60 Years of Disney Musical Magic

ITS HERE! My life is so much better!

A smoker is a smoker and a liar is a liar.

How hard is it to quit smoking? If you wanted something bad enough couldn't you do it for yourself of someone that you love? If it meant breaking up a relationship would you be able to stop? I guess I am just the kind of person that always gets her way no matter what and keeps asking till she gets the answer she wants. No doesn't always mean no. You just have to keep asking till you get the answer that you want to hear.

Maybe some people are just more weak than others. Maybe they don't know how to say No to their friends when they are offered a cigarette. Maybe they never really intended on quitting and they were just telling that person what they wanted to hear to shut them up for the moment.

You can't base a relationship off that and you can't have a marriage with it either.

Every ones seen He's Just Not That Into You, right? Where the husband is a liar. First he's just lying about the fact that he's smoking and telling his wife that he's quit because her father died of lung cancer. Then he's lying about his affair with another woman. In the end he's a sack of shit and she buys him a whole carton on cigarettes and leaves a note that says 'knock yourself out. P.S. I want a divorce.' I left a similar note, mine wasn't as poetic as that, "told you not to smoke, you trailer trash.' The message is all the same. A smoker is a smoker, and a liar is always a liar. Weather its today when he lies to you at the Navy Lodge and says "I'll quit" and feeds you the same bull shit as before or its its a lie about how he cheated 'No baby I never made out with Owens from security' Sooner or later its going to end, forever and for good. Better tomorrow than married with kids, hopefully today rather than tomorrow.

See this is where having orders that tie you to the same place the liar, cheater, smoker works really gets you down.

A "Good" Time to start your life...

Being in the Navy on a forward deployed carrier I see girls getting pregnant all the time. The fact of the matter here is that since I've arrived to the boat on February 11th 2007 (kind of a date that sticks with you. Similar to how prisoners remember the date they were sentenced.) I've seen well over 100-150 girls leave because they got pregnant. That is statically speaking, and its only the girls that I know in Air Department, not even taking into calculations the females from other departments. FYI they are about 6 hundred people in Air Department and 5500 people station onboard the USS George Washington. You can do the math.

Most of these pregnancies occurred during the ships transition from Norfolk VA to Yokosuka, Japan. Perhaps many females were scared to come to a country that didn't speak the language, culture shock is crippling for some. Or maybe they truly had intentions of fulfilling their dream to start a family and become a mother. Which ever it is, females have been getting themselves in this particular situation over and over again. Personally I've watch and helped many a friend back up those 4 cubes of what is their life as they know it and leave back to the states to start a new life, one where they're not the number 1 priority anymore.

Every time this happens I talk with my dad about it. Personally I think he might think that I am having the same thoughts of these girls because his response is always the same "Now is not a good time Sam, you need a house and a more money." My moms response is similar "Build a nest first honey." This always leaves me asking... When is a "good" time to have kids?

Here is how I see the next 10-15 years of my life playing out, and surprisingly there isn't one year that looks theoretically a "good time to start a family."

From 2006-2011 I will be in the same boat I am in now: USS George Washington. Sadly I am legally bound to call that some odd tons of metal and more metal "home." Not a good place to raise a baby. However while it may be true that if I found out I was pregnant tomorrow I would be on the first plane back to San Deigo, which happens to be my real home and also the place that every girl on my boat gets sent to when they pop positive for sperm. They would give me money for an apartment and living expenses and I wouldn't have to hear those God awful words "pulling lines and raising anchor USS George Washington is expected to get underway in ___ hours." The down side to this is my boyfriend, baby's father, soon to be husband, or fiancé would be on the boat when those words were said over the 1MC. I'd be going through pregnancy all alone, and then raising a baby all on my own. Not to mention that I'd be set free of the Navy by the time "my baby" was one. Set free with no degree and no income and a one year old baby. The picture is looking very dark for something that should be such a beautiful time in ones life.

My 4 years in the navy, 2006-2011 = not a "good" time to have a baby/start a family.

