Days log

While the automatic update between Netscape Navigator 9.0b1 and 9.0b2 was not so automatic on my laptop, it was still painless. Just had to download the Linux tarball and unpack it. I saved it to /tmp as I usually do when I download files I’m not going to need much.

Dixie# cd /usr/compat/linux/opt/
Dixie# ls
navigator
Dixie# mv navigator navigator_9.0b1
Dixie# tar -xzf /tmp/netscape-navigator-9.0b2.tar.gz
Dixie# ls
navigator       navigator_9.0b1
Dixie# rm -rf navigator_9.0b1/

Even took a backup of the install just in case.

Today we got to meet to new dogs and a nice family. We’ll be taking care of the dogs while they’re on vacation.. and financially thats a pretty good thing for us.

Managed to launch part of my continuation training today. Was just Hellfish, Duke, and Me.. Chester and Lake seem to have been lost in the reboot. For the most part we failed the missions, although all but one was completed….. We went into over time on all but 1 and the other, was neutral. We had met the conditions before time was up but didn’t know it till 40 seconds later.

We did pretty good if you ask me. Because when I sat down and made the list of scenarios. I had plotted the times figuring on 6-8 players. And trying to find a flexible border between the impossible and the possible. Well, I had planned there to be a fairly good sized [SAS] presense and some good applicants. On one mission we went just a wee bit over. But I know if we had two 4-man Elements and proper pre planning. We would’ve taken the mission in half the required time.

With just 3 people I didn’t really expect to complete any successfully. But I think it showed Duke and Hellfish a bit more about me. You see, when I was young and had time to train myself harder. Well I still do, just not as often as I’d like.

I set high goals to obtain, make the as good as impossible or highly improbable a completed mission. Not always successful… but I would train till I got better, till I could do no better. I remember my own little ‘personal’ one man training sessions in SWAT3. I would set the map to Brentwood residence. Which is a large 3 floor house, back and front lawns swimming pool. With a Den, Bedroom, and Bathroom on Level 1. Kitchen, Family room, Library/office’et, Bathroom (2 rooms), Huge Living/Dinning room, and garage on Level 2. And 4-5 Bedrooms upstairs including 2-3 closets and 2 bathrooms. Huge house, kinda nightmare to clean… lol. Mission was simple, 2 Adults and 3 Children that needed to be evacuated and maybe 5-6 suspects in body armour with light assault weapons holding them hostage.

The [SAS] Record time was like 54-67 seconds or so. 10 Men, no team casualties, every thing pre-planned. Mission complete 100%. My personal training op was to try and break that record. I never succeeded, not once but I learned greatly.

To make things harder on my self, I would take my usual S3 training loadout. A Compact primary for working in close confines. Usually the AKS74U with Kobra sight or if running the [SAS] Realism Mod (which included a large weapon mod). I’d bring my HK53 which used the same sight overlay as the MP5 family (I didn’t like the Aimpoint scopes). I’d load it with a SINGLE magazine of FMJ, pack a pistol with a suppressor. Normally a HK MK23 .45 Cal or HK USP.40 Cal with ONE magazine of JHP loaded. A single CS Gas canister, one Flashbang, and a lone C2 Breaching Charge. And my favorite uniform, the Guardian duds with Navy Blue pattern. Later on I would do it with [SAS] PTE uniform.

To make it even harder, I set the AI to the max and the difficulty to the hardest mode. Level 1, rear poolside entrance. I’d head in stealth to first contact then go dynamic when necessary. Or when I decided a loud tactical aid was just to good to pass up. I’d make use of the Opti-wand when I wanted to be extra cautius, like coming up into the blind hallway on the top floor. Or making entry on the back door, where a Suspect might be lurking on the near by stairs.

I made the level as hard and realistic as I could. Secured the area and even after the game gave me the mission complete. I’d keep going till I had personally cleared every room. After awhile and a lot of getting shot at. My average *best* clear time. Was 1:07, far from my mark but the best I could do. I had learned some valuable lessons and how to ‘rough it’ without good equipment. Later on, I’d learn how to master any weapon in Raven Shield. When I was a bucking recruit, you could hand me a Mac-9/11+SD or SR-2 off the rack and I could put a two-round burst in a tangos head from quite a distance away as fast as I could think fire.

Today, well I’d probably miss by a mile at that range on my first try. Lack of hours in the shoot-house but it was great fun training to my sharpest edge. I looked for the impossible situations and I tried to best them, usually I couldn’t or it would be close. But I would do so and try to walk away the better for having tried.

As a Recruit I had a lot of fun, my typical day consisted of going through the map list like 3 or 4 times. Usually I’d start off in an Element with Rasa and Leon, then end up alone several hours later to keep on going. Being able to complete a mission on my own was not to far off. As a trooper I pushed my self even further then that. Completing a mission on my own was not a problem.. just an inconvenience. After awhile… I got rather bored, what else was their to do? I even started to do less then ‘as perfect as I could get’ things. To make it more challenging — instead of taking the most professional, safest, most effective routes. I would take the most dangerous, insane ones. I learned how to handle them as best as I could. It even got to the point that I thought about leaving the [SAS], boredom set in.

Then some day some body decided to make me an SAS_LCpl_Spidey01. In my opinion I was the worlds biggest failure as a LCpl… Lazy good for nothing bum with often no one to train. Eventually they made me a Cpl, I took it as a second chance. It was during those days that I got to see a lot of close training time (Trp->LCpl->Cpl). Later on I was to become an SSM.. and now I’m the RSM. As I look back on my past, I think Recruit, Corporal, and Squadron Sergeant Major are my favorites. As a Rct I got to learn so much and wanted to help pass it on. As a Cpl, I could work on passing it on and as SSM. My mind started to grow tactically to make up for the slack in my shooting skills. I’m not sure if I enjoy being the RSM more then I did SSM, it’s to early to tell. But right now I find my self situated just where I want to be.

I’m an SNCO and able to help in more business matters that I would like to be of service in. Yet I’m also close enough to the front lines to keep limber and have fun. I don’t really know if theres any one more active then me thats above Cpl. I love the fact, that I’ve trained personally with almost every one in [SAS]. And those that I have not, I’m on familer enough terms with. Like me and Random, we’re not exactly bosom buddies or any thing. But when it comes to server time, we’re not strangers ether. How many people in [SAS] can say the same? I’ve trained with all of the Rct personally, I’ve helped the Troopers during their Recruit time. And I’ve seen many of the NCO grow since pre-rct times. Most of the people who trained me are gone… But those I have trained with know me as Spidey01.

I’m not chained to a desk, yet I’m not glued to the field; It’s awesome. I remember when I was a NCO, my favorite past time was to try and get the younger generation to one up me. If I could do it to Gold Star perfection, I’d try and get them to go for the Platinum one. When ever people have been able to surpass me, I have been very greatly pleased.

I hope some day, to see the outcome. Being a member of the [SAS] has had an impact on my life, for the better in my humble opinion. And I hope it does for others, I found a group of kindred spirits when I stumbled on [SAS] Training Grounds #1 one day. Looking for a smoke-free zone I could play RvS with a realistic frame of mind. I’ve learned much, grown much, and have seen a lot since then. Here is part of my home… And I’m happy enough with it. In years to come maybe the same or similar will shine true for other Members.