Crypto Tech

I just realized that I hadn't made this announcement on my blog. It is a little bit old news now, but this seems to make it even more official.

I've joined the Navy. That's not the news. I got the job I wanted! There were some bumps in the road to get it, but I would go through it all again in a heartbeat. My new rating in the Navy is cryptologic technology technician (crypto tech or CTT for short). Let me explain how it happened.

My recruiter has been amazing and I owe him a lot for having my back. He called me up saying he had an information systems job I could take. I was iffy about it so I told him to give me some time. Even though he was reluctant to give it time because it wouldn't last very long, he let me think about it. I did some research on IT and saw that it is very translatable to civilian life and that it is just a really good job. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that it would be settling or that I wouldn't like it. But, I figured it was better than doing the rating I was in (to avoid conflict I will not tell what that rating was). So I decided I would call my recruiter in the morning and take the IT job if that was really my only option right now.

Well, I called him and told him just that. He laughed and said "You're a big pain in the butt, you know that?" Apparently I missed my shot for the IT rating. Truth be told I was relieved. It was more a mixture of relief and despair that I would be stuck in my original rating. Then he told me there was a CTT job opening leaving in April!

That next morning I went in to answer some questions about my background and then I signed a paper and we faxed it back in. Then it was the waiting game. We didn't wait long. They called my recruiter and said that it was a typo and the job wasn't leaving til August. They did not want to push my departure date back so it looked like we were back at square one.

Discouraged and saddened, I left the recruiter's office trying to think of the positives about my original rating because it looked like I was going to be in it no matter what. I worked out some of my anguish at Crossfit, even though deep down I felt like things were still going to work out. Whether that meant I was going to be in my original rating and find out that I loved it or I was going to get the job I wanted, I was not sure at the moment.

Once I left my Crossfit gym, I saw I missed a call from my recruiter. I didn't even listen to the voicemail, I just called him right back. He said "You've been selected for the CTT rating. You can either leave in April in your original rating or you can go in August in the CTT rating."

August? Six more months of waiting? A whole year after I swore in at MEPS?

I decided to go with the CTT rating despite the wait. Really, that's the only downer in this whole predicament. I got the job I wanted and it's going to rock!

So, my official departure date has changed from April 17 to August 9. More time to prepare, get in shape, spend time with family and friends before my life changes drastically for the better. It is amazing how little stress I feel lately. I didn't realize that my job change had stressed me out so much. My recruiter is trying to get my departure moved up, but it might not happen. I will keep ya'all posted!

Hallowed

WOOT!

For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are (from Goodreads.com).

I have been anticipating the release of the sequel to Unearthly ever since I finished the first one. If you know me, you know I raved about the first book for a long time. I absolutely loved it. It had drama, humor, angels, and romance. And Hand's writing is fantastic and compelling.

Hallowed is a good followup to its predecessor. The overall tone, however, is an impending doom and a little more melancholy than the first one. We find Clara a little more determined to decide her own fate, but I worry that she's becoming a victim. She still remains a very well-formed and developed character with loads more dimension than, say, Bella in Twilight but I wasn't as impressed with the Hallowed version of Clara. At first she is ready to bring the fight and not accept the vision, but I think she hesitates because of how badly it turned out the first time she went against her purpose.

There are some beautiful aspects to this book. The gathering is fascinating. The description of Clara's father is great. I love what Hand has done with the mythos of the angels. She has truly made it her own.

This book is also full of surprises. Hand proves that she is a master at the craft by revealing new information in just the right way and at the perfect moment.

Love triangles. Yuck. Clara even talks about how much she hates love triangles (and goes on to compare herself to Bella which I found funny because there is no comparison. Go Team Clara!) and I find that I agree with her, yet we're pushed into this love triangle story that only gets deeper and more involved. I don't think it's resolved yet. At least I hope it's not. The third book has a lot to answer for the way this one left off. However, I do have to say, usually there is one obvious better choice in a love triangle, but Hand has done a good job of making it seem like both would be a good choice. That makes the ultimate decision that much harder.

