The Next Journey...

Merry Christmas Family and Friends! I'm still underway protecting the homeland, out in this pool of warm blue water. We pulled in to a port today to pick up mail and make calls home. I knew my mom sent me a care package but I didn't know what was in it. It was great opening it up. Honestly felt like a kid on Christmas. It had all my favorite junk food and a special blanket made just for me. Thanks Mom! It's going to be put to use on here once we hit colder weather. Not only did I receive a care package from my mom but my dad sent me one too! Both my parents are getting me ready for my cold winter in Boston once I get home. Thanks mom and dad, you made my Christmas special today even if I'm out here and not there. We continue our patrol in nice weather. This might have been the hottest Christmas I ever had. I hope everyone truly shared the moments with family and friends today. We are all we have in this small big world.

How do I communicate with family and friends while underway? The only two-way communication I have is my work email. Since it is a work email address only a handful of family and friends have it. So those who have it should use it to keep in touch! Access to social media sites on workstations are blocked, so no Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Tumblr or Instagram, while underway. When I post to my blog, I actually just send an email to it. The blog then updates my Facebook with it. So I never really log on to any social media sites. I only log in when we hit land at a port call with cell service or wifi. This is my one-way communication to keep in touch with you! I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday Funday! I'm about to have lunch and get caught up on some work. Sundays are our off days but it gives me time to catch up. This is my Sunday Funday, I don't mind it. Gives me something to look forward to when I get back to Boston!

From somewhere in the middle of the ocean, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Yes! I'll be eating turkey, stuffing and all that other good stuff today. Our Food Service Specialists are working hard now in the galley to ensure we have a great thanksgiving meal. The ship is filling up with all the great smells that come with Thanksgiving. I want my family to know that I miss them but not to worry, we can have thanksgiving again when I'm back, with Grandma's stuffing! Happy Thanksgiving Family and Friends!

It has been almost three months since I last posted, sorry. I'm getting underway again so I will catch up on those last three months. Check back soon for new updates and my catching up post too.

What really blows is being underway with no phone and you get not so good news from the outside. I have a little brother dealing with grief for the first time and a friend who received life changing news. All I can do is write them and hope they understand I wish I could be there to support them, but I'm on this boat. I can't even call them to share an empathetic ear. I hope they can find a little comfort in my emails and know they are on my mind. This is the part that really sucks, not being there for those you care about.

Just wanted to say HI to everyone! I'm feeling great today... It could be because I'll be back in Boston soon! I want to wish my Nana a Happy Birthday! Love you Nana! Hope everyone is doing great. Have a Happy Sunday!

I think I'm an islander! We pulled into Key West for a few days. It was my first time visiting and I fell in love with it. There is a lot to do there from boating, scuba diving, eating, jet ski, sailing or just lay out on the beach. It is very hot but I'm getting comfortable with this weather. I like it so much, I'm considering getting stationed there my next transfer. If not Key West... maybe I'll enjoy Hawaii too! It was a great R&R on the island. I had a blast with some great shipmates. We got underway again on Coast Guard Day, August 4th. We turned 224 year old. We are the oldest continuous seagoing service. The Continental Navy was disbanded in 1785 and was founded again in 1794 as the present Navy. Making us older!

Six days a week, before the work day ends we hear this piped throughout the ship: "Now sweepers, sweepers man your brooms give the ship a clean, sweep down fore and aft. Sweep all lower decks, ladderwells, and passageways. Take trash to receptacles provided on the ship. Now sweepers." We all go to work cleaning our living and work areas. Taking the trash out, scrubbing toilets and floors, dusting. It last about 15 minutes and when we are done, the inside is all clean! I think I'm going to use this when I have kids. I'll run my household like a ship. The place will always be clean. Coming soon, hopefully this week, I'll describe the accommodations aboard this cruise!

