Inspiration

The number of unique IP addresses hitting this blog has tripled in the last week, but it seems the topics of which I "blog" about must be too difficult to comment on.

Why, do I say such things?

My last few posts no one has touched.

What I think is funny, is I visit many blogs with huge essays, near novels, and I post my thoughts on the subject matter.

Yes, I know my posts tend to be cryptic, but, hey I am in Iraq. Goes with the territory.

So my question is, Do my posts inspire comments?

My Libra

This is why.....

"They" tell me that since I was born on the two hundred ninety fifth day of the year, that is the reason why I turned out this way. The cusp is interesting way to grow up. Had a few hours gone by it would all be different.

The artist, poet, teacher, or musician that I have been. With the feelings that are so intense that even when love is at the highest (most idealistic kind)it has turned into one of the many extreme passionate romances, "star-crossed lovers". The disturbing balance of this life and love is what drives me into this endless pit, hole, world.

I hate in which I love and vice versa. The damning of this cycle of eternal battle is my life. Soon another year will have past, and we can start that cycle over again.

Sun and the Moon

A question was struck to me yesterday and I never really thought about it, why do we see the sun and the moon at the same time every day?

Every morning and evening, looking from left to right, we see the sun or the moon. I remember when I was younger, walking to school seeing the moon when the sun was up. I don't necessarily remember it when I have been an adult.

The question has some off chutes, as well. Was it always like this and I was too busy to notice? Am I on one of the "four corners" of earth and that is why?

Remembering My 22nd

My Golden Birthday, as far as adult birthdays are concerned, was a good memory.

My friend Eric and I went on leave together. We took 25 days of leave each. I was stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina and he was stationed at New River, North Carolina at the time. We had a late start because I could not go until my rifle was cleaned and it was filthy. Some elbow grease, some smooth talking and a promise of beer later and we were on the the road.

We took my truck, 96 Ford Ranger (not an extended cab), because his 88 Ford Bronco got crappy gas mileage and sometimes stalled while travelling fast for no apparent reason. So we threw our stuff under my tonneau covered bed and kept a body pillow in front so one could sleep while the other drove. The first stop was to be Lead-Deadwood, South Dakota his home.

Our first stop was in Ohio, Jackson County. I can't remember the sheriff's name but he looked familiar. That was the first speeding ticket. Eric was doing about 85 in 55. Not a good ticket. you might say muy mal. So since we slowed down a bit we stopped at a Perkins, this is important later in the story. Our second to last stop, was somewhere between Rapid City and Sturgis. I seem to not be able to remember the state patrolman's name either. I was going about 107 in a 75, which in turn got written as a warning. Don't ask, I don't know how either.

We finally made it to Lead about 36 hours later from Havelock, North Carolina. Which you have to say that is impressive, granted later in life I see my error in my ways and feel fortunate.

Three days later was my birthday, we had a good lunch with his folks and then started going to the casinos in Deadwood. I had forty bucks starting out. I played blackjack at each casino and saved (one) one dollar coin from each. Since, it being my golden birthday and all I was given a "special" beer or drink at each one. Some had micro brews and that was the drink some had a special drink, needless to say, when I finished at BB Cody's I don't remember leaving. Some how I still managed to leave with twenty bucks and a souvenir from each casino, something I will keep for life.

Epliogue to this was we went to Wisconsin shortly there after with a snowstorm on our heels. Had some fun in the snow for about a week. We then went back to North Carolina and stopped in Ohio at Perkins. Somewhere along the way "we" had lost my extra key. I gave him a key so that we could lock the truck during periods of rest and not need the other present. When we arrived to eat, there was this lost and found sign and happedned to ask about my keys on the AC/DC key chain. Low and behold, my keys were there! We also took about a day and a half to reach Cherry Point from Wisconsin. Lesson learned, with fun.

The Interview - Or the Lack of One

There is this chain post that goes around with something like this at its closer:
Now, here's the rest of the deal:
1. If you are interested in being interviewed, leave me a comment saying “Interview me."
2. I will respond by posting five questions for you. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Now, being me, I have asked several "bloggers" to "interview me" I have come up with the conclusion it is not going to happen. I think it could be fun having a neutral third party asking me a few questions. Obviously, I will keep OpSec in mind the whole time. (I believe I do a pretty good job and do not tell the general public anything.)

Call me Crazy, but I would like to share.

Jesse's Girl

Ever notice in the song, you never find out what was so special about this girl. Jesse's Girl. Why can't I find a woman like that?


(I think the moon has put me in strange mood. Or maybe my biorhythm is out of whack. I may have more random musings today, this is just a disclaimer for it.)

