McCain v. McCain?

There was a debate tonight, in case you didn't know. But I am to the point where watching the debates has no purpose. It is no secret that I am a backer of Obama, I have been since Iowa and hopefully for the next four (eight if he is lucky) years. But I hope that everyone, Republican's included, can see how bad of a candidate McCain is. I am not saying he is a bad person, just candidate. In fact, before his campaigning I thought he had some good ideas. Now it seems as he doesn't know what his ideas are anymore. Anyway, I found this nice piece of propaganda and thought I should post it. I am not going to get into what I think about Palin, that would take too long.

I am down to a week until I go to OCS. I am still pretty nervous. On the plus side, my insoles came for my shoes and they make the running SO much easier. My shins still ache a little but nowhere near how they used to. My pullups are coming along, I have yet to max out, but they are feeling good. Crunches are crunches and I am not worried about those. But I am becoming more and more anxious.

Whenever I talk to someone about OCS, somewhere in the conversation it is said, 'remember, when they yell at you, you can't yell back.' And on the surface it is funny (or was the first couple times), but I can tell that some people are truly worried that I will yell back. I just want to clear the air and say that I am all for being a subordinate and will have no problem not yelling back. This life will be easy in the way that for the next 10 weeks I won't have to produce original thought. I will be in such a groove that things will be going subconsciously. I will still keep my thoughts and ideas about issues, that is not what I am saying.

Just image everyday waking up and not having to think about what you are going to do. Not having to decide what to wear. Deciding when you are going to fit in your workout. When you are going to eat. What you are going to eat. All of this will be decided for me. All of those little stressors will be out of my life. Replaced by physical stressors that I will have to overcome, but I thrive on that.

Right now I am checking and rechecking the packing list. It is a fun feeling, reminds me of going to Luther for the first time. I am also in the process of gathering addresses to write to while I am there. Although, I get use of my phone after week 4 so I don't know how much I will actually write.

Starting tomorrow I am going to go through all of my things and get rid of what I don't need. Video games included (eek!). Most of it I will end up giving to my sister and her family. Some of the stuff I will be selling and some donating to Goodwill.

I plan on keeping my bike and the accessories that go with that, and that is it. Extreme? Maybe, but I won't need that stuff. I am guessing that I will undergo a great physical change while I am there, so my clothes won't fit anymore. I will have some money when I get out so I can buy what I need then. I am going to be a minimalist for 10 weeks, maybe 20 years.

I'll close this post with a quote from Socrates, but first a suggestion.

Go to your clothes and pick out anything that you haven't worn more than 4 times in the last two months. When you have done that, get rid of it. Take it to your local thrift store. This will still leave you with, theoretically, two weeks worth of clothes...much more than necessary to survive. But more than that it will bring you one step closer to practicing minimalism. Having only what you need. A good skill to have in this economic period.

“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
-Socrates, Way of the Peaceful Warrior