount of growth. Thus, it is time to proceed forward (and most certainly outward!). I’m excited to start a new journey!

What I’m most excited about (right now) is a vacation. Goodness knows I need one right about now. Can somebody send me a care package with a vacation inside of it? Much obliged!

Until next time!

.//chris

So, I think cherry blossoms are the most beautilful thing in the world. And I also find them enjoyable to draw. I tried applying some new techniques I’ve learned with Photoshop on these two pictures. Thank goodness for Adobe software and all their glorious creations!

I hope to one day see the cherry blossoms in Japan with  my own three eyes…

(Click to bigmorphisize.)

.//chris

Well, at least I can consider myself an actual “sailor”, since now I’ve been to sea.

I’ve been contemplating my direction in life. Where I want to go, what I want to do. It seems like everyday I get some new ambition that I want to tackle. Well, what I do know is that I do want to move back to Hawaii (at least for awhile), settle down with Jenifer, go to school, and get a job. Will I stay in Hawaii? It’s most certainly possible. Hawaii is a magical, wonderful place. As long as I get to be with her though, everything will be right with the world. I’ve got two major tests of mettle before I can achieve this, so I hope I have the determination to hold out. I wonder how my thoughts and my persona will change after these deployments?

Either way, I am excited to see what these deployments will have to teach me, as well as the experience of being in other countries.

.//chris

Hmm… One good thing about deployment is that I’ve found lots of time to draw on my pad. I’m slowly learning new things on it. What will come up next? Mystery!

I’ve come to find that deployment really isn’t too bad. There are days where you try and find things to do, simply because you’ve just run out of things to do. Since the internet is pretty sketchy, you have to find other means to entertain yourself.

It’s strange. Usually I get really annoyed with people when I’m in such close proximity with them, but that really hasn’t happened yet. Sure, I get frustrated with the slow guy in the chow line, but I’m not yet at that “I-loathe-your-very-existence” phase, which I thought I would be.

At this point, I’ve just been trying to stay under the radar so that nobody bothers be. It’s worked out pretty good thus far, but I hope no one catches on…

.//chris

So, I’m well into my underway period, with it’s many ups and downs. I caught a wicked head cold, which was only exacerbated by heavy seas (read: seasick). Anyways, I’m feeling a lot better, and the work load is calming down, so things are looking up.

Shipboard life is a lot different, and a lot of your little “creature comforts” go right out the window. You get used to it, though, and it really builds character (or so I’m told).

Either way, I’m blasting off on an adventure all on my own.

.//chris