Your World As I See It

Merry Christmas everybody! Hope you all are having a great time.

So...here is another humorous anecdote you all might find of interest. I would laugh too, perhaps more so if the following happened to someone else... A few nights ago, our quiet evening was interrupted by a knock at the door... Me: You going to get that? (I always ask that, as Michael happens to be closer to the door than I do...) Michael: Now what? And who should be at the door but a couple of guys, let's call them Billy and Tom (who also happens to be one of our neighbors) from the 6 shop (our techies, you could say) looking to put in the cable TV. T: You guys want cable? Me: We don't have a television. T: Oh. Well, we have to run the line out of your room, since it is the middle room of the trailer (this is true). So the line will be there if you need it... Billy then proceeds to try and extract the cable from the wall, leading to what can only be described as a disaster of sorts. First, he tried standing on my bed to reach the box, which was an issue, as my bed is ...

Well, as birthday parties go, it was a small affair, and more or less in line with my previous ones spent in this part of the world. I did manage to make the most of it with the cake that somehow made it all the way from back home, and the bottle of sparkling grape juice I swiped from the dining hall. What would a birthday be without party hats? I made these myself, by the way. A little gift and novelty card from my roommate... and some birthday treats! ...yeah...really looking forward to next year's party a lot!

As residences go, my current digs aren't too bad...I mean, at least I'm not living in a tent anymore. And, unlike last time, I have a roommate that I get along with, which is more than I can say for some of my fellow section members, but that's a story for another time. The room itself is about a third of the size of my Seattle apartment, and that is space that I have to share as well. The room is between two others (three rooms per trailer) and with the paper-thin walls, you can literally hear almost every conversation that the neighbors take part in. The walls on one side don't quite reach the ceiling so at night a little light filters in through the tiny crack. Oh, well. Here is my roomie, Michael, showing off our "home theatre" complete with one of our laptops hooked up to a monitor and that uniquely magnificent speaker: ...and a closer look... ...and here we are looking at ourselves in the mirror. I had to have it lowered; apparently, the last occup...

So, here are some pictures from my recent stint on guard duty. Of course, I wasn't really doing much guarding, which, when you think about it, was probably best for all involved. Most of the guarding, including where I was, is taken care of by Ugandans. How it came about that Ugandans work security at our base is beyond me...but there they are. They are actually pretty funny guys, and they do speak pretty fair English. Here are a couple of them hanging out with their G.I. buddy for the day: You can see how much action we saw that night..."you see that camel out there?" ...and here I am in the Humvee turret, manning a weapon I have a rudimentary knowledge of... ...the "real" soldier that was with me asked if I knew how to use the thing...and more or less, I do, but I also figured that the likelihood of me having to use the thing was minimal, not too mention that if the situation arose that required me to actually fire, then I would probably just use the rifl...

Being a student of language and literature, I tend to enjoy noticing quirks of print and mangled phrases. In the states, these aren't too hard to find, but often are of the boring variety, such as formatting foibles or homonym issues. Of course there are countless grammar jokes to play on the your fellow citizens, such as suggesting that your local supermarket change its express line sign to "16 items or fewer"...then coming in the following week and telling them that it should actually be "16 items or less"...then finally coming back to argue that it would be more reasonable to make it 10 or 20 items...16 is not a very round figure, after all... Naturally, being in this part of the world lends itself to a more amusing set of observable language mix-ups. This is especially true in the more commercial aspects of my days in both Kuwait and Iraq. For the aspiring capitalists in this area, nothing is better (in their minds) for sales than English labeling. Thei...

The other day they opened up a little "haji-mart" trailer down the way. For those of you that were unaware, these establishments are where one can pick up local trinkets and odds and ends, as well as movies. Naturally, I'm not talking about the kind of dvd's that you might find at Target or Blockbuster...these particular editions are not usually found in your neighborhood. For instance, they have a boxed set of Disney movies...containing over 400 titles...then there are complete series of some tv shows (not just one season, but the entire run), and the more run-of-the-mill single discs. The packaging is often wrong or amatuerish, but, after all, they are what the industry likes to call "pirated" movies. Not that I condone piracy or the like, but these are very reasonably-priced collections. You have to consider these things from the deployed servicemember's point of view: This young man or woman (well, middle-aged too) is in a hostile environment,...

