I'm Coming Home

I don't know when or for how long, but I'm going back. And when I get there it won't be soon enough.
In the meantime I'll be visiting memory lane on a regular basis. I've been stuck in a mental New Jersey for the last two days, circa 1984. Thanks to the interweb, you can find just about anything that reminds you of how things used to be. Even though I was only four or five years old, I remember a lot - like this guy. Most of all, I miss good old New Jersey and the greater New York City area. I miss it so much I could cry and this fall has been the worst. Whenever I do go back, it won't be soon enough.
Here's a taste of New Jersey circa 1984.

Thanksgiving

Ten years ago, today, I boarded a plane with my best new Navy friend, Spencer Morton. We flew from Baltimore, MD to Newark to have my last Thanksgiving at Aunt Barb's house in Denville, NJ. Jill had just gotten out of the Navy and brought Morty and I on the train to NYC for my first time in too long. It was a cleaner Guilani city. I hardly recognized it as the spray painted rough house of my childhood. It was the last time I saw the twin towers and the last time I really remember my sister feeling good about herself. I remember coming home in uniform too - this was the first time I'd seen my parents since my bootcamp graduation on November 4. I remember trying to explain to my mother what a big deal it was to go outside without a cover (hat). We had dinner at Steve and Sue's house and my united family, at that time, welcomed Morty and I with loving arms. It was truly wonderful.
Lots of things never happened again after that day. I had no idea it would be so profound in my memory. The whole three days helped me identify who I am or would be for the rest of my life.
I'm thankful for those days:
Morty, Huddy, Singleton, Mac, Rm. 104, my family, NYC, the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nat Sherman, New Jersey and more - flying for the holidays, wet smelly leaves, damp cold, turkey, canned cranberries, spilled cranberry juice, football and last night's dream about Murray Hill. Man...

Breaking News:

Are we there yet? I think so. What a day.
As many of you know, I've been waiting for my shot for what seems like a lifetime. In all fairness, I've had my shot several times. You could say it just wasn't my time yet, but I know why it didn't work out.
My first departure from the Navy left me unfulfilled and poised to fail - honestly. The stress of no money, the mess around my internship, school, unemployment, having the kid, no medical insurance, the car blowing up (x3 for a $6,500 total over the last three years), Tahoe and 75-hour work weeks w/ 3 hours of sleep every night, Boreal, my column at the weekly and finally here in Hoquaim - it's been an incredible road.
I feel confident saying I don't know anyone who's been what I've been through to be in this line of work. It hardly pays, but that's not why I do it. It's not my means of living. When everyone else fell through, Freeskier came through with my first contract for stories - all expenses paid with gear coming out my ears and finally some money. My skis and annual gear wish list from Armada arrive tomorrow. I'm officially back in the Navy and school is looking up. My work study is still there and flexible and we should have medical again in less than two weeks.
If you're tuning in for the first time at this entry, you've missed a lot - so much more than I ever expected. I risked so much more than I anticipated when I started all this five years ago.
All the romance is gone on this occasion. Not like the late nights at Powder or intricate knowledge of Armada's line a year in advance with all the free skis and tickets I could stand - or the prestige of public relations director. This is solid. No romance and no lights. It's what should be and I made it happen.
Savannah convinced me to go back to school last year. She asked me how many more times something awesome would come across for me. At that point, I was sure it never would. And the next year kept me believing the same thing.
Family, Navy, school, Freeskier... Makes me think of a post I had no more than two weeks ago about killing yourself by not getting stronger. You know - overload where you start hurting yourself rather than getting stronger.
Well I'm stronger than ever and looks like there were a few more opportunities left - I'm stronger and more prepared than ever to make the most of them.

These Make me Think

Well Thanksgiving is almost here and its being came up during a nice fascist liberal conversation at my equally liberal school, The Evergreen State College. One guy felt the need to call it Turkey Day just because he didn't agree with the widely marketed idea of the holiday. Let's see how shallow and ignorant my idea is. I'll be posting some Thanksgiving ideas.

Pardon me...

from having to watch the Sarah palin show yet again. You know - the sitcom where that wanna-be politician commits political suicide everyday... Yeah that's the one.
Yesterday's episode had our fair unelected VP candidate partaking in an annual ritual usually held for the actual US President. Usually our country's leader light-heartedly pardons a turkey from "certain death" just before Thanksgiving and eveyone's supposed to laugh. Ol' Sarah decided she was on the same level as the president and saved an Alaskan turkey - FAIL! She was successful though - we all laughed. Just then the media takes complete advantage of her ignorance by showcasing her stumbling through the PR stunt w/ more idiotic ramble. It's all haha fun until you see what's going on in the background. Now just because she's clueless doesn't mean it's o.k. to exploit her in this manner. I'm throwing two flags on the play - unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness.
Make not of her backdrop - because it's news. Don't blow it out of proportion by showing three minutes of turkey slaughter before Thanksgiving. Two wrongs here make the governer just Poor Sarah again - and make her message of the media beating her up a little more believable.

Morning Funny

So if we're giving Hillary props this morning - why stop at the last post? At least we should all know our future secretary of state will no longer be considered in the same league as our beloved Alaska Governer. Looks like the Wasilla Mayor's Office party. Good times!

Political Mike Jordan

Well our president-to-be has really done it again. In just the short year I've been following Barack Obama, he's managed to impress me at every turn - especially when it counts. If American politics were sports, he'd be the Jeter, or better yet - the Mike Jordan. No one does it better.

He's building the dream team cabinet. This better than watching the draft picks.

A W?

Waiting kills me. Passive is not my style. So, on the note of 'being myself,' (thanks Jen) I made progress toward a W.
That' s how Bobby Knight saw life - in Ws and Ls. Nothing leads to a W like a W.

Video!

And I've officially learned how to use Youtube. This is gonna change everything.



Don't forget this one where I actually go half as far and land.

Motion In Progress

My new website www.jasontross.com is underway. Like my new blog, the site will be called Motion.
Here's an imbed test for photos and videos.

From My Kwood Chute

Hello WWW

Free from the confines of the old Myspace.com blog, I'm here and available to the world.
Doesn't that sound important?
Well it is.
Please feel free to take an extensive look into my former blog linked up from this site. And for those of you who can't find it, I've got a nice link right here.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=40448683

That said and done, let's get on to some content. I'll be doing my best to post my random, and very important thoughts here as they come. I only guarantee a 5-percent relevance factor to any information here.

Ready, set, Motion