Reality on an August Afternoon

Today, while the sun was passing over the horizon and the blast furnace seemed to go down a notch, I realized "I really hate this place."

I know 'hate' is a strong word, but the only real benny out here is the tax free part.

I can see me now, (dreamland) sitting on my back porch on my rocker with a plush pillow seat, rocking to the beat of Hair of the Dog, drinking a frothy beverage in an iced mug, on cool afternoon talking with some friends with some 2 string, one string, no string guitars.

Then suddenly, it all comes back to me, with the dust cloud surrounding the base, I am still in Iraq and I can not give blood today since I gave last week. So I look at it in sorrow that I cannot help that soldier or Marine today.

My Off Time

I had just finished another book (Gates of Fire) today and started reading Broken Prey. So far so good, it seems to be a murder mystery type book.

I have been increasing my PT and have been riding the bike for about 45 minutes extra every other day. It probably wouldn't be difficult but I have a 100 pound pack just for riding on my bike during this time. The bike ride isn't as bad for my knees and feet, and i still get the workout.

I have been watching Oprah on AFN (Armed Forces Network) for about twenty minutes prior to going to work. Today had Jon Stewart was a guest, which was the highlight of my day. I am not saying that I enjoy Oprah and I am not saying I like to watch Jon Stewart. I am saying it was the highlight of my day.

Lovable Furry Old Grover

I miss it.

Having fun.

The laughs and jeers.

The Search for Mae West

(Truly, you would have to know all angles of me to understand the title.)

The woman of my dreams would be:
Lady like
Aggressive
Tactful
Athletic
Intelligent
Refined

(B cup breasts or larger are definitely a plus.)

My Given Name

My first name is not Staff Sergeant, it is my rank.

Couldn't tell though. I have been answering to that now everyday for the last 200 or so days in a row. I miss my name being called.

I am not talking about just my last name either. Most (about 99.9999%) get my last name wrong. Switching letters around, adding letters, just complete butchery. Every once in a blue moon someone will get it right, but that is neither here nor there.

It is the little things, you know?

Female Friends, and Friends of Friends

(While this post might have been better for another blog or maybe even personal thoughts amongst closer friends, I have decide to go public with this one.)

My ex wives and close female friends whether they be girlfriends, lovers, or just friends may have had PCOS(Poly cystic ovary syndrome). It makes sense. It would explain a lot. This is just a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess) so if I am wrong so be it, but if I am right. Then, this would be a larger breakthrough.

I learned of this from a political web blog Blonde Sagacity.

Maybe this is it, then reason. The thing I couldn't figure out. then maybe I am pulling straws.

Poly- Tick- ing

Being in the military it is very hard to get away from politics, since the sole purpose of the military is to be an arm of politicians and the government. I was looking at the use of the left and right terms and how they translate into what I do, and unfortunately, that would take away too much space on the Internet and is really not worth it.

The part that really gets me is these terms come from the French then in the 1800 the Spanish used the terms in their Constitution. I figure,HG Wells, can be blamed. He was one of the first to openly use left and right.

I am ambidextrous.

Saving the World

It seems like everyday there is some "crisis," which we then save the world from unknown destruction. How many times can we do it and who is counting?


While I know there are "bad people" constantly doing bad and unmoral acts everyday, there is also a high number of Marines doing what is right and moral every minute.

A Happy Fourth

For the most part everyone here had a happy Fourth of July. Some shops, if work load permitted, "cooked out" with the best that could be found. The line for the phones is almost ungodly, but manageable non the less. Some watched patriotic movies and some even decorated a little. I saw some flares and tracer rounds which is almost like fireworks.

Comments

2000
I am aware of the problem. I am working on fixing it.
2100
I lost Haloscan commenting, so you will have to bear with the default. Hopefully, I can get it restored and have done seamlessly.

0145 July 5th
Fixed.

My 2 Hour Window

Everyday I have a two hour break when nothing happens. It is not exactly the same time everyday but it happens everyday. This time I generally use to walk about the work areas or talk to some Marines about home. The last few days I have been using it for my blog and read other blogs of interest for me. (All are morally safe.)

This one group of blogs that I have been following are by a group of pastors(one term for all types, for simplicity) for churches all over the US. The one that caught my interest first was "Cheesehead in Paradise" , for obvious reasons.

One thing, of these blogs, is most of these pastors seem to like Monty Python's Holy Grail. I always thought this movie was exactly the opposite of what your spiritual leader was supposed to like. Maybe I have been wrong all these years.

What I should be doing in my 2 hour window is write some letters back home. So I decided that I will do one a night instead of writing all of them at once.

Peanut Butter Cookies

My Mom is definitely a veteran cookie packager and it shows. I can't remember when I received cookies that didn't make the journey to me.

