What were they thinking... ?

Well... a long time ago (even before I went into the Reserves) I thought it might be a good idea to look into going for a commission. Heck, being a petty officer is nice, but let's face it - the job is definitely lower management (even the title says "inconsequential"). I won't bore you with the details, but let me just say that it was a trial of patience and persistence (it was Rudy-esque). Yesterday, after years of effort, I was informed that I got it. Wow. I mean, WOW. When I called my friends, many of them asked the same question: "This is a good thing, right?". Yes, Virginia, this is a very good thing. I am still in shock. Ensign Ushiku Person? Hmmm... unbelievable. The irony is, the night before I got the news I was having dinner with some friends - we watched Rudy (yeah, despite my best efforts, I still got that little something in my eye when he got accepted to Notre Dame, and later again when he got to play the last game of the season). I am, deep down inside, an idealist and an incorrigible optimist (despite my cynical and contrarian exterior). I worked very hard for this - it was difficult, and often I was disappointed (heck, I got crushed more times than I can remember). Sometimes I even began questioning the whole point and thought about chucking it all in. But like Sean Astin, I saw it through (Samwise, Rudy - this guy has played the characters who brought their A Game). So, if you have a dream, don't give up on it. I am living proof that they do come true (sometimes).