So, many of you might be wondering what being a mail clerk in Ramadi actually entails. To begin with, as everything else this time around, it certainly is not quite as nice as it was on Anaconda. Of course, there are some positive differences as well. For starters, I'm only picking up mail for one company this time, instead of for three battalion-sized elements, so there isn't quite as much lifting involved. On the downside, trying to get things done the right way is a lot of trouble, as the Marines running the post office are too stringent/knowledgeable about certain rules, and unlike last time, when I had some folks who knew what they were doing overseeing the mail room, all we have here is me, more or less. That's not too say I don't know what to do, it's just that I have to work much harder to make sure things get run by the book as much as possible. Anyway, typically we get mail convoys in to the camp twice a week (and yet, people continue to order things ...

So, I've finally moved into my new residence over here: the two-man trailer. My roomie still hasn't moved up from Kuwait yet, so I'll have the place to myself for a few more days. It's pretty funny when living in a dilapidated trailer park is considered moving up in the world, but that's how things are over in this dump. I guess I'll try and get some pictures up. It really isn't much to look at...it's a bit smaller than the one I had last time, but I'm only sharing it with one other guy this time (and, luckily for me, he isn't a jerk like the last guy!).

So, not too unexpectedly, Barack Obama is to be the next president of the United States. I am quite interested to see how things develop out from what will already be a historic presidency before he even takes office. Change is often good and always inevitable when it comes to politics, and now seems that the country has fully moved from the Republican cycle to the Democratic cycle, as seen in control of Congress and the White House. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem right now that it's going to make any difference on getting me home any sooner, but that's a little besides the point...

Well, here I am in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. This dumpy place is going to be my residence for the next eight or so months, and already I've seen all there is to see of it. The rainy season is upon us, so that means mud everywhere, especially given the fact that there are about two paved roads in the entire camp. Thankfully, it has been relatively quiet around here, so it looks like the only thing I'll be fighting around here is mud and boredom.

Well, it certainly brings back memories, trudging around through the whirling sandstorm that is an Army camp in Kuwait. Not pleasant ones, mind you, but memories all the same. Nothing's changed that much to say. It's still as hot, smelly, and uncomfortable as ever. Hopefully this time I won't be stuck here as long as I did last deployment. I've seen about just about enough of this place. Anyway, getting set up around here has been quite the chore, between problems with the internet/computers, walking to and from places, dealing with certain officers...but, on the whole, it has been a nice reprieve from having to deal with all the drama of life in the section. To be honest, I've rather enjoyed working with our little group; there's no one here that I can't get along with, and while a few tend to have a few annoying quirks, we've managed to get by pretty well. Of course, that's all coming to an end with the gradual arrival of everyone else. Th...

Well, I'm finally done with Ft McCoy and Wisconsin. Right now I am en route to Kuwait for in-processing and preparations for going into Iraq. I'll have extended stays in both Atlanta (where I am right now) and Ireland before arriving at Kuwait City. After a couple of weeks or so of training, I'll be on my way to my sandy destination. That's all for now!

Well, time is winding down on my stay in Wisconsin. I just was on my weekend pass (the last little bit of time off before leaving the country, and I did have a little fun. We visited "Our Lady of Gaudalupe Shrine" in La Crosse (something I hadn't expected to come across around these parts. On Saturday I visited Minneapolis' "Mall of America", certainly the largest mall I've ever come across (and certainly a study in opposites, given the tiny mall by our hotel here in Onalaska, WI). Anyway, here are some pictures from the trip... And here are some pictures from the Twin Cities... Well, that's all for now; I'll email everyone again before I'm gone.

Again, not much to talk about here. I'm a little under the weather with a cold. We are slooooooooooowly moving towards getting out of this place...which is a relief, because this "post" makes North Fort Lewis look like a metropolis. Anyway, I'll put some more on here as events warrant.