Finally a YA fiction series with smarts and good writing! I'm totally a fan. The only reason I only gave it one Woot! was because there was a little disappointment because it wasn't as big a page-turner as the first one. Is that unfair?

The Girl who Played with Fire

WOOT!

 

Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government.

But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander—the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire.

As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all. (from Amazon.com)

Larsson's second installment in this thriller of a trilogy does not disappoint. Where the first one drags at first, this one takes off running. We find Lisbeth Salander a little more matured and thus her character becomes even more complex and compelling. I found that I was more and more infatuated with her because she had so many layers. Is she psycho? I don't think so, but others would disagree. 

The writing style is a little hard to take because it's abrupt and blunt. Larsson does not pretty it up for anything. It is what it is. While this may not be my favorite (it's probably why I don't give it a perfect score) it actually lends itself to the story. His rigid words are like the spiky exterior of his brooding heroine who, at first, is unapproachable, but as you get used to it and understand it more you realize you have a soft spot for it. Lisbeth Salander will forever go down as an icon in literature because Stieg Larsson managed to create a character so utterly human and beautiful. People may try to copy it (I've already seen some books that have outright tried to compete with this trilogy), but whether or not they will ever be able to attain it is a whole other slice of pie. 

I still have issues with Blomkvist. He's not my favorite character. He's brooding (not in a good way), self-centered, and slow. Not sure if Larsson did this on purpose to create a contrasting character to Salander, but I guess it works. It takes him the whole book to realize the connection between Salander and Zala. I wish this revelation had come sooner and then there would be a more gripping ending to the story. 

Speaking of the ending...It just ends! Good thing there's another installment or I would kill Stieg Larsson (if he weren't deceased already...which he is...). I'm going to take a little break from Larsson because his stuff is a little too heavy to just plow right on through, but I do plan on picking up The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I have no idea what to expect. This one I had watched the Swedish movie and knew the basic plot. The final installment I've tried to keep a secret so that I can be surprised. 

I am fascinated by the love-hate relationship between Salander and Blomkvist. I don't think they're a perfect match, but it is cool to watch it expand. Salander, the girl who is afraid to let anyone inside, openly admits she loved/loves Blomkvist. I am hoping this develops more in the final book. 

As for the lesbianic relationship between Lisbeth and Miriam Wu...I think it works. It is very telling of Lisbeth's character because she has been abused by men so much in her life, it would make sense that she would turn to the arms of another woman for sexual release. However, she is not completely lesbian which makes her even more interesting. I think the thing that draws me to Lisbeth is that all she wants is to be loved. Her whole life she got treated like a freak, disdained by her father, ruled incompetent by her country, and raped by a man who was supposed to be her caretaker. It's no wonder she's a little crazy. I would be too. 

I would highly recommend this trilogy to anyone looking for a good international thriller. They are not light reads by any stretch of the imagination. It took me a month to finish this one which is forever long for me. The graphic scenes in the first one are worse than anything I saw in this book, but it still is not for the faint of heart. What are you waiting for? Go pick up a copy and read it!

P.S. If you have not seen the new movie of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, you must go see it! Must!

I Got Tagged!

My cousin tagged me in this random internet game, so I decided to play along. It's all in good fun. I'm going to struggle to come up with 11 people to tag, but that, to me, is not the fun part.

The Rules: 
 1.Post these rules 
2.You must post 11 random things about yourself 
3.Answer the questions set for you in their post 
4.Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer 
5.Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them 
You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

11 Random Things about Jake Taylor:

1. I like touchy-feely things. Shirts, stuffed animals, pets...if they're nice to touch, I love it. I used to think that everyone was the same way, but I just recently met someone who is scared of stuffed animals. 

