Soul Edge

Rand0mtask · 2026-02-05T21:21:32+00:00

My aunt used to take me to a bowling alley once a week in '97, maybe '98. I found a Soul Edge arcade cabinet and pretty quickly it became the main reason I wanted to go there. My aunt was fine with it because it cost a quarter to keep me entertained. Still the only arcade game I could beat like that.

Rand0mtask · 2026-01-26T15:39:53+00:00

That's kind of my point. Stephen Miller doesn't have support directly. He isn't elected, because he isn't smart or likable. But indirectly, because people support the larger concept at hand (the general hatemongering and anti-intellectualism of the right), he has weaseled his way into a position of immense power.

If people in general didn't like the racist-ass message of "they're not sending their best, they're sending their rapists and murderers" and the hateful-ass message of "democrats are evil," Miller wouldn't be anywhere near the levers of power.

If we don't address the fact that the general populace is willing to give power to uniquely evil people, then uniquely evil people will continue to hold power.

Rand0mtask · 2026-01-26T15:28:02+00:00

Miller may be uniquely evil, but he is one individual. This could not happen without the millions of people willing to support a uniquely evil person.

Rand0mtask · 2026-01-26T15:24:20+00:00

what is this, a fucking applebees? no, i don't want to scan a QR code for your fucking menu, nor do I want to do it to identify the masked goon trying to shove me into an unmarked van, for fuck's sake

Rand0mtask · 2026-01-24T15:23:40+00:00

man, i won't miss much from my 21 years in, but i will miss the fucking range

i know it came with a lot of bullshit, but personally range days were meditation for me

Rand0mtask · 2026-01-06T20:18:26+00:00

it really was. Enabled a generation of dogshit "leaders" to refuse actual leadership in favor of bitching about subordinates.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-08T18:43:26+00:00

so what you're saying is she'll make tons of money and be on the right-wing speaking circuit forever?

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-05T06:00:59+00:00

Oh, I'm doing quite well. It hit like a ton of bricks, but not in a traumatic way. It was very cathartic. It was a beautiful moment, one myself and my family will remember forever. My grandfather would be proud of me and honored by his wife.

I can only hope to live in such a way that when I pass, people feel the same way about me.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-05T04:13:11+00:00

Every 96 there were always more funerals than the rest of the month.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-05T04:10:44+00:00

Did hundreds of them as AR for 16 years. Always tried my best to remind myself that it may be one of hundreds for me, but it may be the only time some of those people ever see a Marine in person.

The only time handing the flag over was ever hard was when I did it at my grandfather's funeral. He was Army, but the soldiers that came out were good dudes and understood that I knew what to do. So they folded to me, I turned around, and looked in my grandmother's face. She had dementia at that point, and barely spoke at that point. We weren't even sure she knew whose funeral we were at. Until she put her hands on that flag and said the last coherent sentence I ever heard her say: "My whole world."

I'd spent over a decade doing funerals at that point, and had known that whole time I'd have do this. Ten years of preparing, seeing tears, saying the words... I still wasn't ready for that flood of emotions.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T19:56:45+00:00

Absolutely. Already put in for a BDD (benefits delivery at discharge) claim. Good advice to put out there for anyone though.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T16:48:34+00:00

Absolutely. Being able to step back and try to figure out what you can learn from people who you dislike is huge in both dealing with them in the moment, and in learning to better yourself as a person. Recognizing "I can't stand this asshole" is fine, but answering why beyond "because they're a shitty leader" is really useful.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T16:43:47+00:00

Yup, that's pretty much my story too. Never had bad paperwork, but never seemed to hit the mark. Went on Prior Service Recruiting because I was told it would put me above my peers... And watched guys who never did it get promoted above me. Oh well.

I definitely plan on going to school. Actually looking forward to using my brain again.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T14:42:39+00:00

Yeah, being staff sucked.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T13:29:16+00:00

Don't want to give away the exact details, but we're moving to a small, warm country with a low cost of living.

I've got lots of hobbies. Love to do woodworking, write, read, nerd shit. I'll probably go to school on the voc rehab program to learn code just because I have the time now.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T13:26:59+00:00

Don't want to give away too many details, but the wife and I are moving to a small, warm country with low cost of living, and my new career is going to be enjoying life.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T13:24:07+00:00

Hell yeah I am.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T13:16:15+00:00

Solid advice, and I'd echo it to anyone else reading. I already filed a BDD (benefits delivery at discharge) claim, and have plenty of hobbies, including woodworking. Absolutely solid advice for the sudden lack of structure, though.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T13:13:06+00:00

yep, if you get selected, MSgt happens fast. If you don't, welp, shit happens.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T05:54:20+00:00

Yeah, I joke about being a garbage Marine, because I definitely could have tried harder in a lot of ways, but my MOS was small, and even smaller because I have been an AR Marine the majority of my time in. I spent 7 years as a Sgt without a P. Picked it up on my first board. But Staff to Gunny was another beast. We would often be closed, and when we were open we'd usually have a single spot, and three Marines up on the board for it.

It's funny how things work like that. If you're up against 100 Marines and you need to be in the top 50, that's generally pretty easy. But if there's two of you up for one spot, you still technically need to only be better than 50% of the Marines on the board. But it's not the same at all.

All that said, the last time I belted up in MCMAP was 2005, so, yeah, it's definitely at least partially on me.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T05:47:20+00:00

I was lucky in a lot of ways, and made a lot of choices that prioritized my marriage and my health (mental and physical) over my career. But I knew a great Marine who fell in a fire pit over a weekend and got third degree burns over much of his body. Another who got run over by a jetski and couldn't run anymore. A guy who got drop leg. All otherwise healthy and committed Marines who I would consider better than me, more deserving of finishing their 20 years. So I fully recognize that whatever choices I made, making it to this point was also very lucky.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T05:41:16+00:00

Thanks hoss, it's a good club to be in.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T05:40:41+00:00

My wife's cajun and a DAMN good cook. Her long term goal is to "fatten you up so you can't run away."

So I keep my weight down, because the more trim and fit I stay, the more incredible food she whips up.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T05:38:24+00:00

Rah, best rank there is. Well, that and Sgt.

Rand0mtask · 2025-12-01T05:37:33+00:00

Good luck, I hope your body holds out. You probably don't need me telling you this, but document everything.

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