I have been eating about 2 a day since the package arrived, so that the cookies will last longer. I can't eat chocolate, so most people get so confused and dumbfounded that I don't receive that many packages with cookies in them.

Not much beats a good peanut butter cookie and some flavored water after a twenty minute sandstorm trek.

Okay, there are a lot of things that do.

For here and now, that cookie is the best part of my day.

June Full Moon

This evening as I was starting my shift I noticed the moon. It is a rare to find the moon so large near one of our working spaces. I thought what an excellent photo op. Unfortunately, my camera doesn't see like my eyes do.

Hope you all enjoy!

Behind on Letter Writing

I really need to apologize. I am really far behind on my letter writing. Normally, pre-Iraq, I would never write a letter. Now, I have been writing a letter a bout once a month to several people and couples. Most are probably our(shop or work center) biggest benefactors, with supplies that tend to be essential. Hopefully in the next few days, I will a have a letter in the mail for these people:

Mom
My Brother and his wife
Julie Boutwell
Lori and Ron
Rena J's
Mark and Dorothy West
Judy Schleicher
Ken and Dorothy Fackina
Sheila Faul
Lauri Hansen
and
Faith Lutheran Church

Reading

I have been reading 3 books lately. Some of the Marines I run into ask how I keep them apart. I think of it like this:

Semper Fi in the Sky : is like the History channel, but better.
Gates of Fire : is like the SciFi channel meets discovery channel.
and Whispers : is like late night Cinemax slash Oxygen slash Spike wrapped into one.

Unfortunately, I am almost finished with all 3 of them so I will have to find a new channel soon.

Hallucinations of a Sane Man

I was reading this article in GQ (yes I am a subscriber) about how when you become a dad that are suddenly attracted to moms. I am not a dad and I am attracted to moms. The way the article reads is a prerequisite to finding moms hot is you have to be a dad. I say it is not so.

Granted, if you all haven't noticed, I am in the middle of the Iraqi desert. I think about a lot different types of women. Fantasy, sci-fi, erotic, pretty much every variety including the innocent type with long eyelashes,pony tails, and that type of southern draw that lends to a thought of purity.

Did I mention that July 15th is my half way point?

Donations and Self Donations

While I was on leave I sent 12 packages to myself for Iraq. Four of which were filled with underwear and socks. Those items I felt are a little too personal as far as asking for donations. Three other boxes were filled with stuff for my bicycle that I put together from broken bikes that were scattered around. The rest were filled with magazines, old mail, and a feather pillow. I have always enjoyed a good feather pillow to sleep on.

When I got back in country, there were several packages from all sorts of people and I distributed most or all of the items to my Marines. I one package, however, was a package of dried fruit and nuts. This particular item was well received by all.

I do have some personnel requests: Outside Thermometer, "Dried Fruit" such as banana chips, and "green tea by Lipton".
Requests from the Marines include : LED lights, Baby wipes, powdered drink mixes, Scotch tape, dried fruit and nuts, and chocolate

Chocolate bars will not make it to Iraq, many have tried and many have been received as a soupy mess.

Companionship

Morally speaking, I have always been more happy, in the long term sense of the word, while being deployed than when I have been in the states in garrison. I am mean let's face it, my personal life is generally fucked up most of time. I may have a few fleeting glimpses of happiness or "lustfullness", but really the longest time that I have been happy, my other half hated me, so that means I wasn't happy.

(Don't start calling the Chaplin, I am far from that. I like me. A lot.)

The companionship that I have never achieved as a married man, I obtain from being with my brother in arms.

I am a social animal that enjoys a good conversation with just about anyone.

(Don't worry I am straight, I like women.)

This might be why I have been thinking about going to Japan after this duty. We were stuck on an island and we made the best of it.

Something is definitely missing when I spend time in the states, I am just not sure what it is.

Email my Posts

I am trying to set up a email to blog, so that I can post more frequently here in Iraq. Hopefully, in the next few days a post or two will just pop up here.

I will give it till Friday, then I will do it manually. Not a big deal just trying to make it easier on myself.

Vacations and Updates

I have decided that when I get back to the US after this deployment I am going to go on one of those things called "vacations." I have never spent time in DC, I think I may try to stay up there for a week and see the sights. Then I think I may go on one those cruise ship things, you know the boat that has windows and even a pool on it. I have never really done that before and why not go.

In case you are wondering, I am back in Iraq.

I gave the gouge to my Marines on the do's and don'ts for leave. The stuff "they" don't tell you and would be helpful to know.

I still have not smoked a cigarette since the first week in February.

I have paid off almost all of my revolving credit.

And I slapped myself in the face after not finding the holy grail of happiness. It wasn't spiritual but it didn't need to be.