things not going so well for me

“Got rejected in 4 job interviews

I dont wanna Go to basic

got no money

my new stove dosnt work

mom + dad doing all they can to keep me from backpacking

slowly starting to pack my stuff

it all just sucks lately.


i'm just a little blue today”

“you sound like a typical 18 y/o..

hey.. it will get better.. so when do you go off to basic?”

“in august”

“Basic ain't that bad...just take it for what it is...training! The military will send you to different places and give you weekends and most holidays off(read backpacking time) and they will pay you for all of it!!
I did it for 16 years and they are still some of the best experiences of my life.”

“August? Man, you've got time to work a little and hike a lot!

Get to it.”

“But on the positive side, are the "man boobs" going away?? :-) YEAH!!!!!”

“Lol @ lizs.

Poppinfresh, it's just a small speedbump in your road of life...I don't want to depress you...but you're going to encounter more...some even more bigger than what you have now. Cheer up and suck it up.”

“If all else fails, go visit your recruiter wearing a dress and make up.”

“Borrow that push up bra rig from Town Dawg and they love those fishnet stockings!LOL”

“Hang in there PoppinFresh.. Just remember "This too shall pass".. Can't have the highs without the lows.

You have the right to feel blue, but always keep in mind that it always gets better. Always.”

“Isn't there a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy? They'll work him hard, if he ever dress up like that.”

“What's with the stove?”

“I'm eighteen, and I don't know what I want.....etc. -Alice Cooper

Like my dad used to always tell me, "It will probably get worse before it gets better".”

“I'm 47 and I don't know what I want. Changed careers a couple of times and still don't have a "real job." For me life has been like a backpacking trip. Some days I just I plod on in the midst of the rain and little food then there are days with my favorite dinner, shared with new found friends. My parents never understood living out of a pack for a week or more, but I can't wait until I can do it again.”

“Dude, just wait until basic. Then you'll be doing almost everything with a backpack on, only you'll be packing ammo instead of a stove.”

“Man just flow with it. Life is just an expedition to experiece feelings and figure out what is good. Look forward to what you can learn in every experience. Don't let other people to get you down, and don't be to set on a schedule because nothing ever goes as planned. Learn to know when peoples opinions and moods are not right and don't let them effect you, learn to rise above the mess.

It looks like you have a lot to be excited about. Your just about to embark on anouther chapter in your life. Enter it with no expectations and you'll come out with a wealth of good things.

Happy Trails.”

“Hey Poppinfresh, I'd give my left....well, you know, just to BE 18 again. You have no idea how great it is to be young, healthy, free, and have your whole life ahead of you to screw up. Or not. Make good choices, enjoy the ride, and when you get to be an old b@stard like me, you'll have some great memories to look back on. Hang in there guy, the lower the lows, the higher the highs seem.”

“Good morning Mr Poppinfresh--hope this day brings a smile or two.”

“Grow up and get a set of real problems.”

“Does your face ever hurt from smiling bacpac?”

“It probably doesn't hurt him, MP, but I bet if he turned 90 degrees, it'd look a lot like something we don't get to see without aid of a mirror!

Poppinfresh, that JMT hike would be a great way to train for BASIC! You goin' or not?

And when?”

“well today is better I got a cold that sucks

so far sore throught
stuffy nose and a nice case of well you know what I gotta wait for the imodiam to kick in.

as for the stove it has a bad valve so traded it in got my cash back

looked on the internet and got a better modle for 19.95 not including shipping.”

“I'm still working on my parents I'll let you know soon”

“What's up with your parents? What do they have against backpacking? Worried about ax murderers?

Just don't let them see the TT regulars. LOL. They'll never let you go.”

“well one they think all backpackers are crazy ax murderers and they think that backpackers are crazy in that any normal person would worrie about their job and city life.”

“and that they should be focusing on making money and not having fun. fun they say is for kids. A little insight to how my parrents feel about the world.”

“Lot more murderers in the city than on the trail!

Funny thing, most of us have jobs and live in or near a city. I for one, could do without city life, but my work pretty much puts me in a city. I didn't really think about that when I chose my work based on interest. Think about it when you decide what you want to do!”

“soon i will be out of their control.”

“Got rejected in 4 job interviews...No other persons were chosen instead of you.

I dont wanna Go to basic...READ AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING ESPECIALLY THE FINE PRINT BEFORE SINGING YOUR NAME TO ANYTHING.

got no money...You got your health.

my new stove dosnt work...Ain't your fault.

mom + dad doing all they can to keep me from backpacking...kill them in their sleep.

slowly starting to pack my stuff...don't forget the TP.

it all just sucks lately...you're still young, life gets better.”

“"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son."
-Dean Wormer

What do they know?”

“Dude dont worry about basic. I went to basic six years ago(Air Force). It is a cake walk. Just remember that they can't hit you. All they can do is yell and who cares about yelling. It will be done before you know it. Dont volonteer for anything no matter if you think it is a good thing. And keep your mouth shut and just blend in and it will all be good.”

