New Quarters

I’m sitting at the computer in my new quarters enjoying having a place to call home for the next year. The place is rather spacious, though only if you were expecting something the size of a broom closet to start with. I’ve found that if I keep my expectations low usually they’ll end up being surpassed. I’m a pessimistic optimist, or perhaps I’m an optimistic pessimist. I think ahead and plan for the worst case scenario, but deep down I know that it likely won’t happen. However, since I’ve set my expectations so low to start with I end up coming away happy when they are surpassed by any extent.

Let me start by describing the wonderful qualities of my new quarters. First off, I have my own place which is always a huge plus (and by place I mean room in the CPTs quarters on post). Upon opening my front (and only) door guests will quickly be able to make themselves at home because on their immediate right is a full size fridge/freeze which they can easily access to get the cold beverage of their choosing. Should they want a warm snack instead, the microwave is conveniently situated atop the fridge. If my guest decides he/she wants a glass of water instead then all he/she must do is walk one or perhaps two steps if they are vertically challenged, and they will find themselves in front of the kitchen sink and cupboard area. If my guest, having heard the running water from the sink, suddenly realizes that he/she is in dire need of a toilet then all he/she must do do an About Face (180 degree turn) and walk 4 steps in a straight line past the bathroom sink/cupboard area and into the tub/toilet room. Upon completion of his/her business in the bathroom area my guest can return to the kitchen just in time to see me pulling a fresh baked batch of brownies out of my oven (with 4-range stove top).

Having gotten both food and drink, my guest and I will retire into the living room region of my quarters. The dresser/computer desk/entertainment center is situated on the same wall as the kitchen, though there is an open doorway between the two. On the other side of the living room is my bedroom. The bedroom is conveniently designed with no wall or separation of any type between it and the living room and the bedroom. An untrained eye might suggest it is all one room, but they of course would be wrong. There is a cosy two-chair round table pushed against the far wall that nicely divides the room. Of course, to watch TV my guest would have walk four steps to sit in my bedroom on either the recliner that is pushed up against the foot of my bed, or sit on my full size bed. While sitting and enjoying TV my guest can look around and notice that my bedroom/living room also include a nice built-in vanity with plenty of storage space, and a lockable closet with storage overhead.

As all new (or new to the owner) places go, my place does come with its own little quirks. For example, apparently my range-top light is wired to the two electrical outlets in my living room area. In order to have power going to those outlets the range light switch must be in the On position. However, if i have my computer plugged in one of the outlets and a lamp on my round table plugged in the other outlet, then the computer and lamp will both trade turns as to which one gets power leaving me with a lamp that goes on and off every half-second and no range-top light. Should I turn the lamp off completely the range-top light will occasionally turn on, though only for a minute or two. If I manually turn the range-top light off neither the lamp or the computer will have power going to their outlets. As much fun as this sounds, I plan on calling maintenance tomorrow.

Though I have to work out a few kinks, I do think I’ll enjoy living here. My new boss is actually my former company commander and one of the guys I’ll be working with was in my Beast squad at west point and also in my OBC class. Life here is what you make of it. I hope to make it a good time...and who knows, perhaps I’ll end up staying two years.