On September 11, 2011 a date that is burned into my head, and just happens to be tattooed onto my left wrist, is a date that I NEVER want to forget. Its the day that my contract with the military is over. I'm free and the GI Bill is going to pay my rent, books, and college tuition for the next three years. This too seems like not a good time to have a child, what with my full time student status and part-time job to pay the side bills like a car, medical and dental coverage and anything else. 2011-2014 AKA I am now 26 or 27. Still sadly = not a "good" time to have a baby/start a family. Oh also I'm sure I would get married sometime around here, and he'd say... (the golden words) "You should enjoy your time right now sammy girl, its not going to be just you and your husband forever. Once you have the baby its all over." :) ha love you dad! haha

After college obviously comes career. So say I get my degree and become a registered nurse and find a job at a local hospital. I am now 27 years old, ew... am I supposed to tell my boss three months into the job "Hey look I know you just hired me, however I've been waiting patiently for 7 years to have a child and start a family.... so can I get paid vacation time for that or something." No matter how cool of a boss that is he will either fire you for being a moron and actually asking that stupid question out loud or fire you... so you can have you kid that you've been wanting for so long. So I work for two years minimum and now I'm thirty one. :( yet still this time in my life = not a "good" time to have a child/start a family.

** Please keep in mind that a 22 year old body is going to bounce back faster and better after a pregnancy than a 30 year olds. Not to mention that I've always wanted to be a young mom, so they know that I'm sharp and won't try to pull a fast one on me.

So now I am Samantha Aker, a college graduate, a registered nurse and 5 years of service to her country. I have many great accomplishments however I never got to do the one thing that I wanted more than anything: to have my own family. To take my daughter/son on the train from San Diego to HB to meet his grandpa so we can have a bon fire at the beach with all his aunts. Or to have my Meme see her great great great grandchild.... because I know the ol bat is pushing her numbers but I love her so much and I am so thankful that I got to know her because she's a pretty interesting old woman. My sisters will attest to that, Meme's always been there for us and I would be SO pissed off if my daughter never got to have her in her life. Everybody has their own priorities and they change from day to day but when I look back at my life I don't want my greatest accomplishment or most important event in my life to be that I made Chief...woooo. No, I want to know that myself and my "husband" put something into this world, and also they have to take care of my old ass and wheel me around and feed me pancakes. No one wants to be old and alone and not have some great history.

So after reading all that.... When do you think is a "good" time? I'm interested to hear opinions.

There are worse things that could have happened

You can survey the damage for yourself. :(

Than buying a brand new thousand dollar macbook on the third of the month then having the screen crack on the 23rd and the "warranty doesn't cover it."

The US could somehow freakishly loose the war and we could all be governed by those wakie Iraquies. Suicide bombers would teach your kids in school. It would be worse...

Korea might actually launch a missile that reaches the United States.

I could have taken out a loan to pay for my new/old now macbook and still be paying on a broken piece of $#1T.

My ship could pull-out tomorrow.

My hair could all fall out :(

I could be broke. (This is a good point, because I usually am close to broke this time of month, Right before pay-day)

Global Warming

There are lots of things. So I am going to stop crying over spilt milk.

** This blog comes to you from Randy's perfectly intact macbook.

I wonder if I should shell out and buy a new one. This hurts. What would you do?

Death Grip on Your Life

Turns out that even when the Navy says "your free" You're really not! Poor Derick and Jamey are stuck here longer than the navy said they would be. Well at first they said they're out on the 28th and 29th of this month but now they're telling them they're leaving on the 8th because flights only leave out on Sundays. The 8th is a Tuesday.

If this doesn't prove how difficult it is to get away what can? I feel bad because I was like Oh really your not leaving till you don't know when. I can be out of here before you, because I'm a girl. The only way your leaving this B1#(h is if your pregnant or you jump in-front of a car.... if the first two don't apply you better load up on spaghetti-0s and baby wipes because your going underway in October with everyone else! :) Love the Navy Life. Sailors are meant to be on ships and ships are meant to be underway. Wish my recruiter would have told me that.

Well I've got to go find something else to occupy my time. Cap'n says we've got to be here till 4, on the dot. (It's true, he'll hold us here like prisoners until four'o'clock bell rings. I think the extra ten minutes that we have to give him mean the world to him) Its only 11am.

Randy's Duty Day :(

Today I had to rely on myself to entertain myself. Not an easy task. So after I woke up at nine am I decided to clean the house. After I did all the dishes and threw in a load of laundry in I was bored again. So I took a trip... and ended up in Yokohama. I got really lost which is weird because I know how to get there. I think it's because I decided to be adventurous and take whatever path I wanted. I took three trains there and walked around for about an hour once I got there. I guess I took the wrong exit. So now I'm back home.

