Is Rusty Still in the Navy?

Yes, its Christmas Vacation time. And not just the movie, although I still haven't watched that this season... But also for me! I head out bright and early tomorrow morning and fly to Kansas City where some friends will be picking me up and whisking me away, eventually back to Omaha. I'm rather excited to be back and see some friends. I've been down here for a week shy of 9 months now and have only been back to Omaha twice, and neither time really got to spend any time with people.

I'll get some good quality time with my friends and family, including the traditional Christmas at Grandma's where we will more than likely eat dinner in the cold, dark basement, and open gifts, followed by the annual decorating of the Christmas Jeff.

Then Friday afternoon, I fly out to Las Vegas to help watch my niece and nephew. I'll have a Vegas New Year, before flying back to Tulsa on January 4th. Yep. Really looking forward to the next 2 weeks!

I'll try to do some mobile blogging while I'm gone, and who knows, maybe even another Vidcast?

i love you,

dw

Omaha wrap-up!

I'm exhausted today, but I had a great time back in Omaha. Sorry I won't end up having another vid-cast out of this. I really had planned on it but honestly just did something very uncharacteristic of me and took it easy this weekend. Lots of pictures at the bottom!

I got in Thursday night and instead of going out with the several people I had talked over plans with I just went to a small coffee shop by myself and watched a friend of mine perform. It worked out perfectly that he went on later because of a delayed flight and I walked in the door for the last song of the guy right before Nicholas. I sipped my delicious free coffee and enjoyed it.

The next day I was able to meet up with an old friend from high school. I basically keep in touch with 2 people from my class regularly. Stephen (Beav) and his wife. We had delicious Alvarado's burritos (one of the three Omaha restaurants I had planned on hitting up while I was there) and just chatted. It was also my high school's homecoming, and although I could care less about whats going on with my high school, my sister was bringing out her three kids to the parade and I also wanted to be sure to see my grandma so it was a great opportunity. So I went to the football game, and after Stephanie took Avery and Jackson home but left Annabelle with me and mom to take to the game.

Saturday I went back in to Omaha and took some pictures around town. I've always wanted to photograph the downtown area but have never really taken the time. I still could have used more time, but I got a few of the iconic markers for downtown Omaha (photos all below). I had to rush through at the end because of the wedding. I quickly got ready, picked up my date and then her dog got out! We had to chase her all over the neighborhood. Thankfully I had planned on getting to the wedding plenty early so that I could get the camera set up (I videoed the wedding) so we were only late to when we said we'd be there, not to the actual wedding.

It was one of the best weddings I had been to in a while. I have to honestly say I wasn't paying much attention to the actual content of the ceremony because I was concentrating on filming, but I assume it was nice, and the reception was great. There were a couple slide shows, including one that the photographer had quickly put together of the wedding photos in between the ceremony and that lag time before the wedding party showed up. There was also a "friends and family" slideshow that I was awesome enough to make with Andy and my CWS picture with "the Captain". Oh, and also there was a picture of a random friend we haven't talked to in nearly a year. The funny thing was, he was the only one in the picture. And maybe 3 people at the whole wedding even knew who he was. Randomness. We finished the night out back at the hotel hanging out and singing karaoke. Andy and I broke out our rendition of Tag Team's Whoomp There It Is. Just call us DC-the Brain Supreme and the Man, Steve Rollin. And perhaps the highlight of my night was the fact that not only did I beat Janel in darts (a rarity) but I beat her 2 games in a row! And that was after not playing darts in 3 months! I'm sorry, what was the question... Why am I so awesome?

Sunday was just a church/hang out with the family kind of day. I didn't end up leaving town until 5:30 which meant I got home around 12:30, and after only getting about 4 hours of sleep the night before, it made for quite the long day!

Here's all the pictures from the weekend! (click to enlarge; roll over for description)

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A message from New Orleans

Many of you know I made a trip down to New Orleans to help with some relief work post-Katrina. What started as an act to simply please a girl (don't things always start this way) ended as a life-changing experience and I now have a very deep love for the city. Many people shared this same experience, including a friend of mine from Omaha. She went down with her college to help out and after several more trips, even took a position spearheading some of the efforts as a point person for groups wanting to go down. After completing her year-long position, she decided to stay down there and become a New Orleans Police Officer. I can't tell you how much I would not want this job, and how much respect I have for her for going for it.

With Gustav hitting land this morning I ask you say a prayer for my friend, but also the people of New Orleans. I have seen with my own eyes the damage and hurt Katrina caused, but I have also seen a city of people rise up in the middle of a disaster. This was a message my friend, Stephanie, posted yesterday morning, and a few updates from her mom.

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*posted August 31st at 5:22a.m.

Today it slowly sank in. Gustav is coming. And Gustav could be big. I woke up to a note from my roommate. She works for a nursing home and evacuated with her residents today. Then, I went to run errands (pick up some BDU’s, get a knife, more food, etc) and the interstate was crazy backed up. From what I hear from my local friends, people are taking this storm seriously. I say- good. People need to evacuate. We don’t need a repeat. Homes and material things can be replaced but lives cannot. Plus, it gives us less to do after it hits.

