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+--- Thread: Changing Tides (/showthread.php?tid=45510)
Changing Tides - MasPan - 2011-08-07
[color="#cc8899"] It's amazing how quickly a high pressure situation can change you - having to adapt to everchanging demands, leadership challenges, and the general stress of being underway for long stretches of time. I feel that I've grown more as a person, as a sailor, and as a leader in the past 2 months than I have in the previous 2 years. I've been presented with endless opportunities to prove myself, most of which I've taken and a small few of which I've failed. But more opportunities are constantly appearing, so I'm learning what I can from my mistakes and applying it where I can. I've been witness to some of the best and worst examples of leadership available, with something to learn from each one - what to do, in the case of the best leaders, and what not to do, in the case of the worst.
I've made great friends, but some of my decisions have also spawned negativity. Doing the right thing, the right way, is not the easiest choice to make. People don't like the extra time and attention it demands, the extra work, the increased difficulty vice simply "gundecking" something - it's much easier to spend 5 minutes on a task and declare it done than to spend an hour doing it correctly. In gaming, this is hacking, glitching, cheating, scamming - people looking for the easy way to do something, not the right way. It's easy to make friends by allowing it to happen or encouraging it and even easier to make enemies by fighting it. Call it a character flaw if you wish, but it's never something I've been able to ignore or participate in and I fight it wherever I can. It's irritated people I play games with and it's ruined my standing in guilds or with friends when I've taken it too far, but I've learned a lot on how and when to take a stand and when doing so won't help and will instead cause me problems. Gundecking isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but I'm able to recognize a lot more readily where and when it can be dealt with, and how.
Overall, I'm impressed with what I've learned in such a short time frame. I'm excited to become a better person and a better leader, and am finally getting what I wanted out of the navy (even if I'd rather be at a shore command, where things are more stable) - I joined to better myself, to grow up, to learn. My teachers were confused when I passed up scholarships to go into the Navy, but I finally have some evidence that the decision I made was the right one for me. I'm not the person I used to be - I'm more capable, less susceptible to stress, and more dedicated to tasks than I used to be. The "I'm too smart for this" attitude I had in high school was promptly and thoroughly squashed, and, while I wouldn't call myself humble, I've accepted that I don't know everything and that putting honest effort into studying does occasionally teach me something new. I hope to have an opportunity in the coming months to share with you all the experiences I've had this year so far underway, but for now I've got other things that need to get done - there's always more work to be done in the military.
Fair winds and following seas,
-MasPan[/COLOR]
Changing Tides - Turtally - 2011-08-07
That sounds amazing. I guess being in the navy or in any kind of armed forces really does change you. For the better, of course. I mean, it's one thing to think, "Oh, life in the army is hard or whatever," another thing completely to get a first-hand account of how it feels. I admire your attitude towards joining the navy, especially the stuff about growing up and bettering yourself. I hope you get everything out of the navy that you wanted, and as always, stay safe and good luck
Changing Tides - Loose - 2011-08-07
I think it does better you if that's what you're seeking, if not, you'll just be complaining all the time.
I'm glad you're having a blast and learning stuff and growing stuff. Keep at it and stay safe, bro!
Changing Tides - GMSInfighter - 2011-08-07
It's great to hear that this experience and situation you're in is bettering you as a person in general MasPan. We definitely hope to hear more about your adventures soon. BE SAFE MY MANG.
Changing Tides - Kalovale - 2011-08-07
Sounds like a man's romance. Sailing the seas, banging up
Stay safe, bro.
Changing Tides - MasPan - 2011-08-09
[color="#cc8899"]As an aside - I know I've irritated, pissed off, annoyed, or frustrated most if not all of you (especially those I've actually played DFO with) in the past - it'd be immature for me to blame that on various problems that I was dealing with. I've learned a lot about myself lately and I've cut down a lot on the sort of attitude I used to have when gaming. No more bickering or chastising about how other people play, whether a gameplay aspect is cheating or unfair, etc. No more pleas for attention or forced attempts to make conversation. No more bullshit. I do plan to return to DFO when I finish this deployment and get my housing squared away in Japan (can't play MMOs at the rec center because of slow internet that is used by large numbers of people) and I hope to have the chance to redeem myself with you all. Otherwise I'll move on and leave everyone alone, no questions asked. I'll be around SP when I can be until then.
