Loyal Fanbase,
Howdy ya'll. I'm on a Country music kick right now. Apologies in advance. In any event, I'm scheduled to take a Psych test yesterday (note, that's not a grammatical error, I wrote that right) so maybe at some point today I'll actually sit down and take it. We'll see, haha. Past that, Portuguese class today, woot woot!
Ok, so enough of the obligatory "hey-how-ya-down-hows-ya-motha" stuff and onto the real reason for todays post. I am (as some of you likely already know) competing this December in World's Toughest Mudder. WTM is the championship race for Tough Mudder series. A Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile muddy obstacle course race run by Tough Mudder LLC. TM has raised over 2 million dollars (US dollars that is) for the Wounded Warrior Project (Known by many as simply Wounded Warriors), aiding personnel injured in the line of duty and many US Army veterans. They've also helped numerous other charities catapult their causes into the spotlight.
WTM consists of as many laps as possible of the standard 10 mile course in 24 hours, with the winner recieving $10,000 and the right to call themselves the World's Toughest Mudder. Good friend and fellow West Point Cadet, Alex Cattley (http://cat-man-does.blogspot.com/) will be tackling the course with me and decided to take his commitment to the cause one step further. He had the bright idea to raise money for Team Red, White, and Blue (another veteran charity) with our participation, with a goal of $500 (http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/toughestmudder/catman) Being the original and interesting individual I am, I not only created the same goal using the same website, but decided to actually copy and paste much of what he wrote on his site (Relax. I cited him for it) If only I could copy how much money he's raised already! (https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/gmoney/worldstoughestmudderfundraiser)
Every little bit (even your emotional support helps) as we've set a goal to run 5 laps of the course (50 miles in the wet, and muddy cold of Englishtown, NJ in December) Please donate if you are able and pass the link along if you know someone who might be able to help out.
Tchau for now!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Back
Gang,
WOW. So I'm tired. Still cranking out the Psych paper. But here's the update from Santa Maria.
1. We spent about 55 hours on a bus. Surprisingly, less than last week. Yet we were only on a bus twice. As opposed to 6 times. My butt hurts.
2. We were in one of the "coldest places in Brazil" I think it might have gotten to about 60 at night.........@West Point, any comments?
3. Gauchos are like the Cowboys around here but are a little less culturally different than in the US. A lot more chill. And they drink herbal tea called Chimmarão out of these great big cups with spoon straws. It's hard to explain. They're kind of like a cross between hipsters and cowboys except pretend you don't hate hipsters. Like that.
4. All you can eat Barbeques (Churrascaria) is not a deal, nor is it a challenge. You will not "win". They don't care that you only paid R$22.50 (like $14 bucks US) you're gonna get fed until you cry. And then they'll ask if you want to take anything for the road. And then they'll ask if you want dessert (sobremesas). And then they'll ask if you want a road beer (Saideira). And then they'll ask if you're sure you don't want anymore. It's as if the deepest innermost ring of hell had a restaurant. And that's where you are. Except the food is amazing. And cheap.
5. We (just realized this one's unrelated.......too late) got invited to the Marine Corps Ball here in Rio de Janeiro. Marine Corps Balls celebrate the birthday of the United States Marine Corps and from what I have heard are generally very fun experiences. Leggo!
Wow, way more tired than I thought. Hate to be a downer but I'm off to bed.
Portuguese for the day is cansado which means tired. As in "eu estou cansado" (I'm tired)
Tchau and such.
WOW. So I'm tired. Still cranking out the Psych paper. But here's the update from Santa Maria.
1. We spent about 55 hours on a bus. Surprisingly, less than last week. Yet we were only on a bus twice. As opposed to 6 times. My butt hurts.
2. We were in one of the "coldest places in Brazil" I think it might have gotten to about 60 at night.........@West Point, any comments?
3. Gauchos are like the Cowboys around here but are a little less culturally different than in the US. A lot more chill. And they drink herbal tea called Chimmarão out of these great big cups with spoon straws. It's hard to explain. They're kind of like a cross between hipsters and cowboys except pretend you don't hate hipsters. Like that.