The Friday Five - For Fun

The following can be seen on RevGals blog. No. I am not turning into a bible thumper. This stuff has some interesting reads and these little one way conversations is all I have. So shut it!

On Endings and Goodbyes:

1. Best ending of a movie/book/TV show
It has to be L.A. Story a movie with Steve Martin. I should not have to explain.

2. Worst ending of a movie/book/TV show
Midnight by Dean Koontz, thoroughly disappointed. It was if the author had to finish up the book for a deadline and made an abrupt ending. Still enjoy the author, but this book could have been better.

3. Tell about a memorable goodbye you've experienced.
I was eighteen, she was eighteen, her name was Mellisa, and had I not been a dumb ass, life would have been different. (That's all I have to say about that.)

4. Is it true that "all good things must come to an end"?
I am a believer in romance, so no in my beliefs, but yes in my reality.

5. "Everything I ever let go of has claw marks on it." --Anne Lamott
Discuss.
I will answer this with, "If you love something set it free; if it returns its yours forever, if not it was never meant to be." - Proverb


Bonus: "It isn't over until the fat lady sings." I've never loved this expression. So propose an alternative:
"It isn't over until you set foot an American soil, you are handed a beer, and you get a kiss." (Some options can be reinserted with the likes of apple pie, strawberries, and fine wines.)

The Life and Dreams of a Poster

Seems life would be flat.

Ha.

Now with all seriousness, what do say when someone else has said everything. When you want to give encouragement but it seems that you look "hokey" when you do those things. Then there are those times when you got up on the wrong side of bed and hit the wall, then roll over back out the right side and you still hurt because you hit your head and it throbs so you post mean and disturbing comments but your head still hurts. When you want to comment but can never seem to get the "word verification" right. (I do not have such things here, I have other tricks up my sleeve.) I mean what kind of word is gffklp or rllltts? I can not find them in Websters at all, so I thinking it should be called something like "symbol verification" so then at least it would be putting the round peg in the round hole. (I saw the pun here.) I understand I rarely comment back here as others do in blogs, but I do and will answer all questions even the funny ones, eventually.

I added some more "eye stoppers" on the side bar. Hopefully, my dreams will be met with this sharing. I am still accepting Mae West offers.

Mail Call

We finally had a mail call after, many canceled mail calls in a row. I recieved this nifty card from one of my aunts(pronounced aw-nt), the youngest. It gave my the biggest laugh in awhile.

It has a picture of a hand on it, with a title at the top that says, ' Move this card back and forth real fast.' So I proceeded to do so for a few seconds and my colleagues then proceeded to laugh at me with the waving card. Inside the card it says, 'That's me waving hello.'

The little things that make us happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also received a letter from Mom and Lynn B. I received a box from Jeff Bader and Mr. and Mrs. West. I dispersed most of the goods to my counter parts, except for my favorites.

I know I have been reading a lot, but I think I have enough books for now. I received nine books today, thank you so much for them. This has been my entertainment here in Iraq.

Reach Out and Touch Someone

I know a thing or two about computers. I think I may have frightened someone who had posted a comment on my site.

Those people that I have not met I tend to write back via email, to introduce myself. The last two people have not written back or visited since I wrote them. This it clearly not my intention, I just was trying to be neighborly.

I think it was my Mom who may have told me to be kind to your neighbors. (I may have learned it in Sunday School, which ever it stuck.)

Just because, I am far, far away physically and I am in the capacity of serving my country does not put me in that "category". The one, that you put "other" people in.

Harry and Ginny

I finished reading the seventh book today. I do not remember when I started reading but would say it was about four days. Under normal circumstances it would have taken me about a week to a week and half to read a book that large, but I was hooked. I had to know.

I am happy with the outcome. I wish I could have read the previous books again prior to reading this one to refresh my memory and I may just do that when I return home. I have to admit there was a place in the book where I thought it was all over but still had about a quarter inch of reading to go.

Funny, but there could easliy be another book some day in the future and I would read it.

Autumn

I believe we may actually be having our fall during fall season. Yesterday the high was 99.5 in the shade. That is a good sign that summer is ending. As I write this (pre-dawn), is 76 outside.

I would say the leaves are turning and animals are hibernating, but I am not in Wisconsin. There is a bush or a palm about but nothing with leaves per se. I do believe there will be more animals scurrying about. The bats are always fun. I don't remember if I have seen any rats this week. The local birds look very similar to crows. I don't see them flying south yet.

We don't break out our dark colors for fall. we will be dressed very similar to the picture down a few posts. I do have a scarf but it not for heat. It is for sand storms.

It will be interesting to see if fall will be a few days or weeks. I really doubt it will be a month.

