<p>Hey, I WORKED in Tacoma. And we even moored our sailboat on Commencement Bay for a while. LOL, most people do not have a good opinion of Tacoma and parts of it are bad news but there are some nice places too. It is much better since the paper factory is no longer in operation. BTW the bridge, The Narrows Bridge going over into Gig Harbor have you been across that, or sailed under it? Cool. We don't go to Tacoma too much except when my kid plays hockey with the Tacoma team or driving through to Portland. But I could get my way around there just fine, after all the work I did was as a visiting nurse, just give me an address and I can navigate my Mini anywhere.</p>
<p>LOL Joseph just related a similar experience he had last night in a Japanese restaraunt in Queens. Him and some of his mates went into the restaraunt for desert. That sounds wierd unless you like Mochi. Go figure, I will take my tea hot and in a mug. </p>
<p>Anyway the Sushi chef started griping about (in Japanese) about the marines and the US Navy in his home town. Joseph knew exactly what he was saying and waiting for his moment.</p>
<p>Apparently the table next to them offered to pick up their tab because they were in uniform. In a return of the gesture, Joseph ordered sake for their table. He ordered in very polite and formal Japanese. </p>
<p>He reported that the chef became very red faced upon hearing his Japanese and sent the sake to the table gratis.</p>
<p>I went to UPS. My girl friend's folks lived on Raft Island when there were like 15 houses on the entire island and maybe two houses on Henderson Bay. And you don't want to know what we've done on the Narrows Bridge. ;-)</p>
<p>young love expresses itself in the most irrational of places.</p>
<p>obviously you have no fear of heights.</p>
<p>There are some good recent sea year stories on USMMA's Athletics website:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.usmmasports.com/ssp/stories/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usmmasports.com/ssp/stories/</a></p>
<p>It is amazing how many different shipboard activities the midshipmen take part in and all the parts of the world they see.</p>
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It is amazing how many different shipboard activities the midshipmen take part in and all the parts of the world they see.
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<p>Oh if they only reported the half of it ;) haha j/k</p>
<p>Watching this sea year experience, I KNOW youre joking tongue in cheek KP2001. Wish my kid would keep some of his sea stories to himself. ;) Im starting to learn how he works via his emails now. No emails when he goes ashore & one almost every day when hes doing the two week travel time back to the states. Got a good one this morning saying he felt like he was on the best ride at a carnival. He described it like being in the fun house with moving floors, rolling rooms & upside down ladders. All the ship lacks is crazy mirrors. LOL Apparently they are rocking & rolling out there. 25 foot seas. That should get his head off of the girls.</p>