4. All you can eat Barbeques (Churrascaria) is not a deal, nor is it a challenge. You will not "win". They don't care that you only paid R$22.50 (like $14 bucks US) you're gonna get fed until you cry. And then they'll ask if you want to take anything for the road. And then they'll ask if you want dessert (sobremesas). And then they'll ask if you want a road beer (Saideira). And then they'll ask if you're sure you don't want anymore. It's as if the deepest innermost ring of hell had a restaurant. And that's where you are. Except the food is amazing. And cheap.
5. We (just realized this one's unrelated.......too late) got invited to the Marine Corps Ball here in Rio de Janeiro. Marine Corps Balls celebrate the birthday of the United States Marine Corps and from what I have heard are generally very fun experiences. Leggo!
Wow, way more tired than I thought. Hate to be a downer but I'm off to bed.
Portuguese for the day is cansado which means tired. As in "eu estou cansado" (I'm tired)
Tchau and such.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Field Trip, Round 2
Fellow Chivers,
So there's a few things to address before the big thing we need to address. First and foremost, I'm a big fan of the Chive. As in http://thechive.com/ It's a great place.
Further, it's possible to see what countries people who read this are from. While I expected the people reading this to only occupy a few places (USA @fam and friends, Brazil @me, and Spain @Uncle Victor) I have been read from 10 different countries including those above and Germany, Russia, Iran, Australia, Switzerland, Greece, and India. And 6 people have read me on an iPad, and 3 on an iPod. Technology is just the best!
So anyway, we mentioned to our commanders that we were hoping to stretch our legs and travel a bit more (@spendingthemoneyWestPointgaveus) and after thoroughly researching and planning a weeklong trip to 3 cities culminating in a weekend at the biggest Oktoberfest outside of Germany, it was "suggested" that we take a training trip with the Cavalria (Cavalry) guys to Santa Maria for a week of armor instruction along with some free time in the city.
What looked like a bummer at first could be a blessing in disguise; Santa Maria has a deep and rich German heritage and while is not the largest city in the south, comes highly recommended. It has a large contingent of universities and a young population. Further, as we've heard countless times from many a cadete, "As mulheres mais bonitas são de o sul" or "The most beautiful women are from the south." The weather is supposed to be nice this time of year (read: as it is EVERYWHERE in Brazil) and we'll be going with a branch we haven't spent much time with yet so we'll meet some more good guys I'm sure.
On that note, since we're leaving on Sunday morning and it's a 25 hour bus ride (we're gonna smash last weeks totals) there's a little more school work I need to get done in order to ensure I get this Psych paper in on time (@PsychProf, it's gonna be close) Hope you guys are enjoying the US, we're all starting to get a bit homesick but are being treated extremely well down here so no complaints yet!
Portuguese of the day (apologies in advance if I've already done this) is "saudade" which, sadly, has no direct translation into English but is mostly similar to longing or wanting. When people are homesick or miss someone, they have saudade or "ter saudade". To express homesickness, you say, "Tenho saudade pra casa."
See you on the other side of the weekend,
Tchau for now!
So there's a few things to address before the big thing we need to address. First and foremost, I'm a big fan of the Chive. As in http://thechive.com/ It's a great place.
Further, it's possible to see what countries people who read this are from. While I expected the people reading this to only occupy a few places (USA @fam and friends, Brazil @me, and Spain @Uncle Victor) I have been read from 10 different countries including those above and Germany, Russia, Iran, Australia, Switzerland, Greece, and India. And 6 people have read me on an iPad, and 3 on an iPod. Technology is just the best!
So anyway, we mentioned to our commanders that we were hoping to stretch our legs and travel a bit more (@spendingthemoneyWestPointgaveus) and after thoroughly researching and planning a weeklong trip to 3 cities culminating in a weekend at the biggest Oktoberfest outside of Germany, it was "suggested" that we take a training trip with the Cavalria (Cavalry) guys to Santa Maria for a week of armor instruction along with some free time in the city.