After being underway for a few weeks, we finally had a port call. My feet touched land again! It was a short port call for me. I was able to enjoy the day in Roatan, Honduras. It's an island off the mainland and a popular cruise ship stop. The beach was amazing and the water blue and warm. It was a small town. The beach was relaxing to say the least. It was nice just laying and enjoy the view on the beach. I did take a small trip away from the beach to go zip-lining! It was my first time trying it and I had a lot of fun. The view was breathe taking. I zipped above the trees and looking out to the ocean. I have no idea why I haven't tried this before. The feeling of just hanging there and looking all around you is worth it. It probably helped that my first time was in Roatan, where the views are amazing. I will definitely be back here again, but the next time will be on vacation! I did send some post cards out, but I was told that it would take 30-45 days to reach the US. I guess wait and see if you got lucky!

It has been over a week since my feet have touched land. This is the longest I've been floating around on water. Hard to believe, since I'm after all I am in the Coast Guard. And it's been two week since I started this voyage. I've learned a lot in the two week and I know I have so much more to learn. I'll have plenty of time on this trip. I've finally been able to grasp my work and get it under control, so it's not taking all my time. It is a relief to catch up and be able to start to tackle other things around the boat. This past weekend was nice and easy to the point where I was becoming bored. I downloaded some movies before I left home but I went through those quick. After we knocked off ships work, they do start playing movies through the night. But there is only so much sitting in front of a tv I could do. Never knew that about me. I wish I could post a photo of our lounge when everyone is trying to past the time. But you're going to have to just image. The flat screen is playing a movie, there are two very long sofas with people laying or sitting. In the front row are three shipmates, each with their own briefcase size tv and PS4. It's actually in a briefcase thing for gamers. All three of them with headphones on playing their game, some guys on their laptops playing a game as well, as the other watch tv. I looked up and saw them and let out a laugh. I'm not a gamer and here I was surrounded by them. My little brother would have loved to have been there, I bet. As I got tired of watching movies, I decided to pick up a book (ipad) I start readying a book I tried reading a year ago. That was on Sunday and I finished it today. I couldn't put it down. The book was "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson. I know, I'm a geek. My next book I'm going to start was given to me by a friend sometime ago to read. The book is on loan so I should read it so I can return it. It's "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer. It suggested that I'll find something in there to help me reflect. Little does this friend know, but I'll be leaving a lengthy review inside the back cover before returning it. After that book, I'll throw myself into the small library we have onboard. Wow, am I going to start to read a lot. For those that don't know me, I not big on reading. Let us see how this goes. Not sure who is reading this, but thanks for being interested. It's a one-way communication on here. I see no feedback or anything. I hope your enjoying sharing this experience with me and this small glimpse of unfiltered me. SaySomething

Happy 4th of July! As we celebrate the 238th year since we declared our independence, I had the pleasure celebrating it with Shipmates, underway, serving our country. We had our own cookout onboard with hamburgers and hotdogs! As for fireworks, we had to do with what we had, flares! As the sun set, we conducted our pyro training, so we got to see some fireworks tonight. We had a relaxing day today. I hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July, and you set some off for me!

Had an awesome experience today! We had swim call on the boat. As we are making our way through the great big sea, we ended up stopping in the middle of the ocean. All you see is bright blue water for miles and no land or boat insight. With the boat dead in the water, we jumped from the flight deck into warm blue water. It was a great morale boost. I don't know many people who will be able to say they ever swam in the middle of the ocean! Today was also firefighter training. I haven't donned firefighting equipment since boot camp. I'm really enjoying myself onboard right now, learning the real Coast Guard!

For those not familiar with Coast Guard rates, a non-rate is usually someone just getting into the Coast Guard. They are E-2 and E-3. They just got out of boot camp and they are probably at their first unit. A non-rate has not attended school yet to learn their specialty. Since I have been onboard, I have only been nothing but impressed by these young men and women who are non-rates. They are working hard every time you see them. They have a drive and passion in them. You can see it when they work on the simplest task to the more difficult task. They give it their all. I really admire them for their hard work. They keep us afloat.