-MasPan[/COLOR]
Changing Tides - Shidoshi - 2011-08-09
Wonderful that you can better yourself though this experience, I'd have to say I experienced the same thing, in a smaller scale somewhat, coming here to live in France. It's all about getting out of your confort zone, that makes you go, change and adapt.
I came back from my 3 month trip to Canada a different person than when I went (even I noticing it). And I'm sure I'll be coming home after these 2 years in France also greatly changed.
Maybe someday I'll make a huge post/blog about it, when I can afford to have the view of an outsider on my own experience here, I'm only halfway in anyway.
Changing Tides - Eos - 2011-08-09
This is one of the reasons I believe the US should have compulsory service for a few years after graduation, like Switzerland.
It'd give kids a chance to truly mature and figure out who they are and what they really want to do/be before sending them off to college or out to pretend to be adults without any guidance.
Not to mention the massive benefit of having your entire population trained to defend themselves and handle emergencies.
Changing Tides - Panacea - 2011-08-09
I actually don't think that's a bad idea, either.
Don't think I would have minded it one bit.
Changing Tides - Eos - 2011-08-09
It's one of those things I've always felt we failed at, considering the 2nd amendment. It's not unfair when everyone has to go, so that rules half the issues with conscription, and with that many people going it greatly decreases the number of potential fatalities and ensures a big enough pool that a very small percentage would have to risk deployment in active conflicts. Even conscientious obstainers would be able to serve in some non-com capacity and benefit from the character building, perspective changing and notion shaking.
It'd also keep a lot of kids from getting involved in bad pomegranate by giving them a new life and purpose away from the crap they grew up in.
Changing Tides - Panacea - 2011-08-09
Especially agreed with your last bit there. I'd much rather see a kid live to their full potential than be held back by their past.
Changing Tides - Shidoshi - 2011-08-09
I can say I half-regret not taking military service in Brazil, specially since there's almost no risk of going into active conflicts.
At the time I wasn't sure and everyone seemed so scared of being recruited (we have obligatory service but not everyone gets taken), but now it seems like it could have been a good experience.
Changing Tides - Eos - 2011-08-09
I would have happily served were it not for Don't Ask Don't Tell.
I refuse to work under such an arrangement, and now that it's gone it's too late, but at least others can.
Changing Tides - MasPan - 2011-08-13
[color="#cc8899"]I disagree Eos - the people that will truly learn something lifechanging from the military tend to seek it out regardless, or to learn it in some fashion outside the military otherwise. There are still a large number of people who join for financial or educational reasons (or others) that don't really care about bettering themselves, only their standing in life. There's nothing wrong with that, but I feel that most people would fall into that second camp if forced to join - they'd grumble and gripe for the entirety of their service and come out with very little noticeable change. Years later in their life they may finally be able to learn something from the experience, but at that point any other experience in life has an equal chance of influencing them.
I'm also much more inclined to trust people that joined of their own free will to do their job faithfully and correctly than those forced to do it - my opinion, while founded almost entirely on experiences of my own and those shared with me by other service members, is that people who are forced to do something that they don't want to will do it half-assedly, grudgingly, or possibly pretend that they did it and leave it at that.
I do believe that there are many people who would benefit from some form of experience like the military brings - mission trips, the peace corps, even volunteer work (I mean actual work, not high school Key Club or National Honor Society events, though those are respectable as well) are good alternatives for those opposed to military service or unable to join. They all bring similar challenges, team-building experiences, and a fair bit of self-sacrifice and hardship.
I'm also glad that my experiences have led to a bit of positive discussion - it's nice to have started something good as opposed to a long, drawn-out, circular argument for once.[/COLOR]
Changing Tides - Corn - 2011-08-13
Hurray! I thought you were dead!
How's Japan serving (you ARE in Japan, right?)
Changing Tides - MasPan - 2011-08-13
Corn Wrote:Hurray! I thought you were dead!
How's Japan serving (you ARE in Japan, right?)
Kindof is the most appropriate answer. I live in Japan but am stationed on a ship which is currently deployed.
Changing Tides - MasPan - 2011-09-12
[COLOR="#cc8899"]So, we deploy again in about a week or two. I'm excited for the opportunity to apply what I learned on the first deployment and to overcome new challenges, but the prospect of being underway again is also an exhausting one now that I know what's coming. But such is life - if you don't hear from me for a while, assume I'm continuing to earn my chevrons and to grow as both a leader and a sailor.
-Fair winds and following seas
MasPan/Brandon[/COLOR]