A little after 10 last night, all two-way communications in St. John's, NL went down. We still had radio and TV, but we didn't have telephones or internet. This includes such trivialities as 911 emergency calls.

The cause of failure? A single wire.

A single wire in an Aliant substation shut down all communications in this city, whether through Aliant, Rogers, Telus, or anyone else.

What ever happened to redundant connections? Aren't routers supposed to skip over that? You'd think a city would have more than one route for their communications. Instead, a single wire killed service for 150,000 people.

Time to fix? 5 hours. That can be a long time to go without an emergency call if one was needed.

Um...wow. Have I really been away from Slashdot that long?

Well, what's happened in that year and a half?

Boot camp. Well, since I'm Canadian, I guess it's Basic Military Qualification, but the same thing. It was a challenge, but I felt like I was pushed through. We graduated two full platoons, which is unheard of. The military had too much invested in my platoon, so they weren't nearly hard enough on us or our sister platoon. I know this through word-of-mouth, as a platoon-mate's father is good friends with our company commander. But I had that feeling all the way through. Kinda dampens the pride of accomplishment.

School. Yup, still here, doing my final semester. Sometime next month I should get my posting message, then it's off the the "Real Navy". Or some watered-down version thereof, as I await yet more training.

Divorce. It's official. I'm divorced. Which leads me to...

Girlfriend. Been with her since last Remembrance Day. She has a four-year-old daughter who sometimes loves me sometimes hates me, depending on how long it's been since she's seen her father. Not too surprising an attitude for the kid. The current plan is that the g/f and daughter will follow me to my posting as soon as custody is handled. Although, I don't know if it'll happen, we've been kinda rocky the last couple months. I guess the future will tell there.

Operation ALTAIR . My brother recently deployed to the Persian Gulf aboard HMCS Ottawa. If everything goes to plan, he'll be back in March. If not, well, with an entire family in the military, we'll probably have other things to worry about.

Well, that's a quick summary of the time since I've been here. Apologies for the extended absence.

I passed everything in the semester that just ended. I managed to pull in an 82% average, even though I spent more nights with a karaoke microphone in my hand than a textbook.

New semester starting in 5 days. After that, I'll probably need to hit the books a little more often. But I probably won't ;)

Also looked at getting a car today. I added up my taxi bills since I got here, then compared them to the cost of a car, gas, and insurance. It comes out close, but the car gives me that extra freedom to go where I want, when I want.

Anyway, it's almost time to hit the club. Gotta freshen up for my harem, and warm up the vocal cords before karaoke begins.

Yes, I'm an addict.

I had to do a presentation in Comm Skills today. We had to take an object and describe it in a technical paper, then give a presentation on it. Examples given were screwdrivers, hammers, toothbrushes, etc. I thought I'd feel like an idiot standing in front of a class of techs and describing their everyday tools, so I decided to do something different.

I stood up in front of the class today to describe a shinai (kendo sword). I figured it had a few advantages:

• I've taken one apart and re-assembled it twice a week for the last year and a half. I know it inside and out.
• Because it's user-maintainable, it's easy to find diagrams on the 'net that label the parts the way the prof wants them.
• Because nobody else in my class has seen one, they don't know when I'm making shit up.
• And, as I said before, I'd feel like an idiot telling them about something I know they already know. Here I got to tell them something new.

I got a Bravo Zulu from the class (that's a good thing). They were impressed that I had something they hadn't seen, and I was asked where they can get started :) Unfortunately, there's no kendo school in Newfoundland, so they'll have to wait until they're posted to their base in two years :(

from the spinning of my head.

Went out last night. Met A, W, and C at a karaoke bar.

Things progressed.

Now I'm confused about last night. I know that C is (was?) interested in K, my roommate. I know that K is not interested in C. I know that they haven't talked about it since Thursday, because K has been studying his ass off. It's not a case of C being rejected by K.

It felt so right dancing with C. I enjoyed being there. She seemed to enjoy it.

I went to bed last night completely confused. I know that she doesn't (didn't?) have those feelings for me. There was no real connection on Wednesday, as much as I wished for it.

I woke this morning, and the confusion wasn't lost. If anything, sobriety made it come in that much more clearly.

I finally braced myself to call. I talked with C. Because C was at A's place, I talked with A.

It seems that everybody is confused. C is confused about her feelings, and A and W are confused about what they saw last night.

Were C and I dancing last night, or was it the alcohol dancing? Did it work because we weren't stressed and nervous from first-date anxiety or did it work because we'd been drinking? Can it still work if we're sober?

I know I'd like it to work. But if it's just the illusion, I'll pass.

The guys in the barracks think I'm crazy. Maybe they're right. But I'm not going to base my decisions on what they have to tell me; they base their thoughts in this matter on what they see happening. I base mine on what I feel happening.

