Small Crisis	June 25 2005, 10:40 pm
Got a call beginning of last week regarding several computer systems being down at Freeport. While they weren't serious errors, it was critical enough that I had to move around my schedule to head up there last night so that I can effect repairs today. Since I'm in the final stretch of prepping for the next MCSE battle, this couldn't have come at a worst time. But the repairs have been effected, so all's well (I think). And I managed to get back to OC5 at a decent hour. On a related note, I've made a record of getting from Freeport back to OC5 in two hours and thirty minutes, and with the round trip mileage averaging about 24.5 miles per gallon. That's the highest I've gotten on the Bismark, and I'm quite happy. So happy that I took the effort to get her all cleaned up. And now she's sitting downstairs all nice and clean and shiny and happy. Yanyan went to pick some fruits at a nearby farm in Albany. She sent some pictures of her and was adamant that both of us go when I visit her in the fall. One of these days I'll get around to posting our pictures. . . although chances are it won't be until after I finish this MCSE campaign. Time to grab some food, get some more MCSE prepping out of the way, then have to go help a friend out with his computers tomorrow. And if I get back in time, I'll reward myself by going to another skirmish, this time in proper gear. :)
Posted by: Paladin

Slow going	June 20 2005, 02:05 am
Well. . . my MCSE preparations haven't exactly gone full speed ahead. . . its going, but this next stronghold is going to be the toughest one I've come across so far in my campaign. Its going to require twice as much preparation, and I really was hoping to be done by the end of the month. And of course while I'm doing what I can to prepare, I went ahead and made Yanyan mad by relegating her to second place for the interim. Stupid me. sigh. . . I can't win. On one hand I have tons of things to do, but on the other my resources (time, mainly) are being stretched very very thin. . . I'm going to need a vacation soon. . . And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, I've just received word that grandfather will be admitted to a hospital. . . well, today. . . due to deteriorating health. Seems that age has caught up to him. . . doesn't make this any easier to swallow though. . .
Posted by: Paladin

Battlefield Austin	June 12 2005, 07:57 pm
After weeks of wanting to get out into the field, I finally got time this weekend to deploy and join up in the tactical simulations that's been occuring weekly. All the troopers there were quite helpful, and it was a bonus that I wasn't the only one who was showing up for the first time. All in all, lots of good experience in field manuevers, although I got more head-shotted than I would've liked. I didn't have a set of woodland camo BDUs readily available, so I took my set of CQB BDUs. . . and promptly tore up the trousers. . . :( So I'll probably have to spend some time repairing that, and see about getting a good set of kneepads. . . But fortunately I didn't make the mistake of not brining enough fluids. . . and my Camelbak came in very handy. For now. . . rest. . . refit. . . refuel. . . and then more MCSE preparations. . .
Posted by: Paladin

Supply run	June 10 2005, 02:28 am
Got a surprise phone call from my CO last night, saying he'll be bringing the Bismark down tonight and take back the Venture. And so it was, it was a beautiful sight to see my baby come home. She was also packed from bulkhead to bulkhead full of supplies and perishables. Turns out he knew that I had reduced my foodstuffs to a minimum for the OC4-OC5 move, and my supplies were still below optimum levels. Well. . . my pantry is completely overfilled now. . . and OC5 is living up to my tradition of being prepared for World War Three. Despite my objections, he insisted on returning to Camelot Command tonight. Something about not wanting to leave both Camelot Command and Freeport understaffed. . . So the only thing I can do for now is thank him for the effort, and hope he gets home safe. I'll also have to see about remitting something for Father's Day. . . it'd be the least I can do. Once I'm able to clear out Docking Bay One this weekend. . . I'll be ready to declare Outpost Command V as fully operational. . . too bad Yanyan's not here with me to celebrate. . . sigh. . .
Posted by: Paladin

The show must go on	June 7 2005, 11:56 pm
Well, after about a week of rest and restoration, as well as spending time putting Outpost Command V into operational order (along with much needed help from Yanyan), things are returning to normality. CCCCC.net has been restored to full functionality, Docking Bay One is still a mess, which will probably require me to devote a weekend into reorganizing, but at the moment I'm able to launch and recover Shadow Phoenix from the external flight deck. I am pleased that I actually have room to create a weapons locker for my CQB gear, although I'm probably the only person that's pleased about it. . . Yanyan certainly wasn't. :P Last week I celebrated my first year of deployment at Collective Technologies. Lots of friendly congratulations, and acknowledgements from around that time either flew by fast, or I was able to integrate myself smoothly into the system and do good deeds. Although I have to admit the Exchange deployment project hasn't been without blemishes, and that's really the only thing that bugs me (and marrs my otherwise decent performance). . . nonetheless, its been a good year. I look forward to having more of the same. And on that note. . . back to prepping for the assault on the next MCSE stronghold. . . I plan to take down at least two more before being diverted for the finale of Operation Unification. . .
Posted by: Paladin