What's Michael up to?

Michael's ship has returned to Sasebo after a few weeks out at sea. They visited Thailand for a few days, where he toured around with some buddies a little. I'm still trying to get him to share more details and some pictures, but he's always been a little stubborn in that area. Hopefully, he'll get better at sharing.

Now, that he's back in his home port, he says that he usually only works until around 4:30pm, and then has liberty. He goes out with his friends to some bar, where he drinks their ginger ale. He says its a lot stronger than what he's used to, because it has a lot of ginger in it and it burns when it goes down.

He is interested in starting some college courses, but after being on a ship for so long, working all day, he craves just to wander around town and talk to locals.

He's going to church tomorrow off base with some of the other members. When they are at sea, they have church meetings on the ship, but in port, they can go to the local ward house and meet the local members.

Michael got a new computer so he can play computer games to keep himself busy. He has two IRA's set up for his future retirement, but he is also going to try to save money for his future trips, like Australia in July.

One thing he told me was how they are messing with the new kids on the ship. Here's the story in his own words:

"We pick up a broken phone that isnt even a phone and make them think that someone is on there for them. We set up one guy to go light the smoking lamp.

Everyday whenever they are doing something they say the smoking lamp is out. And we told this new kid he is on the list to go light it when it goes out. He has to do it for a whole day.
The smoking lamp is just a term for no smoking. We told him that for the whole day everytime they say that he needs to go with a 5 lb. jerry can, full of fuel and go to the quarter deck and tell them he is there to refuel and light the smoking lamp.
I also told him that before he does that he needs to go to personnel and fill out an ID 10 T form. Or IDIOT. Get it? Were having fun with them."

More when I know more!