I picked up some cute rain boots, since it rains here almost every other day, and some fresh flowers that sadly do not have a pot to live in. I am going to go to the nex after this and pick up a home for my flowers and maybe a new bed spread if they have any nice ones. With the boat pulling in its been slim pickin's with the necessities: bedding, hangers, clothes.

Bye<3

Number 5

Four hours of my life :) But it was worth it because its gorgeous!! My tattoo artist really liked it and took a picture of it, so it will probably end up in her profile online :( Nobody better copy me.

Randy's Tattoo

The Before

Right After

Advancement Day

Today was the test for petty officer. It started at seven thirty and it is now 910am and I am in the park in my civilian clothes drinking a soy chai and eating a very hefty breakfast burrito.

I considered reading every question to give the perception that I cared, but it was such a gorgeous day outside and I just did all my laundry so I had a pretty dress that I wanted to wear that allows me to get a nice tan-lines-free tan. So it was either pretend that I was actually trying and waste a perfectly good morning, not to mention the breakfast menu at the American Grill or "christmas tree" the test and enjoy another Great Navy Day in Yokosuka.

I'm not so sure why everyone is so quick to defend the Navy when they find out I'd rather not advance. Perhaps they've forgotten all the times the navy has screwed them over by taking away their freedom or something they've worked hard for to get. Some people must like being told what to wear, and being away from their families, or told that they are not allowed to be with their boyfriend.

Not me!! I am one for destroyed jeans, giving my boyfriend a hug when he needs it and land!!! I'm a huge fan of land and all the great amenities that come along with it. One of my favorites is grass and seeing the sun, also the great affects the sun has on the color of my skin. I do not enjoy being white as a ghost from a 4 month deployment. I also feel so bad for the girls who come here and fall in love and decide that they want to start a family and have a baby. Their options are limited to get pregnant and leave the command, also leaving their boyfriend (who can't be their husband, because you are not allowed to get married to someone in your command) and continuing their pregnancy alone, or wait. Wait till their time in the Navy is complete. Waiting is not fun, let me tell you. Waiting for the part of your life that you care about isn't fun.

Oh advancement day, if I had a dollar for every time someone said "well advance for the money." That is sad. I really don't need the money. Plus if I get a 1300 pay check I will probably loose faith and say 'Oh I'm fine, the Navy isn't that bad. I don't do much and get this nice little check on the 1st and the 15th.' Its important to remember the grass. Having a home, and a family. Being able to see your family daily or weekly or at your free will. Having the ability to make choices for yourself. I'm only 21, but I can't remember the last time someone put a curfew on me and told me "you can't wear that."

Perhaps I am jaded though. I hear my command is horrible compared to other commands in the Navy. Am I really supposed to aspire to be like my first class petty officer LPO who can't even compose a professional/casual email. I understand spelling and grammar isn't everyones strong suit, my sister will tell you I can't spell for crap, but if she saw what this 40 year old man was writing she would laugh. But he is my leader, and although his emails are more like cave paintings where you have to depict what the author is trying to convey (which is difficult when you think he might be trying to tell you to muster at a certain time) I have to follow him.

One of their favorite sayings is "Why wouldn't you like this? We get paid for doing nothing, maybe sweeping once in a while." I am so glad you have such high goals and expectations for yourself. Yes that is EXACTLY what I want for my career and life. I would love nothing more than to look back at my career and say yeah, I achieved so much! I am proud of me!

How people join this organization and stay is beyond me. I don't think I'll ever fully comprehend things like the CO closing the brow come time to get off of work. That would be like your boss seeing the clock hit five, running to the office doors and chaining them shut saying "nope sorry, maybe later when I feel like it." Or how this organization makes you wear your salary on your uniform. Not only that but your get treated with less respect if your lower. I think its in the petty officer handbook that when you make rank you don't have to use your manners and you can treat lower ranked sailors like they aren't human beings. After all they do call us "bodies." Like hey v-5 needs to send two bodies down to help carry on boxes of shit.

So with that said I bid you good day. I SAID GOOD DAY!