“Just remember, a lot of people would trade a lot of things to have only the problems you have now.What seems bad to you is a relative thing, look around there will be people with a lot worse trouble in sight somewhere. maybe even your own parents. you might get a different perspective an start thinking "MAN AM I GLAD"”

“The sun is gonna come out tomorrow
don`t dwell on the pain and sarrow
I don`t know all that much, but this much I have found
you don`t have to fight your way through what you can walk around
give life all you got and never grow so old you forget how to play
all of the problems and pain you feel today will soon fade away
a bright new sun will come up and once again the skys will turn blue
give to man and mankind their pound of fleash, but to yourself be true”

“flesh!LOL”

“Hang in there kiddo!

The best place to be going would be THE INFANTRY!!!

IN any case, start doing two-mile runs and push-ups and sit-ups.

If you have a "stadium" of some kind nearby, or a campus with LOTS of steps, run the steps.
Pick up those knees and decend the steps very deliberately with lots of "shock absorber" action.....DO NOT jam your knees!
Running hills is good too.....pick up them knees!
Work your lungs!

If you're prepared the training will not be bad at all.

If you can knock out the push-ups, etc, you will "disappear" and the drill sergeants can concentrate on the knuckle-heads.

If you arrive at "basic" in reasonably tough condition you can be one of the guys who GIVES a hand up to the "drag-assses" and not one who NEEDS a hand up.
That's the kind of "visibility" that the Drill sergeants love.

Remember, its a game of sorts.
And if you play along it will go well.
Just don't say its a game to the drill sergeants......that's part of the game.”

“Damn Tom, you almost seem human with that!

One of the best things I`ve seen you do!

You gave of yourself, if only in part, it`s good to see you have a heat!”

“yea today is better i know now why i was so down I was comming down with a bad cold.”

“"well one they think all backpackers are crazy ax murderers and they think that backpackers are crazy in that any normal person would worrie about their job and city life."
poppinfresh
09:34:50 AM
02/03/02


I don't even own an axe!
It's called recreation! You know after work on the weekends, vacation time and anything else we can squeeze in.

My advice get a job( any job )and your parents will probably ease off and maybe they will let you hit the trails when you have time.

Where jobs are concerned sometimes who you know is almost as important as what you know...even more so at entry level positions.
Who do you know ? Who does your family know? This can give you a big edge when your competition is just another resume in a stack full of resumes. (Just my 2 cents)

From a fathers standpoint ...if my son were leaving for basic in six months...I'd let him enjoy his freedom 'til then. But that's just me... I probably spoil my kids a little.

My oldest son is 16 and has a little job of his own that I helped him get...Makes $150 per month and works only 1.5 hours on Friday afternoons. Keeps him in spending money and lets him get those little extras he wants from time to time.”

“WEll, hell yes!

I'm a bleeding heart liberal!

Thanks for the kind word, Big Foot!

I've more or less sworn off pickin' on people here.

It just ain't funny no more.
Maybe I'm gettin' tired of my own "comedy".”

“Get a good tan before you go.”

“basic dosnt bother me any more that was just the cold talking”

“my stove that i got off the campmor.com is the Primus Yellowstone lite trail stove

it weighs 6.3 so I guess its not to lite, not like the Pocket rocket.

so I hope to get it in 2-3 weeks.”

“do you ever have anything nice to say? if you can;t be pleasant, why don;t you just stayoff these boards. Who wants to listen to a hurtful, spiteful, non-respectful arrogant b@stard like you...the answer...nobody. You must have been and probably still are a "Mama's Boy". You have no manners. Get lost.”

“Hey, take it from me....basic will be great for you. Im still in the Army and I love everyday of it. As for the dress, your recruiter will still want you to go. He might even like the style. Just remember, even though the drill sgt's will yell, they dont hete you. Its just their job. Alot of my friends are Drill Sgt's and they really do care.

As for Tom Terrific, I know he has a heart, and its warm too. But that might just be the irish whiskey...lol”

“Well, like I tell all my high school students. You are making decisions right now that will follow you like a plague for the rest of your life. So, worry a lot and second guess yourself always.

:) NOTE SARCASM

The funniest thing I've read in a paper was about the current recession and how it is affecting young people. It went something like this: Young people are learning an important life skill - fear.

If your hand is near fire - metaphorically speaking - by all means pull it away. If things don't seem right in the gut, don't do them.

But, on the other life from 18 to 25 can really suck. Sometimes you just gotta clamp your teeth together and win a blood feud with life. I mean, look at the the math: On one side - the world, all people, the force of history, the entire world monetary system. On the other side - you. With enough guerrilla tactics, that's a battle you can win.

So, put the boxing gloves on and get in the ring.”

“hey get this i'm getting yet more cash from my grandma”

“I hope I am able to backpack as long as I can...:)


Knock on wood...:)”

“The strong look for more strength while the weak look for excuses! Stay strong, Do what you gotta do to get what you want out of life.”

“I could post everything I know and have learned here... But HELL, You're 18, LIKE YOU'RE EVEN LISTENING!

go get laid”

“Oh wait. I guess that is everything I've learned
:P”