Well it's been a week since I've been onboard. So far I'm adjusting fine and getting my sea legs! My first week onboard has been busy. On land you go to a new job, Monday- Friday 8am to 5pm, then go home and relax. Maybe go out with friends to share your work day or talk about your new co-workers. This is not the case on the boat. I have worked every day since I've been onboard an average of 12 hours a day. When I call it quits, I head to the lounge and hang out with the crew watching movies. Don't get me wrong, the crew is great. I guess I have always been used to getting away from co-workers after work. But you know what, they are not just co-workers here, they are my shipmates! They will become my second family. The food is yummy! I have three meals a day. Just today for lunch we had lobster tail and steak. Not bad at all. I thought I would drop pounds going underway but I fear I may gain. I'll be hitting the treadmill very soon. And for those that know me, we eat dinner at 5pm :-) I love it! So you probably are wondering what I do onboard. My main job is the Ship's Yeoman. I take care of all the administrative and personnel matters for the boat. From pay issues, checking members in and out, getting members onboard and off when we are underway, requesting country clearances, career counseling, and the list goes on. I stay busy because no matter where you go on the boat, someone will stop me and ask a question. It's my job to take care of the crew when it comes to these matters, so they don't have to worry about. They can focus on their job underway. The other duties onboard are whole ship evolutions. When a helicopter land on the boat, I man the Battle Dress Station (medical). When we have a fire or flooding, I'm on the bridge plotting the damage to the boat and rescue efforts. We practice these drills lot. After all, we are out here alone at sea, we need to be prepared. Over time onboard I'll start to qualify for other duties like small boat crew or law enforcement. Right now I just need focus on qualifying for Damage Control duties. Living onboard is an experience. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the trip. I'm going to try to write more short updates as time allows, so keep checking back.

I got to Boston on the 15th but everything has been moving so fast, I haven't had time to write. I'm currently underway, somewhere in the wide open waters. I'll write more about that in my next entry. This entry is more about my first week in Boston and reporting to my new job. As I spent over eight hours driving from DC to Boston, I had plenty of time to reflect. Sometimes long moments alone are good for the soul. I was bored at times, but nothing that a little singing out loud, to pass the time. When I reached Boston, it was breathtaking. Pictures do not give it justice. There is something about a city with so much history that gets me each time. It is different than other cities I've been to. I just wish I had more time to explore before getting underway. The next day after getting to Boston, I reported to work! Saluting the National Flag as I stepped onboard, I was finally going operational! I was quickly tossed into my job onboard the cutter. My replacement was with me for three days before cutting me loose. I was so overwhelmed and stressed. I didn't want to fail anyone and it felt like I was by not knowing much. We even got underway for about 24 hours. It was my first time sleeping on a cutter. The space is tight. You only have enough room to turn around. Twin sheets don't even fit on the rack (bed). I didn't mind it, I signed up for this experience and I'm excited to be here. For those who have been onboard for a while, would think I was crazy. After we got back I was in full swing. I was working in the day and getting my stuff ready for the trip at night. I had to pack basically for 2 months. I was hoping that I wouldn't forget anything. On top of that, I was apartment searching. I think I found something and I'm working on it now (from the boat). I got all my stuff onboard with plenty of room for more! (Sorry this entry is all over the place) While we are off on patrol. This is my 4th day onboard. I'll write more soon!

Until then, I'm looking ahead and having some fun in FL and CA!

It is now time to carry out my next set of orders that will lead my journey to Boston. I've never been to Beantown, but I hear nothing but good things! I'm looking forward to this move. Kind of feels like a new blank canvas to draw my next priceless artwork.  In the mean time before I leave in about 7 days, I must put the finishing touches on this canvas, sign my name and date, frame it, hang it up proudly, and begin drawing all over again… fresh.