Today is my birthday, but it is kind of hollow.
My grandmother died last week and I miss her.
She was an amazing woman.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
We've moved and stuff...
I haven’t written anything in a while (I start way too many of these things off this way don't I?)because I have just been so damned busy.
I am a shift leader here at the new place so I am literally working on one thing or another for the entire 12 hour shift; of course this doesn’t count the extra time they add on before the shift, or the briefing I give the next shift leader. So all in all I am actually on task at work about 13.5 hours a day right now. At least I don’t get any days off to worry that my duties are not being handled properly.
Dude.
You know how I know that I have been doing a good job calling home and keeping the communication lines open to the outside world?
I called my mom and girlfriend the same day last week and both of them told me that they were busy and asked me if I could call back later.
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t upset; because, well, I could call them back later.
But still, ain’t it cool that a soldier in a foreign combat zone can do that?
I mean, damn, you think people back in Nam or Desert Storm got told to call back later when they called home?
Nope.
I take it as a compliment that I am fulfilling my obligation to stay in contact.
And also a get out of jail free card for if I ever am not able to call often.
Ha.
So there.
The thing about the new facility is that the AC’s work so well that everyone runs them full blast 24/7. Now, I would rather have an AC on to strong than not have one at all. But I don’t understand why everyone likes it so fucking cold. I mean, most of us are from California and Arizona.
Shouldn’t we be craving a little heat?
I am more comfortable hot than cold so maybe I am the only one who doesn’t like this.
I am like a freaking tour guide around here.
Because my processing room is like the epicenter of this whole operation, everyone and their administrative yes-man has come through trying to get a peak at the new digs. So I keep having to explain how things are going and shit. It ain’t that bad because I am normally a sociable person. But one day I had a 2-star general, 3 full-bird colonels, at least 5 lieutenant colonels, so many majors I lost count, and a partridge in a pear-tree come through.
Anywho…
I know I have said it before, but Alice in Chains made really great music. And their Unplugged album is one of my favorite things to listen to.
Hmmmmm…
I think it is time for a Top 5 list.
How about the Top 5 MTV Unplugged albums (in order this time…)
5. Jay-Z (The only reason this makes the list is that he had The Roots backing him up and they did amazing things with his beats.)
4. 10,000 Maniacs (I got this one in the mail from BMG and was pissed that I couldn’t return it because it had come when I was out of town. The disc turned out to be pretty freaking cool. It is the only recording of their music I have ever heard. Of course an unfortunate side effect is that it spawned Natalie Merchant’s
hard on the ears solo career.)
3. Alice in Chains (This is just a great album to listen to from start to finish. It has a great mix of mellow and edge.)
1b. Nirvana (This is just a masterpiece.)
1a. Tony Bennett (Tony Freaking Bennett!!)
I am a shift leader here at the new place so I am literally working on one thing or another for the entire 12 hour shift; of course this doesn’t count the extra time they add on before the shift, or the briefing I give the next shift leader. So all in all I am actually on task at work about 13.5 hours a day right now. At least I don’t get any days off to worry that my duties are not being handled properly.
Dude.
You know how I know that I have been doing a good job calling home and keeping the communication lines open to the outside world?
I called my mom and girlfriend the same day last week and both of them told me that they were busy and asked me if I could call back later.
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t upset; because, well, I could call them back later.
But still, ain’t it cool that a soldier in a foreign combat zone can do that?
I mean, damn, you think people back in Nam or Desert Storm got told to call back later when they called home?
Nope.
I take it as a compliment that I am fulfilling my obligation to stay in contact.
And also a get out of jail free card for if I ever am not able to call often.
Ha.
So there.
The thing about the new facility is that the AC’s work so well that everyone runs them full blast 24/7. Now, I would rather have an AC on to strong than not have one at all. But I don’t understand why everyone likes it so fucking cold. I mean, most of us are from California and Arizona.
Shouldn’t we be craving a little heat?
I am more comfortable hot than cold so maybe I am the only one who doesn’t like this.
I am like a freaking tour guide around here.
Because my processing room is like the epicenter of this whole operation, everyone and their administrative yes-man has come through trying to get a peak at the new digs. So I keep having to explain how things are going and shit. It ain’t that bad because I am normally a sociable person. But one day I had a 2-star general, 3 full-bird colonels, at least 5 lieutenant colonels, so many majors I lost count, and a partridge in a pear-tree come through.
Anywho…
I know I have said it before, but Alice in Chains made really great music. And their Unplugged album is one of my favorite things to listen to.
Hmmmmm…
I think it is time for a Top 5 list.
How about the Top 5 MTV Unplugged albums (in order this time…)
5. Jay-Z (The only reason this makes the list is that he had The Roots backing him up and they did amazing things with his beats.)
4. 10,000 Maniacs (I got this one in the mail from BMG and was pissed that I couldn’t return it because it had come when I was out of town. The disc turned out to be pretty freaking cool. It is the only recording of their music I have ever heard. Of course an unfortunate side effect is that it spawned Natalie Merchant’s
hard on the ears solo career.)