What looked like a bummer at first could be a blessing in disguise; Santa Maria has a deep and rich German heritage and while is not the largest city in the south, comes highly recommended. It has a large contingent of universities and a young population. Further, as we've heard countless times from many a cadete, "As mulheres mais bonitas são de o sul" or "The most beautiful women are from the south." The weather is supposed to be nice this time of year (read: as it is EVERYWHERE in Brazil) and we'll be going with a branch we haven't spent much time with yet so we'll meet some more good guys I'm sure.
On that note, since we're leaving on Sunday morning and it's a 25 hour bus ride (we're gonna smash last weeks totals) there's a little more school work I need to get done in order to ensure I get this Psych paper in on time (@PsychProf, it's gonna be close) Hope you guys are enjoying the US, we're all starting to get a bit homesick but are being treated extremely well down here so no complaints yet!
Portuguese of the day (apologies in advance if I've already done this) is "saudade" which, sadly, has no direct translation into English but is mostly similar to longing or wanting. When people are homesick or miss someone, they have saudade or "ter saudade". To express homesickness, you say, "Tenho saudade pra casa."
See you on the other side of the weekend,
Tchau for now!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Embaixada=Embassy
Gang,
Totally forgot to mention one of the coolest parts of last week. We didn't get much time to explore the city of Brasilia but the 4 hour break we ended up getting was a fantastic one. We decided that with the time given, we would beeline for the US Embassy rather than putz around and likely end up at a mall or something of the like. In this short span we were mistaken for US Marines, met several US and Brazilian military personnel as well as the Ambassador himself, picked a few officers brains regarding their carreers and branch choices, got free lunch, and made it to the commissary to buy some much missed American snacks to include the only JIF peanut butter retailer in Brazil. I bought 3 jars.
Life is good. And now for some ARMY FOOTBALL!!!!
Tchau!
Totally forgot to mention one of the coolest parts of last week. We didn't get much time to explore the city of Brasilia but the 4 hour break we ended up getting was a fantastic one. We decided that with the time given, we would beeline for the US Embassy rather than putz around and likely end up at a mall or something of the like. In this short span we were mistaken for US Marines, met several US and Brazilian military personnel as well as the Ambassador himself, picked a few officers brains regarding their carreers and branch choices, got free lunch, and made it to the commissary to buy some much missed American snacks to include the only JIF peanut butter retailer in Brazil. I bought 3 jars.
Life is good. And now for some ARMY FOOTBALL!!!!
Tchau!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Brasilia: City of Gold
Sports Fans,
First and foremost, Steelers (2-2) play at 1:00pm EST on Sunday and your Army Black Knights (2-3) take on Miami of Ohio on Saturday at the same time. Let's. Get. It.
Second of all, I've managed to procure a guitar. And a pick. Winning.
So I spent the last week in the capital city of Brazil, Brasilia. We went there expecting to train with the 4th year Intendência cadets and somehow ended up with Artilharia (kind of like Field Artillery). It was an interesting week to say the least. Besides a 2 days and a night in the field using light guns (105mm cannons, called "Light Guns" in Portuguese and pronounced, "Lie-tch Guns") and an anti-air demonstration of Brasil's braço forte (strong arm), there are several facts and running jokes from the week. And here they are;
1. Brasilia is quite a ways from Resende. 20 hours by bus. And when they go to the field, they really get out there. The running total of time spent sitting either on a bus or on an LMTV (@Cvilians, LMTV is a jagnormous 2.5 ton truck used to transport troops and equipment. It's uncomfortable when it's driven safely and pants-wettingly scary when driven 45 miles per hour (72.4 kilometers per hour) on dusty goat paths) between 1October and 7October barely passed 60 hours. I wish some of me was kidding.
2. Military presentations in Brasil tend to seem like someone is trying to sell you something, be it the newest anti-air defense system or the history of an artillery battery. Equally painful.
3. We saw a toucan. Like, a legit toucan. I dunno, it was a big deal at the time.
4. Light and noise discipline are important for tactical movements. For example, covering the head and tail lights of a truck make it difficult for the enemy to see it. Of course, it makes it difficult for you to see the road or for others driving to see you as well. Close calls. Very. Close.