Self Described

What I am or who I am or something like that.


Religious - this can be an argued point, but for most part I am a God fearing individual


Opinionated - I have no problem letting you know I hate you (or whatever other feeling I may have)


Fact Gatherer - this could be split in several ways, an example would be the enormous amount of useless junk stored up in the cranial


Poetic - its a license, I can't give away


Discombobulation - I am not sure if I give it or receive it

Stubborn - this last one holds it all together

We have Chuck Surrounded

I am fourth from the left standing. For some reason I thought he was taller.

Sunday, Day Two Hundred Fifty

I have given my sergeant the first half of the day off. Other than sleeping "in" I really have no idea what the bonus factor is. He seems to enjoy being off for six extra hours. I don't really have any other Marines under my charge, but do have several junior Marines that work in my section during my shift. I probably will not take any time off.

Apparently, the work we are doing has never been done and we are doing it well. These are the reports that we have been getting for awhile now. From where I am at, everyday is quite similar. The oddball day is Sunday, the post office and Dispersing open at a later hour.

If I hadn't been on leave I would be on day 264. I now wish I hadn't taken leave. Actually, I wished I hadn't taken leave while I was still on leave. (You can all read out it in the June posts.)

I look outside and I see huge amounts of sand, for some darn reason this still hasn't changed. We (talking about the facial shavers here) seem to go through large amounts of razors. It should have dawned on me earlier, but since the dust is so fine it likes to attach itself to he hair follicles and act like cement while shaving. Who knew? So our razors go dull faster than normal. It only took us about nine months to figure that one out.

The good news is ..............

Well, I still have my health. Mom and Dad are still alive and kicking (and married). I have been smoke free since January 28th. Except for my "new" truck and the house in Yuma, I am debt free for the first time since 2000. I have glow in the dark stars, and they work just as I have envisioned them to work.

A friend has let me borrow his copy of the seventh book of the Harry Potter series, yesterday. I am on page 225. I am also a little groggy since I read a little too long before going to bed. It is worth it though.

Glow in the Dark Stars

I received a package with glow in the dark stars today from Elaine Hooper today. Yahoo!

After work I plan on strategically placing the stars as I have been envisioning it since January.

I will keep you all posted.
(If it works out, I will try to photograph the stars.)

My Mind was Blank Today

I am not sure if this happens to other bloggers, but I came to this with the intention of having some unique post, some outstanding piece of work that others will comment and say wonderful things that will emulate the essence of what I said.

I have no idea what I was going to post today.

I could complain easily about my living conditions, it is always substandard, but livable. I might even mention the fact that I work with a complete jackass. Or maybe the tolerance for people who seem incompetent with their job is waning and I don't know how much longer I can handle it. I just don't know.

The In Betweens and Outs

The job is separated by mounds of waiting and abstract fillings with reasoning of the old codger in the back. The total realization of the clarity of each job is stunning if not total bliss.

(What is this nonsense I speak of?)

I reach for an answer for it all, and there is none. I do what I am told and that is the heart of it all. Account for my actions, for no one else will, until you are dead.

(Cryptic but not really.)

Say it isn't so, and all will disobey. Encounter the decision and it will save us all.

Ethni Jamin, Part II

I wanted to include two more titles from Ethni Jamin.

Don't Fall in Love with Me

On Stirke

Both are about 2 to 3 megabytes, so it should not take too long to download. I identify with the first song quite well. This might be why I felt I needed to post it.

Enjoy!

Orion

I have to blame someone else, I never, before a few years ago, ever looked at Orion and said 'yep he's still there.' I used to look for the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper, but that was about it. I can't figure out where the Dippers' are anymore. The sky doesn't quite look the same as I remember it when I was knee high to a grasshopper. It is a rare occasion when it is too dusty or cloudy to see the night. At least at some point in the night the sky clears up.




Every night Orion and I see each other, nod, then go about the business of the day.

Church and Football

I used to go to this one church, filled with cheeseheads and FIBs, that used to accommodate for the football season. Wacky, huh?

In that particular, area the games started at noon. So, the church moved one of their services to 9 in the morning. The ending result was more football fans went to church and still got to see the kick off. Everyone was happy.

I know that wasn't the reason why I attended but it was a good one.

(I bring up the topic, because I had mentioned this scenario to someone and then it kept flying around in my head wanting to get out..)

The Wait was Worth It

In just two hours, I had my picture taken with Chuck (someone else took the photo) and some friends, I recieved a the nifty picture above, and I got Chuck germs on my hand (handshake). What more can you ask for?

The World of a Home Owner

Did you know that I was a H.O.?
That is home owner.