Unfortunately, all I feel now is confusion.

I made up my mind to tell my roommate. Dammit, something is gonna happen on my terms.

Went to the meal hall for breakfast this morning. The dining area was empty except for him. Take deep breath, brace myself, walk in.

Before I get a chance to say much more than "Hi", he tells me that he knows. He spent last night trying to think of a way to tell her he's not interested, without fucking up a group of friends.

I'll probably still see a fair bit of her. Small-circle-of-friends and all that bullshit.

I'll say this in her favour. She (a) was up front about being interested in someone else and (b) waited less than a week, rather than waiting 10 years.

Going to school in about 20 minutes. Probably gonna go drown my sorrows at a local Irish pub tonight. Good live music, good beer, and cute waitresses.

I called today to confirm the movie plans.

She wants to "chat".

She comes over tonight. With her friend. Bad sign.

It's not working out between us. I can deal with that, it's normal.

She's interested in my roommate.

She says she doesn't want to do anything that'll hurt us (roommate & me). She doesn't want to strain our friendship.

She's leaving it up to me to decide whether to tell him; she claims she'll abide by my decision.

Do I tell him? Maybe they'll be great together. Or do I hide it from him for my own sake?

Oh, and she still wants to be friends and hang out together "because maybe it'll work out for us, later".

Wonderful coincidence, one year ago today my wife & I separated. My favourite fucking day of the year.

Dinner went well. Due to timing issues, the movie didn't happen, so we went out to a local karaoke bar, where she awed the audience and I made their ears bleed :-S

Thanks to Sol, John, Sam, and Insane for your support in my pre-date journal. You were all right - it was nothing to be afraid of. Don't know what I was all worked up for.

Getting late now, and I have a fairly long day tomorrow - a full day of school (as opposed to the part day I had today), followed by "The Date part 2: The Movie".

Probably no nervous pacing tomorrow. Or at least less of it.

Forcing myself to sit down for a minute, stop pacing.

Why am I so nervous? Is it because this is the first her-and-me only date? Is it because this is my first "first date" in eleven years? Or is this normal?

Why do I see Murphy staring me in the face every time I turn around?

The world can't possibly come crashing down around my ears tonight. So why does it feel like my smallest mistake can make that happen?

One hour, 33 minutes 'til the restaurant reservation.

Relax, Kevin. Everything will be good.

Dammit why do I have to be so confident at school and so nervous at romance? Is it normal to be this nervous?

How will I be able to eat with these butterflies dancing in my stomach?

One hour, 30 minutes. Excuse me, I'm going to pace a bit more.

I did my CF express test this morning. For the majority of you who are not in the Canadian Forces, it's your standard-issue PT test:

• Do a shuttle run - CD goes "beep", run to the other line. Get to the line before it goes "beep" again, then return to first line at the "beep". Every minute the time between beeps decreases. Keep running after six minutes to pass. Commonly referred to as the beep test. Status: Passed, barely.
• Grip test. Hold a hand dynamometer and squeeze. Repeat with other hand. Beat a combined grip (both hands) of 95 pounds. Status: Passed, easily.
• Pushups. Hands directly under shoulders, arms at 90 degrees. Push to full arm extension. Repeat without pause until reaching a count of 19. Status: Passed, easily. Had to do 20 because one didn't count (not full extension)
• Situps. Hands touching temples, knees at 45 degrees. Pull up until elbows touch knees. Do at least 19 in one minute. Status: Passed, 30 situps.

So, in conclusion, I passed. Told myself I can't die today, 'cause it would probably piss C off if I miss my date tomorrow ;)

Unfortunately, the express test put me off my game for the math midterm, but that's another story.

Went to a hockey game on Friday. After the game, my classmate W, his girlfriend A, some other guys and I went to a local bar for some karaoke.

A's friend C was there, and she joined the group. She went up and sang a few (she's actually recording a CD demo this upcoming weekend with her band Ocean Skye). After we left, W, A, and I were heading in the same direction. A few blocks after we left, A shows me a piece of paper and says "You got a girl's phone number. But you only get it if you come with us."

The rest of the night rated about 9.5 on a 1-10 scale of awkwardness. See, W doesn't dance and A does. A would only give me the number if I danced with her. But I think W wanted to be alone with her; I tried to fade into the background when she wasn't dancing, and to be available when she wanted to. As I said, awkward night.

Night ends. W and A get in cab. I don't get phone number. Fuck.

Today my roommate K comes back from W's apartment where he's been studying. He hands me a piece of paper. C's number. Sweet.

Called her up, she came over to the block. Probably wasn't the brightest idea I ever had, 'cause the guys were being jerks. But we couldn't leave because C brought A with her, and A was talking with K for the entire night. We endured, but the night was an almost complete write-off.

