What a great new year. I got to welcome it drunk on Tiffany’s roof and watch firecrackers from Reunion Ranch. When we saw each other for the first time in 6 months, she jumped on me and knocked the water bottle out of my hand. I got her Victoria’s Secret panties, and she got me a Bob Marley shirt and green socks. Mom got me at 12:30, and we stopped by Deanna’s. We got homemade tortillas. Me and Barry had some Crown Royal at 3 am. I might have some for breakfast because I can see he really wants to have some with me.

My plane leaves at 1300 [1 pm on the 2nd], and I get to Chicago at 1730 [530 pm]. Luckily, Aunt Nancy [wife of great Uncle Arthur, my maternal grandma’s brother] will be there to pick me up. I can hang out with them for a couple of hours, then get back and unpack, take a nap, and be ready to pee at 4 am [for urinalysis]. I hurried and put everything [my stuff I was going through] in the bunkhouse [old living quarters turned storage].

We left the house at 10 and got to the airport at 11:30. I got my ticket and checked 3 bags. Security took 20 minutes to x-ray and check my stuff, then I waited for Barry to drink a coffee and went to my gate. The flight was 10 minutes late from [Las] Vegas, but I sat by a guy who tried boot camp 5 years ago and visited Austin for 3 days. He loved it. The plane made stops in Houston [Texas] and Jackson, Mississippi. A guy that looked like a girl rode with us to Jackson, then a 26-year-old got on. The plane had a leak, and they had to drain the water supply. That took 45 minutes.

I got to Chicago and had to wait another 20 minutes for baggage claim. A pin was on the run belt, and a patch was pinned to my seabag, which I almost missed. Great Aunt Nancy was there and walked my suitcase to the car. She gave me a beef sandwich, cold fries, and a brownie. It was good. We didn’t get to base till 8, and we had to wait in line for 40 minutes to get a drive pass so they could drop me off in front of the Q [quarterdeck that leads to my barracks].

I went to [Building] 621 to check in, then went with Boyles to the pier. We went to McD’s [McDonald’s], where I met Lonnie and got my bear/tiger. We walked back to the Q. I was unpacking and got this surge of pain in my neck. I finished and tried to sleep. I was walking to medical, and a chief gave me a ride halfway there. I was grateful. Something about a muscle spasm, and I should be ok in a few days. Afterward, I went back to school, made a copy of my 7-day LLD [light and limited duty] chit, then checked my orders.

They told me to come back at 14:00 [2 pm on the 3rd], so I took a 3-hour nap. We got liberty [time off] early, and I went to the NEX [Navy Exchange] to meet Neal. We ate Pizza Hut. We went to the Loft and chilled from 6-7. I got back to the Q and was in bed by 8:30. I woke up at 5:25 [on the 4th] and had to be at muster at 5:30. I got down there and made sure I was accounted for. Then we had to march (I got to straggle) to BCS [Basic Cryptological Services] an hour early. I sat in the lounge. At muster, they told me I had orders. I filled out the same stuff, but today had to go collect my records [medical, dental, etc.]

I dropped them off and went to bed for 3 hours, went back after lunch to get my medical record for Thursday. We mustered at 16 [4 pm] for duty, and I was chow relief from 545 to 635. I’m supposed to muster again at 8 pm, but I asked my section leader, and I’ve only got to be downstairs at 5:15 [tomorrow], lucky me. This medicine works, but it makes you sleepy, and fighting its effects hurts.