So, at the halfway point of Beast, which is where I"m at, we get to go to sponsor's houses, people who work at West Point, and just relax and act like humans. Which includes computer access. So, I decided to post an update.

Beast sucks, obviously. It's mean to be tough, it's basic training. But I'm getting through it pretty well. Alot of waiting in line at issue points for uniforms or waiting around at formations, PT in the mornings suck because everything, and I mean everything, at West Point is uphill. Besides that, it's been alot of lectures on stuff like personal hygiene and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (Read: Killing is illegal so long as it isn't a direct order from a superior. Kidding. Maybe.) and other boring things, like drill, but we've done an occasional, interesting thing, like mountianeering (nothing says Hooah like rappelling off a 75-foot cliff singing Dixie at the top of my lungs), the Rifle Bayonet Assault Course (Running around, stabbing at foam-filled tires while jumping over wooden fences and crawling through muddy barbed wire patches, while guys from the 10th Mountain Division set off artillery sims, which whistle and explode like arty shells, and smoke), and, of course, getting gassed in the House of Tears (Just ask LJS if you're intersted in knowing just how much CS gas sucks). 2nd detail, the second half of Beast, starts today, and that's where more of the military stuff comes in, like firing rifles and throwing grenades. Should be more fun.

So, that's a quick update. Hope everyone is doing alright, thank you for the words of encouragement and I'll write again when I get my computer at mid-August.