Then, as the day went on the streets just got emptier and emptier. The interstate is backed up getting out of town. The stores are boarded up and closed. Little to nothing will be open tomorrow. Some gas stations are empty. Ice is hard to come by. And the national guard is here. I’m also told we have two boats at our station ready to go. I’ve never been through a storm that has such advanced warning before- it’s an eerie experience. I’ll take a tornado any day over this. The threat comes and goes within a few hours. And they rarely wipe out a whole coastline.

I feel like I’m preparing for war. Everyone moves out and we move in. I have my police gear and lots of canned food, water, and such ready to be put in my car. We’ll see what the next week of my life holds. We’re definitely going to get something. It’s not looking good. But this is why I signed up to be the police, right? This is what we do. This is where I belong right now. I trust God is watching over us and I’ll cope with what comes our way. I’m not worried about my stuff or my life (okay maybe a little)… I’m concerned for my city and its future and the dear (and even the not so dear) people who live here. Pray for the gulf.

As I did one last load of laundry today, I looked over and saw the Katrina water settling mark on the house next door. I’m pretty much planning on my home getting flooded and losing most everything I own. I honestly feel that it’s kind of a guarantee right now. I have some stuff over at a friends… so hopefully that’ll make it so I have more to wear than BDU uniforms after the rescuing is done.

Not gonna lie… this is an eerie feeling. I’m not sure where we’ll be stationed while the storm passes. I report to work in a few hours and, well, I'll leave when I leave. I will probably not be able to update for awhile. But feel free to check back for updates. If I text someone maybe they can leave it as a comment? Anywho, pray for the gulf. Pray Gustav isn’t related to Katrina. And pray all the stolen trucks that have popped up in my district (to be used in looting) break down :0) Seriously… I have no idea what is coming our way… but I feel it. And I honestly cannot describe the feeling. May God be with us all. And thank you for your prayers!!!

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*posted September 1st at 8:07a.m. by Stephanie's mom

I received a text message from Stephanie this morning at 1:37. She was patrolling the streets in a humvee with 3 soldiers. She said it was windy but but not raining at that point and for me to not believe the news. Thank you all for praying for Stephanie. At this point she has probably been pulled off the streets since Gustav is hitting land.

I just got another text from Stephanie, she is at the convention center riding out Gustav's land fall. She also said that CNN is stationed at her station doing stories. So you may to check CNN once in a while.

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posted September 1st at 3:21pm by Stephanie's mom

I've heard from Steph about an hour ago. She is still inside. The big concern is waiting to see what the levees do and if they hold. Thank you for all your prayers. I'll keep you all updated.

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*posted september 1st at 10:18PM by stephanie's mom

Another update on Stephanie (8:30 PM) She hadn't heard about any major damage in NOLA. Lots of rain. She said her district 6 seems ok. She has had access to water and food and still had power. She is currently out on patrol. Someone said on TV that NOLA dodged a bullet. My belief is that Gustav getting weaker and not coming a shore as a category 3 or 4 was God answering all our prayers.

Branson!! I mean, Branson??

I've been meaning to post a blog about this, but as this was my first concert week (blog soon to come) I was pretty busy all week. That aside, I went to Branson last weekend for Memorial Day. Whats actually interesting about it is I had a really good time. I know, right? I found out a couple weeks ago that one of my good friends from college just recently moved down to Springfield, MO so he invited me up for Memorial Day. We went to a great piano bar Saturday night and enjoyed some good music (although I prefer the tiny, homey space in Omaha).



After church on Sunday, we drove down to Branson. Sean had a friend that was a dancer in one of the shows so she was able to get some tickets for us. We walked around the downtown district a little bit then went to a show called Country Tonight. So not only did I see a show in Branson, but it was a country show. And I still had a really fun time. It didn't hurt that Sean's dancer friend was both hot and a GREAT dancer, and we were surrounded by blue-hairs that weren't getting into the show so we clapped loudly anyway. It was good to see the performers light up when they heard us getting into it.

We took her out to dinner afterwards and walked around the Landing a little more and enjoyed the cooled off weather. There was a really cool fountain show with fire. I like fire. It turned out to be a great weekend!

What Can Come Out Your Nose

My college roommate was a pretty funny guy and he had this habit of waiting until i put beverages and sometimes food in my mouth before he would deliver a punchline. It became almost a contest, each time trying to get something new to come out. Here is an abridged version of things he has made come out of my nose. This is by no means a complete list, as I probably could not name everything he has successfully made come out my nose, but here is a start... And if any of my college friends can think of anything else you have witnessed, please feel free to add it.

• Milk
• Chocolate Milk
• various sodas
• ice cream
• Chili - yeah, i know
• Jello - actually hurts
• Jello with bananas - hurts WAY more
• slushy
• hot coffee
• a small chunk of ice (this actually became lodged in my nose, and dripped out as it melted)
• snow - actually, he made that go up my nose
• listerine

and the most recent event that inspired me to write this blog

• potato chips

I think what hurt the most was hot coffee and listerine. The listerine was actually quite impressive because he wasn't there. I was gargaling one morning and i thought of a joke he told the night before about gargaling sand and it made me laugh.