Drowning in a sea of idiocy. That has nothing to do with anything, but I like the little rhyme there.

The recruiting officer at the U. of A's NROTC unit said, perhaps not in these exact words, "Fill out the paperwork and you're in." So it's basically no longer a dream; as long as I can meet the physical requirements, I'm on my way to becoming an officer in the United States Navy. I'm not just saying that that's what I want to do, I'm really doing it. That feels immensly satisfying, like the Lego block of my life is sliding into the big picture in exactly the right place. 98% of the people that I meet have no idea what they're supposed to be doing here on Earth, grownups included, so I guess I'd better be damn grateful and make the most of it.