Post OCS Post
So we've been long overdue for a post since I came back from OCS, so here we go.
I'm honestly surprised that I was able to finish the whole 10-week program without any major hitch or injury. Let me first say two things to summarize my experience: one, 10 weeks is a long time; two, I never want to go back to that place ever again.
So it's back to school for year two of three at the illustrious Howard University School of Law. So far things have been pretty easy, and there isn't much work involved yet. Before school started, I had volunteered to be an orientation leader for the incoming class of 2010.
On a side note, what do the freshmen in the VTCC Class of 2010 say when they hear 'zero-five'? 'Ten'? Or maybe they got rid of that tradition entirely because of how stupid it made the 2010 class sound? Perhaps the Class of 1910 were skipped too?
Anyway, back to the orientation business. Orientation lasts for two days at the end of the week before the first week of class. I figured that I'd contribute something to the school and maybe increase my sociableness (don't think that's a word...). Well, I think it made me more irritable. I think I'd rather be left alone to eat my chicken and rice in the corner.
During the first week of school, I made two minimal (yet very expensive) attempts to be more social. I think that fills up my quota for the year.
So my motto, 'no expectations, no disappointments', was recently brought under scrutiny by some people during a social event that I ended up going to. I thought I'd clear up any confusion. Simply put, if you avoid having expectations of good things happening or just expect that the worst will always happen, then you can never be disappointed. One of two things can happen: (1) the worst always happens, but since you expect it, then you're not disappointed in the outcome; or (2) something good somehow happens, and you're happy because it's better than what you expected. Therefore, you can only be happy or content. It works.
Now, some confusion came when someone suggested that I avoid relationships/friendships because I would be disappointed by them. Not really. We will analogize with a dog pooping in your house. (This somehow relates a lot of random things from this weekend.) We must first assume that the dog really wants to poop in your house. When the dog poops in your house, you react by tasering your dog. Obviously, your dog would find this more than uncomfortable. Of course, the first time, the dog wouldn't think to relate the poop with the taser. The next time, the dog finds a nice spot in the house to poop, and once again, the dog gets tasered. After several repetitions, the dog realizes that only bad things happen when he poops in your house. Assuming you don't give him a treat or reward for pooping in the house, the dog also realizes that nothing good comes of it either. Therefore, the dog stops pooping in your house. After a while, he isn't sad that he can't poop in your house anymore. He expects the worst (i.e. taser) and avoids expecting the good (i.e. treat), thus avoiding any disappointment. So after rereading that, I just realized that this was probably one of the dumbest things I have ever written. So be it. It works.
Anyway, moving along, let's say that after a long time, the dog becomes content with the fact that shouldn't poop in the house. However, one day, the dog finds a spot in the house that he really wants to poop on. He figures that you probably forgot where you kept your taser, so he poops. It was great for him for that short time, until he gets tasered. This tasering was the worst because he knew better than to poop in your house, and he felt like a fool for thinking the taser wouldn't be coming. Now he knows that he will never poop in your house again. Wow, this kind of makes almost no sense. I primarily just wanted to put the words dog, poop, and taser all in the same idea. It works.
For those who read that and think I'm an idiot, I will try to Barney-fy it for you. Obviously, the pooping in the house would be analogous to pursuing a 'potential' relationship. 'Potential' is just another word for 'in my dreams'. The taser would be similar to one saying, 'hahah, no.'
I hope that cleared up any confusion.
This past weekend I went down to Tech to watch the ECU game and see all the old comrades. The game was a big letdown, but it was a good time otherwise. I must congratulate Mr. Johnson for getting a pilot slot with the Air Force. Four years later, the Sherman curse is officially broken.
While at Tech, I realized how awkward I must seem when at social gatherings with strangers. I suppose people avoid talking to me because I look like I don't want to talk to them. Again, I am not butt-hurt about this. I figured that there's plenty of other guys for them to talk to and mingle with, so why would they want to talk to me. I don't like to compete.
I was watching the movie Major Payne the other day, and there was one line that I found pretty funny. "If the Marine Corps wanted me to have a wife, they would have issued me one." It works.
Anyway, I will try to write here more, since I don't really have any work to do for school.