I need to fix "stuff", says my PM (Property Manager). (I thought that was one the reasons I pay him monthly.) He says I don't have enough $$$ but won't tell me how much I need. He tends to be vague in what needs to be done. For some reason, everyone keeps forgetting I am in Iraq.

It is like sure I will go down the road to Home Depot, pick up the widget and fix the problem. What a second, there is no Home Depot in Iraq. In fact, my home in question is 17000 miles from here.

So it looks like I need to put in a carport or garage, the good part is the concrete is already there. Whew! There is something wrong with my irrigation system(the whole property has water lines with spickets every twenty feet or so). An awning is suggested by the PM for the west side(I was previously looking at the north side). My railroad ties that hold some ground need replacing.

My preliminary estimate for this is pretty evil. If I could do the work myself that would help, but then you see the dilemma. I sent out for some estimates, one of the contractors asked me if I really was in Iraq, Which I never said I was but my email address has the country in it. Must be a duh factor. The thing is, my PM has access to money for repairs. The whole purpose for the money is maintenance for the property and he knows that. What am I to do?

I have been overseas pretty much two years in a row now and really haven't had a chance to look the property over in a while. There is other things I would like to do with it, but no one has shown me where the money tree grows yet.

Strength and Honor

Some people wonder all their lives if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem. ~Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan is always good for quotes. In my lifetime, he is my favorite President. He had a habit of not asking permission from anybody(Congress, UN, etc.) before retaliating for some act by terrorists or countries performing terrorist activities.

That was a different time at home. When men were men and boys were boys and .....something to that effect. Now it seems more of the opposite.

I am talking about BALLS.

Having the gusto, courage, strength, whatever the word you want to use.

In my opinion, I believe that America as a whole is losing its balls. I am hoping I am wrong and we will continue to kick ass, like we have for the last 232 years. (Not a typo.)

If we follow history, the Roman empire had a similar path as us. I believe if we do not look at those mistakes and other great nations and learn from them we may have the same fate.

News Junkie, Part II

As a follow-up to an earlier post about me reading lots of news, I wanted to report to you all that this hasn't changed much.

UBL (the bad guy) in the videos he releases talks, in my opinion, just like a democrat. So logic would dictate, that if you want an Islamic nation you would elect a democrat.

Ollie North has it right in his column about the President during his visit in Iraq. Why is so hard to fathom?

Who really cares about Britney Spears? Let her be, and take care of yourself. I can't believe she was headlined over the missing man from Maryland.

And what the hell is up with Wisconsinites shooting everyone?

The Profile Photo, Part II

I have decided to go with my photo of my print of "Son of Man", by Rene Magritte. It is more me than anything else I have at the moment.

(The print was a gift from my last wife. It is from a time when things seemed be much happier.)

Belly Growth Over Time

I am afraid that my belly growth may not go down. I could live with said illustration but I am a long way away from it as of right now.

No, it not a tumor growing out of the side of my body.

Yes, it is a simple drawing so you all can get an idea that I am getting fatter than I have been. I have gained a little over thirty pounds since January and it is not muscle.

Yes, I am blaming the smoking habit. I have always enjoyed the skinny side while I was a smoker. Yes, the average cost per month was two hundred dollars. No, I can not tell the difference in my pocket.

Post No. 62, A New Wyldth1ng Record

This is post number 62. This is now the most posts I am ever done in one calendar year. This is almost better than the anniversary post.

I hope you all did not waste your time in reading this post. Later or tomorrow all of my writings shall take new form as every other post after this one will be a New Record.

Can you believe it?


(I probably need a vacation.)

Blog-aholic, Part II

There are times I read a blog and think to myself, 'I can give this person some advice.'

Then as I am about to write in my advice I think to myself, ' I really do not have any advice to give.'

This can be a problem, which at times the silly answer to the question or wacky reply to the statement is the outcome of this dilemma.

What can I say?

"It's my party and I will cry if I want to."

Blog-aholic

I am addicted.

The good excuses I have for it is I may not be able to call or write an email, but I can do limited searches of the web on a regular basis.

The posts that I do here, I email and I talked about that earlier. It is all about Google trying to make the world a smaller place for us. (It is a good thing I bought stock.)

My addiction is not too bad, work always comes first. ( I don't have an option.)

The Profile Photo

I can't decide on my profile photo.

Should I use the Sugar Coat poster?

My shadow in front of a Mobile Facility?

Or should I just find an abstract photo?

Cliff Notes for Monday

The Commander in Chief was here today. Didn't get to see him.

The Secretary of State was here as well. Didn't get to see her either.

It was obvious that the President was not going to eat at the chow hall. The food is on repeats. I think this is the third day in a row for brisket.

Who Knew?