Monday, March 24, 2008

Magic Time

This is the tent I lived in for two weeks in Kuwait, although this picture only shows half the tent. There were over 60 females living in the tent.

This is a picture from the doorway of my room in Iraq. My bed is the one on the right.
Here is what the outside of the rooms look like inside the warehouse. My PSG and his roommates aquired a couch that sits right outside their door, which is across from my door.

I've found, as with most people on FOB Falcon, that I've tried my best to plan my day so that most of my running around is accomplished before Magic Time. I'm not going to go in to what Magic Time is on this blog, but I will say that hopefully today is the last day with Magic Time because dressing up is getting old, especially in this heat. Thankfully, no magic shows have occurred during Magic Time the past few days and so it looks hopeful that today will be the last day of Magic Time. Goodness, my short term memory really is bad. I remember waking up yesterday and deciding to get up because I wanted to do something before Magic Time began, but for the life of me I can't remember what that something was. Oh, it's coming back to me now. I wanted to drop off my laundry. Unfortunately, I also wanted to go to the PX, but it opened after Magic Time had already begun and so it was a bit awkward carrying my new plastic 3-drawer cart back to my room. Things to look forward to after Magic Time ends: sitting in the DFAC to eat meals, no dressing up for 12 hours, going for a jog around the FOB, not being called Sir anymore, and so many other reasons.
Life is definitely different this time around. I have a roommate (and possibly a second one), I live in a room inside a warehouse instead of in a trailer, there is wireless internet in our living area, the FOB is a lot smaller, I carry an M4 instead of an M16, I'm a platoon leader instead of a BN staff officer, and I can use SKYPE to call people in my room instead of having to go to the phone trailer. All of those are positive things (even the roommates!). This may sound crazy and my attitude will most likely change after I've been here a few months, but right now I'm liking life and I am looking forward to taking over the mission here.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Kuwait and Iraq


Picture of me while I was the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the M4 Zero Range in Kuwait. It was pretty cool being out and looking around the Kuwait desert.
I got to see lots of camels out in the desert :)

This is a picture of the actual M4 range we ran.

I survived my two weeks in Kuwait and last night I arrived at FOB Falcon in Iraq. Falcon is definetly different than Taji, and tomorrow I will get to see just how different because I am making a one day trip up to Taji to drop off some flight records. Whereas in Taji I had a large two-person room all to myself, right now I am living in a room the size of a small Taji two-person room but have three other roommates (my commander, my supply sergeant, and an Air Force sergeant).

Friday, March 07, 2008

Ireland

I suppose that when I told people I was getting deployed they assumed I meant to Iraq or Afghanistan, but right now I'm sitting in beautiful Ireland enjoying the scenery, watching Heroes on my computer, and sipping on a Latte.  Yes, life is hard.  Unfortunately for me, I'm only stopped over in Ireland for a couple hours and then I continue on to the real deployment.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

The List

It's almost 11pm and I'm sitting on the couch thinking about how I want to go to bed, but if I go to bed I don't know if I'll be able to sleep and I don't want to spend my last real night in my nice, comfy, big, non-cot bed tossing and turning.  Plus, the moment I lay down my mind will start going a million miles a minute and come up with last minute things I need to do and get.  I'm on the verge of freak-out mode.  Lets see, tomorrow I need to call Grandma, Heidi (if she's on skype), Ruth, Andrea, Jon, Misha,...(list to be continued as I think of more names), pay Thrivent bill and give mom check for next year, renew computer software, write Nutun a letter (only 6 months late), wash linens and clothes, sort and pack civilian clothes, buy new carry on bag and pack it, cancel car insurance, drop bags off, call Jordan about new time, move bed, give mom and dad documents and key, copy phone numbers from phone, drop old books off somewhere (could end up being a dumpster), pick up name tapes, buy more PT shorts, buy phone card, pay final rent, write Andrea's birthday card (could wait till the plane or Kuwait though), charge dvd player, have lunch with the platoon, get rid of my food in the house, sleep in (because won't be able to for a long time), make pancakes for breakfast?, clean out car, and avoid stressing-out.  Sounds like it will be a fun-filled easy day...
 
Sweet Dreams.