Good evening.
I'm honestly surprised that I was able to finish the whole 10-week program without any major hitch or injury. Let me first say two things to summarize my experience: one, 10 weeks is a long time; two, I never want to go back to that place ever again.
So it's back to school for year two of three at the illustrious Howard University School of Law. So far things have been pretty easy, and there isn't much work involved yet. Before school started, I had volunteered to be an orientation leader for the incoming class of 2010.
On a side note, what do the freshmen in the VTCC Class of 2010 say when they hear 'zero-five'? 'Ten'? Or maybe they got rid of that tradition entirely because of how stupid it made the 2010 class sound? Perhaps the Class of 1910 were skipped too?
Anyway, back to the orientation business. Orientation lasts for two days at the end of the week before the first week of class. I figured that I'd contribute something to the school and maybe increase my sociableness (don't think that's a word...). Well, I think it made me more irritable. I think I'd rather be left alone to eat my chicken and rice in the corner.
During the first week of school, I made two minimal (yet very expensive) attempts to be more social. I think that fills up my quota for the year.
So my motto, 'no expectations, no disappointments', was recently brought under scrutiny by some people during a social event that I ended up going to. I thought I'd clear up any confusion. Simply put, if you avoid having expectations of good things happening or just expect that the worst will always happen, then you can never be disappointed. One of two things can happen: (1) the worst always happens, but since you expect it, then you're not disappointed in the outcome; or (2) something good somehow happens, and you're happy because it's better than what you expected. Therefore, you can only be happy or content. It works.
Now, some confusion came when someone suggested that I avoid relationships/friendships because I would be disappointed by them. Not really. We will analogize with a dog pooping in your house. (This somehow relates a lot of random things from this weekend.) We must first assume that the dog really wants to poop in your house. When the dog poops in your house, you react by tasering your dog. Obviously, your dog would find this more than uncomfortable. Of course, the first time, the dog wouldn't think to relate the poop with the taser. The next time, the dog finds a nice spot in the house to poop, and once again, the dog gets tasered. After several repetitions, the dog realizes that only bad things happen when he poops in your house. Assuming you don't give him a treat or reward for pooping in the house, the dog also realizes that nothing good comes of it either. Therefore, the dog stops pooping in your house. After a while, he isn't sad that he can't poop in your house anymore. He expects the worst (i.e. taser) and avoids expecting the good (i.e. treat), thus avoiding any disappointment. So after rereading that, I just realized that this was probably one of the dumbest things I have ever written. So be it. It works.
Anyway, moving along, let's say that after a long time, the dog becomes content with the fact that shouldn't poop in the house. However, one day, the dog finds a spot in the house that he really wants to poop on. He figures that you probably forgot where you kept your taser, so he poops. It was great for him for that short time, until he gets tasered. This tasering was the worst because he knew better than to poop in your house, and he felt like a fool for thinking the taser wouldn't be coming. Now he knows that he will never poop in your house again. Wow, this kind of makes almost no sense. I primarily just wanted to put the words dog, poop, and taser all in the same idea. It works.
For those who read that and think I'm an idiot, I will try to Barney-fy it for you. Obviously, the pooping in the house would be analogous to pursuing a 'potential' relationship. 'Potential' is just another word for 'in my dreams'. The taser would be similar to one saying, 'hahah, no.'
I hope that cleared up any confusion.
This past weekend I went down to Tech to watch the ECU game and see all the old comrades. The game was a big letdown, but it was a good time otherwise. I must congratulate Mr. Johnson for getting a pilot slot with the Air Force. Four years later, the Sherman curse is officially broken.
While at Tech, I realized how awkward I must seem when at social gatherings with strangers. I suppose people avoid talking to me because I look like I don't want to talk to them. Again, I am not butt-hurt about this. I figured that there's plenty of other guys for them to talk to and mingle with, so why would they want to talk to me. I don't like to compete.
I was watching the movie Major Payne the other day, and there was one line that I found pretty funny. "If the Marine Corps wanted me to have a wife, they would have issued me one." It works.
Anyway, I will try to write here more, since I don't really have any work to do for school.
Good evening.
posted by Kelvin at 12:22 AM
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