So we've been underway for more than a month now - crazy! I can't believe that I'm slowly, kind of sort of surviving deployment. Things could be better, could be worse, but the most significant things that have happened thus far:

• told the guy that i went to vegas with that anything more then a professional relationship while on deployment was not worth the time and effort for me. too much stress, too much worry, too much accommodation for someone that i didn't really have much of a foundation for. his response? that he was worried i wouldn't date him when we got back to SD. that in itself is a little bit of the root of the problem - why do you want to date someone who is willing to avoid you for FIVE MONTHS STRAIGHT?? he's also done some very tool-ish things that were a huge turnoff - like handing me his fitrep (like an evaluation in a normal job, i guess) to prove how much better he was then this guy he'd been complaining about. how unattractive!!
• i got in trouble in guam (oops!) and wasn't allowed to drink or stay out past 10pm in singapore...until the 3rd day, when the CO (Commanding Officer) called me and the other people in trouble into his office and released us :) i did spend halloween on the ship, but that was because it was a normal duty day. bummer!
• i weighed in at 145!! of course, that day was my last day in Singapore, so i think i managed to eat back a solid 3 pounds. oops. i've worked out every day since for an hour and change each day, so i think i'm doing better, but it's rocking too much to weigh yourself right now. speaking of which...
• i ran 3 miles! i've never run so far without stopping in my entire life! i'm very proud of myself.

and what is truly my proudest accomplishment, i overate one day in my room, and as was my normal habit, put my boots on so i could go down to the wardroom (our officer's dining area) and just count that day as a loss by eating some easy mac, and then...took my boots back off, slid off my coveralls, and put on sneakers and gym clothes and worked out for an hour and a half! i was SO. PROUD. of myself. i always have a problem with binge eating, and even though i thought to myself, oh, tomorrow is another day, it'll be fine, i then thought to myself, ya, but won't you feel so much better tomorrow if you know you worked out tonight? IT WORKED! i felt great this morning.
so i'm back on the bandwagon, i'm working out and eating right, i have no men as distractions, and OH YEAH! I paid off all of my credit card bills :) everything i make from now on is mine, free and clear, for the next 5.5 months (with no rent or utilities or cell phone bill! just bank!)