5. We realized that there exist some eerie similarities between us and the adventurers in the Disney movie, "The Road to El Dorado". Nate's the big white horse, I'm the Tulio, and Orlando is Miguel.
6. We saw an artillery demonstration in which the cannons firing were behind us and the targets were in front of us. Something seems blatantly wrong about this but I can't put my finger on it.
7. The Brazilian Senate and Congress both take place in bowls. Not kidding.
8. The streets of Brasilia are kind of like Boston in the sense that they all go one-way. The only problem is, that one way is almost never your way. It took us several hours to get somewhere in the morning and the ride back was about 4 minutes. Blown away.
It was a long week. I might go to bed. Or play guitar more. Or go run. Not sure. Portuguese for the day is a few. "Buldogue" is pronounced "Bull Doggy" and means "Bull Dog" Thanks to the movie Rio I watched on the bus. In Portuguese. Without subtitles (sem legendas) It made my top 11 list.
Next is "não demora muito" which means "don't take too long". They say this to me a lot. I'm kinda slow :P
And finally is my favorite, "é mesmo" which literally means, "is the same" but is used often as an affirmation or a phrase of agreement.
That's all for now. I'm off to develop myself as a future leader of America.
Tchau!
First and foremost, Steelers (2-2) play at 1:00pm EST on Sunday and your Army Black Knights (2-3) take on Miami of Ohio on Saturday at the same time. Let's. Get. It.
Second of all, I've managed to procure a guitar. And a pick. Winning.
So I spent the last week in the capital city of Brazil, Brasilia. We went there expecting to train with the 4th year Intendência cadets and somehow ended up with Artilharia (kind of like Field Artillery). It was an interesting week to say the least. Besides a 2 days and a night in the field using light guns (105mm cannons, called "Light Guns" in Portuguese and pronounced, "Lie-tch Guns") and an anti-air demonstration of Brasil's braço forte (strong arm), there are several facts and running jokes from the week. And here they are;
1. Brasilia is quite a ways from Resende. 20 hours by bus. And when they go to the field, they really get out there. The running total of time spent sitting either on a bus or on an LMTV (@Cvilians, LMTV is a jagnormous 2.5 ton truck used to transport troops and equipment. It's uncomfortable when it's driven safely and pants-wettingly scary when driven 45 miles per hour (72.4 kilometers per hour) on dusty goat paths) between 1October and 7October barely passed 60 hours. I wish some of me was kidding.
2. Military presentations in Brasil tend to seem like someone is trying to sell you something, be it the newest anti-air defense system or the history of an artillery battery. Equally painful.
3. We saw a toucan. Like, a legit toucan. I dunno, it was a big deal at the time.
4. Light and noise discipline are important for tactical movements. For example, covering the head and tail lights of a truck make it difficult for the enemy to see it. Of course, it makes it difficult for you to see the road or for others driving to see you as well. Close calls. Very. Close.
5. We realized that there exist some eerie similarities between us and the adventurers in the Disney movie, "The Road to El Dorado". Nate's the big white horse, I'm the Tulio, and Orlando is Miguel.
6. We saw an artillery demonstration in which the cannons firing were behind us and the targets were in front of us. Something seems blatantly wrong about this but I can't put my finger on it.
7. The Brazilian Senate and Congress both take place in bowls. Not kidding.
8. The streets of Brasilia are kind of like Boston in the sense that they all go one-way. The only problem is, that one way is almost never your way. It took us several hours to get somewhere in the morning and the ride back was about 4 minutes. Blown away.
It was a long week. I might go to bed. Or play guitar more. Or go run. Not sure. Portuguese for the day is a few. "Buldogue" is pronounced "Bull Doggy" and means "Bull Dog" Thanks to the movie Rio I watched on the bus. In Portuguese. Without subtitles (sem legendas) It made my top 11 list.
Next is "não demora muito" which means "don't take too long". They say this to me a lot. I'm kinda slow :P
And finally is my favorite, "é mesmo" which literally means, "is the same" but is used often as an affirmation or a phrase of agreement.
That's all for now. I'm off to develop myself as a future leader of America.
Tchau!
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