I say "almost" because she still wants me to call her later this week, and to come to her band's recording party this week and her first solo performance next week.

Aridhol is happy. A little nervous - I don't have much experience on the dating scene and I don't want to fuck it up - but happy.

5:30 in the morning. After-hours clubs fuck you up. really.

Got hauled into the lecture hall on Thursday. Actually, the entire class did. Seems a guy in my class was an undercover cop. Busted a second-year student for selling drugs. Also went to several parties, and took names of underage drinkers and the overly rowdy. Chief tore us all a new asshole.

11 days 'til i can file for divorce. There's something to celebrate. Discovered I still had a pic of her in my wallet. Borrowed lighter. No more pic.

Went drinking with two barracksmates. Both married. Both ended up with girls. I went home alone. WTF?

School sucks. Duty watch sucks. Supervising prisoner sucks. Doing homework while supervising prisoner on duty watch sucks majorly.

Rarely drank coffee before joining the navy. Now narcoleptic coffee addict. Who somehow can't sleep after a night of drinking.

Unbalanced levels of liquid courage. Saw girl. Watched, saw she wasn't with a guy. Walked toward girl. Wussed out at last second. Feel vaguely uncomfortable picking up girl before filing divorce. Buddies tell me i'm separated, it isn't adultery. Maybe that's why I lost nerve. Dunno.

5:35 in the morning. Need sleep. Must finish homework tomorrow. Must put away shipped baggage - finally arrived friday. Don't want to get in shit for another failed inspection.

Good night everybody. Closer to good morning, i guess. whatever.

Well, I haven't been on /. in a while, but I'm still alive and studying (the main reason I'm not online).

Woke up this morning, considered putting on the uniform but decided to wait until after breakfast. After trudging through knee-deep snow (the plough came in behind us), we got to the meal hall, where we heard the wonderful news on the radio.

MUN is closed for weather.

Good news - an extra day to study for quizzes (one of which is worth 15% of our total mark!)

Bad news - Three quizzes back-to-back, because Monday's quiz is pushed to Tuesday, and Tuesday and Wednesday quizzes still stand. Ick.

Still waiting for the 3 boxes I sent with military shipping to arrive. Only 3 weeks overdue now. I may even have them by the time I graduate.

Um, that's about it. Studying hard, hardly studying, it's all the same to me.

Flew home for Chrismas. Flew back on New Years Day.

Long flight. I left home at 6 AM on the first (Pacific time), arrived in Newfoundland at 2:30 AM (Newfoundland time) the next day.

My luggage didn't.

So, along with half the people on my flight, I go to the baggage claims desk. I get to the front of the line, and give the guy my info. 2 boxes, 2 bags. OK, we'll trace them and get them to you ASAP.

Go to the barracks to sleep. That afternoon, the airport calls. One of my boxes (the 3rd package of 4, containing my monitor) has arrived. No word on the others.

Later that night, I called the airline. After waiting on hold for an hour, discovered they have no info.

Next morning, I wake up grumpy, and decide to cab down to the airport to get some answers. Three of my packages are sitting at the claims counter. Two boxes, one bag. Still missing one bag.

Get the stuff to the barracks, realize that the missing bag has my uniform. I have enough spare uniform parts that I can wear something today, except for my beret. Go to school with a toque. Surprise inspection - WTF is that on your head, sailor? Sorry PO, Air Canada has my uniform.

Went down to clothing stores, got a beret from them as well as a claim form for the rest. Hopefully I'll get my stuff (not only my uniform) soon (immediately would be nice, but not likely). Useful stuff, like my computer's keyboard.

The guys here have learned not to mention airlines recently :P

Well, here I am in Newfoundland. I've actually been here for almost two weeks, but we only got computer access today.

It's snowy, blowy, and cold here. I'm looking forward to going home this weekend :)

Turns out that the military won't arrange my flight, but they will pay for it. And, since I'm flying across the country, they'll pay my entire expenses (lesser of my expenses or $1900, and my flight is $1400, so I get it all).

My housing situation is interesting - the military has me listed as married (legally, I am), so I'm living in the temporary quarters. However, I've explained my situation to my supervisor (not to the detail y'all know it), and he's decided that I belong in the other, cheaper, single quarters. The reason for this is that if they decide I'm not entitled to being in the expensive place (where I am right now), I have to pay them back - married people are entitled to free room & board by the military, but they take it back out of your pay if they decide you didn't deserve it.

Inspection tomorrow, 0700. Fun. Then we get sliders (out at noon :), then I'm on a plane at 1600 Saturday. Home for the holidays :) :) :)

That's about all for now. TTYL.