2. I love taking naps BUT I always have weird dreams when I nap. It never fails. When I sleep at night I have an occasional crazy dream, but nap dreams are, without fail, the ones that could possibly have me committed to an asylum someday.

3. I'm not a fan of nuts and/or raisins in my cookies. Whoever decided that was a good idea was smoking something.

4. I can do (just about) anything with music going in my ears: clean bathrooms/toilets, mow lawns, till gardens, you name it I can do it if there's good music playing.

5. Back in the day, I could care less about calories. Probably a big reason why I got up to 210 lbs a few years ago. Now, I feel guilty for even looking at a cinnamon roll. Tonight, I gave in and ate one. I had to stop the voice in my head that belongs to that fat guy I used to be so I could enjoy my delicious morsel.

6. I constantly surprise myself, lately, with how much more outgoing I am now than I ever thought I'd be. I used to be quiet and reserved. I tell people that now and they think I'm joking.

7. I can't chew gum for more than 10 minutes before I get tired of it.Weird because I used to chew it all the time.

8. I'm left-handed. Scissors are my nemesis. I had to train myself to switch them to my right hand. It's hard to be a lefty in a right-handed world, however, I would not change it for anything in the world.

9. I'm obsessed with Ireland.

10. I take it as a compliment when people call me "sassy" or "snarky." 

11. Beware: I can memorize phone numbers really easy. Not sure why, but ever since my mission in Florida I've noticed that I just have a knack for remembering phone numbers. 

Kara's Questions for Me:

1. If you could automatically acquire the skills/academics, and you had the schedule for it, what is your dream job?

Dream job for me would be to have a doctorate in English literature and teach at a university while writing my books on the side. The professorship would be just to have something to do and the writing would bring in more money and be my fun job.

2. What is the #1 played song on your iPod (or other audio device)?

On my iTunes it's "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga

On my iPod, lately it's been "Telephone Games" by Jack and White

3. If you could see, but not necessarily participate in unless you wanted to, any moment in history, what would that moment be?

Ok, so I have a top three on this question. 1. I've always been fascinated with the Salem Witch Trials. I think it would be interesting to watch how it all went down from beginning to end, but I would not want to participate. 2. The Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in the Civil War. I'm not sure why I'm so intrigued, but I would pay to see those rich Northern folks running for their lives after they'd come to watch a battle and picnicked. The nerve. 3. Anything in WWII. Such a devastating time in our history, but it is also where heroes were made, and I would love to see them in action. 

4. What is your favorite drink?

Chocolate milk. Mmmm...However, that voice in my head (see #5 of Random Things about Jake Taylor) would taunt me. So I'm going to say Crystal Light to appease the voice. haha!

5. What is your least favorite chore?

Ya know...I actually don't mind cleaning or those kinds of chores. Cleaning is actually a release for me, and I find I usually do good deep cleaning when I need to clear my head. Plus, I can usually listen to music when I clean, so that's even better. If I had to choose one, I would say shoveling snow but even that is acceptable because I can listen to music. (See #4 above)

6. If you could change your name for a day, what would you change it to?

I love the name Grady. I'm not sure why. 

7. When was the last time you had an AMAZING meal? And was it the company or the food?

I had turkey chili with Anna and Alan. It was pretty dang good, and the company made it even better!

8. What is the worst gift you have ever received?

I can't say that I've ever gotten a really bad gift. Guess I'm lucky. I can say, however, that my 28th birthday was probably the worst one I've ever had.

9. What is something that you learned in the last week?

That patience is a virtue I really, really need right now.

10. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Elaborate. 

Yes. Let me show you. 

You can't tell me that this picture is not worth a thousand words. It is so priceless and perfect. Art, in any expression, is worth talking about and responding to, and that is what is so beautiful about it. 

11. You can only work on one project for the next year. What is it?

MY BOOK! I need to get this dang thing done already!!!

