Good one, Sins. But in today's political climate such a letter might be construed by Asscroft (as Kendall calls him) as a terrorist act and we'd all end up in Guantanamo Bay.

The reason given is that the billets assigned to the Navy are all full. There is a continuous learning program that we have to work with. We have to earn 40 continuous learning points every year. I have met my requirements and that means I get bumped from classes if I have to compete with someone who hasn't met their requirement even if the class is necessary to performance in my position.

Sigh, I have 18 months to meet the requirement. I'm not sure what they'll do if I can't.

Last night I went over to hear the Pago Bay Reefers rehearse. We had a big feed of spaghetti, eggplant lasagna, and brown rice and eggplant, and then the band settled down to work. It brought to mind all the Roll & Go rehearsals I've been to where the confusion was the preeminent condition. They talked set lists and the attributes of various songs and compatibility of placing one sang next to another, and how long it's been since they played this one or that and who was the lead on that song and what key it was in, etc., etc.

After the band finished I was invited to do a few songs for them. I trotted out a few favorites and we sang them together though I know very few songs that anyone else knows. They invited me to play during the 15 minute break during their regular Gig at Le Tasi Bistro. Also I was invited to play a live set at the local Public Radio show during Jay MacDonald's folk show on Tuesdays. So I guess I am up and coming, so to speak.

Early in the evening, when I was the first to arrive, I noticed the hostess had some unusual tattoos on her hands. I asked about them and she explained she is a Chamorro Master Craftsman in tattoo. It turns out she did the tattoos on our navigator's legs. She and he are spirit siblings. This is after all a small island. I think I'm going to talk to her about getting a traditional Chamorro tattoo.