3. Alice in Chains (This is just a great album to listen to from start to finish. It has a great mix of mellow and edge.)
1b. Nirvana (This is just a masterpiece.)
1a. Tony Bennett (Tony Freaking Bennett!!)
Monday, July 03, 2006
Besame Mucho!!!
I am sitting in the computer lab waiting for the chopper that is gonna take me to the new base. I wish this wasn't a country full of people that wanted to kill us. If that were the case, I could just drive to the new base. Why couldn't we have liberated a nicer country? We should have liberated Cuba. They all hate Castro and are Catholic too. They would be much more grateful liberatees than these guys.
I kid you not, at work the other day, a cell phone went off. Seriously. I never thought I would have to post a sign that says to turn your cell phones off at work. I am in Iraq, yet sometimes it feels just like home.
I work with a lot of Spanish speakers. No big deal to me. However, my only other English speaking coworker asked one of them why they couldn't just speak English at work. He was asked what it would be like if he had to go somewhere and didn't speak the language. And if it would be better if he could speak his native tongue.
He replied that that was exactly how work was everyday for him since he is one of two people who doesn't speak Spanish.
They both just stood there in silence after words; not sure what language though.
Youtube is one of the greatest websites I have ever seen.
Wait, strike that.
It is one of the greatest things I have seen.
The Kings drafted a shooting guard for the third year in a row. I am not sure how I feel about that.
I know this is heresy in some circles, but part of me is really hoping that the Giants trade Barry Bonds to the American League before he leaves at the end of the year in free agency. He won't break the record as a Giant, so his box office draw is minimal. And since he is rarely in the lineup these days, his impact on the games is minimal too. I say trade him now before you get nothing at the end of the year.
I finally got a tour of Saddam's death house; where the executions were. I also toured the hard site; this is where he kept his political prisoners and where our little thing happened. I was really hoping to see pictures of Lindy England on the wall. You know, like a museum exhibit. Shoot, they could have even had cardboard cutouts of the detainees so that we could recreate the magic of those pictures.
I actually took a lot of interesting pictures which I plan to post on the blog once I can figure out how.
For some reason I am in the mood to watch the movie Kingpin. That is such a hillarious flick.
Definitely one of my favorite Bill Murray movies. Shoot, that inspires me. How about a quick top ten list...
Top 10 Favorite Bill Murray Movies (off the top of my head and in no particular order)
-Kingpin
-Rushmore
-What About Bob
-Lost In Translation
-Mad Dog and Glory
-Caddyshack
-Meatballs
-The Life Aquatic
-Ghostbusters
-Stripes
*let me know what your favorite Bill Murray movies are
I have not taken a hot shower since May. Isn't that awesome?
I win.
Oh wait, that actually really sucks.
I lose.
I kid you not, at work the other day, a cell phone went off. Seriously. I never thought I would have to post a sign that says to turn your cell phones off at work. I am in Iraq, yet sometimes it feels just like home.
I work with a lot of Spanish speakers. No big deal to me. However, my only other English speaking coworker asked one of them why they couldn't just speak English at work. He was asked what it would be like if he had to go somewhere and didn't speak the language. And if it would be better if he could speak his native tongue.
He replied that that was exactly how work was everyday for him since he is one of two people who doesn't speak Spanish.
They both just stood there in silence after words; not sure what language though.
Youtube is one of the greatest websites I have ever seen.
Wait, strike that.
It is one of the greatest things I have seen.
The Kings drafted a shooting guard for the third year in a row. I am not sure how I feel about that.
I know this is heresy in some circles, but part of me is really hoping that the Giants trade Barry Bonds to the American League before he leaves at the end of the year in free agency. He won't break the record as a Giant, so his box office draw is minimal. And since he is rarely in the lineup these days, his impact on the games is minimal too. I say trade him now before you get nothing at the end of the year.
I finally got a tour of Saddam's death house; where the executions were. I also toured the hard site; this is where he kept his political prisoners and where our little thing happened. I was really hoping to see pictures of Lindy England on the wall. You know, like a museum exhibit. Shoot, they could have even had cardboard cutouts of the detainees so that we could recreate the magic of those pictures.
I actually took a lot of interesting pictures which I plan to post on the blog once I can figure out how.
For some reason I am in the mood to watch the movie Kingpin. That is such a hillarious flick.
Definitely one of my favorite Bill Murray movies. Shoot, that inspires me. How about a quick top ten list...
Top 10 Favorite Bill Murray Movies (off the top of my head and in no particular order)
-Kingpin
-Rushmore
-What About Bob
-Lost In Translation
-Mad Dog and Glory
-Caddyshack
-Meatballs
-The Life Aquatic
-Ghostbusters
-Stripes
*let me know what your favorite Bill Murray movies are
I have not taken a hot shower since May. Isn't that awesome?
I win.
Oh wait, that actually really sucks.
I lose.
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