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!!)