My Questions for You:

1. If you could be any character in any book, who it would be and why?

2. What are the top three things on your bucket list?

3. What's the best book you've read in the last 6-12 months?

4. Who do you think will win the election this fall?

5. If you could change any physical attribute about yourself, would you do it? If so, what would it be and why?

6. You're you in a different dimension. This version of you is married to a celebrity. Who is it?

7. What was the last dream you had that you remember?

8. How many children are there in your family? Where do you fit in?

9. What is your favorite physical attribute of someone of the opposite sex?

10. Do you prefer cold weather or hot weather? (Tell me why too.)

11. What's your favorite item of clothing you own?

I'm going to tag 11 people. If you decide to play along, just let me know in the comments here! Thanks!

The Rules: 
 1.Post these rules 
2.You must post 11 random things about yourself 
3.Answer the questions set for you in their post 
4.Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer 
5.Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them 
You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

My Latest Obsessions

1. Lana Del Rey

She's got this whole dark, vintage thing going on and her style is very unique. I'm definitely a fan even though she bombed her SNL performance. 

 

2. Big Bang Theory 

I just got a screaming good deal on all 4 seasons on DVD for $38!!! Yeah, ya can't beat that. I smell a BBT marathon in my future!!!

 

3. CrossFit

It's going to be an intense workout, but I've been wanting something a little more extreme lately in order to really prepare me for the Navy. So here goes nothing!

 

4. Foster the People

Their album is addictive! I listen to it all the time now. 

 

5. Justified

Crazy-good show. I'm going to have to catch up before I get into the third season which is playing on TV now. It is a pretty badass show. Love it!!!

 

Pumped Up Kicks

 

So, I kept hearing this song everywhere. All I could ever understand of what they said was "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, better run, better run...." It's a great song with a nice beat, and it gets stuck in your head really quickly. All the makings of a hit. I like to know words to songs, so I looked up the lyrics to this song by Foster the People.

Is it just me or is this song about a school shooting? This "cowboy kid" goes on a rampage with a gun he got from his dad's closet. Why is this not a big deal to anyone? I don't understand how we can mourn tragedies like Columbine and the Virginia Tech shootings and then love this song. It just boggles my mind. This could almost be akin to writing a hit song about 9/11 from the perspective of the terrorists, putting it to a snazzy beat, and then having Americans dance to it. Talk about irony.

This doesn't stop me from loving the song though! In fact, I just got the album and it is amazing. It's sincerely one of the best albums I've gotten in a long time. All the other songs are less tragic and controversial in my mind. But I can't get rid of this sense of guilt I have for liking "Pumped Up Kicks." Call me a hypocrite.

However, for the writing of this post, I did a little more research. Come to find out that Foster the People's leading man, Mark Foster, who wrote the song said he wanted to get inside the killer's mind. He was going to do it about the victim's perspective but thought that would be a copout. It's all about saying f**k you to the hipsters, yet these are the kinds of kids listening to and loving this song. He said there isn't actual violence in the song and that it's an internal dialogue in this kid's mind. So, in a sense, it is a commentary on the isolation and detachment our youth feel today. Aha! Another great ingredient for a hit.

We all love a good controversy, and maybe that is why this song is popular. It seems to reach a part of everyone, the rebel inside each of us. I'm not saying I condone the thoughts portrayed in it, but I'm finding that it was not meant to be taken literally. Foster wanted to understand another side of the story. And, as a writer, I can respect that. It's a fun song to dance to and it also has a chill aspect to it. Foster the People is not just another pop band. I tend to think they will be around awhile now because of the depth, fortitude, and genius behind their madness. There's more to them than meets the eye.  FtP, you have made a fan out of me.

Paige and I love to dance to this song so much that we've almost got a choreographed dance to it.

Me in the Navy: The Decision to Join

I decided I would document my experiences in the Navy through video. It starts with a lot of rambling because I really wasn't sure what I was going to say at first. If it doesn't work here you can see it on YouTube by clicking here. Thanks and feel free to comment! That's all for now!