...is what I do here at McCoy. Life is dull, and most activities are unpleasant at best. Hopefully things get a little better, but it seems somewhat unlikely that my stay here will be anywhere near pleasant. I'm not looking forward to going to Iraq, but I think living and working conditions there will be easier to deal with than this place. If not, there will be trouble.

So...here I am at Ft McCoy. I've got to say...it is going to be a long two months here. At least it isn't Yakima!

The S-1 crew ready for some training! Ugh...this stuff is heavy... Ready to file that paperwork!

These guys are ready for the nonsense to be over.

To Mom and Tom...I know you guys are having way more fun than I am.  Enjoy the free food at Todai Mom!

So, here I am at the halfway point at Yakima!  We just finished the payroll for the second half, so pretty much everything is smooth sailing for a while.  Of course, if this were a regular AT, we'd be done by now.  Man.  Anyway, things are much the same here from day to day; the same heat, the same lack of productive activities, the same unimaginative menu choices.  More than anything else, I think it is the endless monotony that bothers me.  Hopefully these next two weeks will go by quick.  Thank goodness it's my last time being here ever.

Thanks for everything...until we meet again

Sooo...the Yakima Firing Center....very unpleasant this time of year, even without the national guard shenanigans. It is going to be a long 28 days...and then we go to Iraq! Wheeee!

As I sit here in my room, for the last night in Seattle, I can't help but reflect upon my time at the UW. I certain has been an interesting ride (and, of course, a long one, for those of you keeping score at home). I've had my share of honors and setbacks, joy and pain, insight and bewilderment, sunshine and rain (mostly rain-this is, after all, Seattle). There are things I wish I hadn't done, things I wish I would have done, things I wish I could have done, and things I'm glad I've never done. Of course, the past is the past, but one certainly can't forget what has gone before; all the books I've read, the lectures I've attended (even the ones I napped in), the late nights at the library, watching the Huskies win and lose, taking in a movie with a friend, trying to decide which teriyaki place is the best... Even though I know I'll be back, the fact is it won't ever be as an undergrad again. I feel a slight twinge of melancholy, thinking of all t...

Some really good times at the U! Unlike some dogs I know, Spirit actually works for a living... ...and he certainly isn't camera-shy... ...but a couple hours of taking photos with his costumed homies does get a little boring.

Ah, these clips really take me back.  Back when I really loved the game, before all the changes and corruption that have jaded me so.  For me, those Blazers, particularly Clyde, will always be what basketball was went to be.  I really like the current squad, but they will always pale in comparison to the team of my youth.  And, no doubt some folks were irked when "The Glide" was traded to the Rockets, but I was genuinely happy.  Happy that he could win the championship he deserved, one that should have been won during the true glory days of Portland.  

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of science fiction, and typically think highly of films regarding the "Final Frontier". However, a genre that rivals and perhaps surpasses the realm of space in my aesthetic hierarchy is that of martial arts / samurai type movies. I greatly admire the Akira Kurasawa - Toshiro Mifune collections and am such a fan of Jackie Chan that I have been known to frequent a certain Honolulu eatery devoted to the actor. From Bruce Lee to Jet Li, I will watch pretty much any kind of authentic kung fu flick. That being said, it is then no small wonder that I was overjoyed to discover that two of my favorite kung fu stars would be sharing the stage in an action feature. This was quite the pleasant surprise for me, as I had long been disappointed by Hollywood's continued failure to make any of my "dream teams" a reality. As you might expect, I, like many in the theater Friday night, had quite high expectations of the film. You will be...

  Sonics | NBA approves Sonics' move to Oklahoma City | Seattle Times Newspaper And there you have it...the NBA has approved the move of the team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics.  The only two owners unsullied by the monumentally disgusting decision were Portland's own Paul Allen and Dallas Maverick's owner Mark Cuban.  I applaud these two for sticking by their morals in the face of the unmitigated greed of their peers.  This entire situation has been nothing more than the NBA's continuing war against the average fan.  For all the flack Barak Obama has been catching recently about being an elitist, no one is more so than the NBA, and pro sports in general.  This group of the super-rich moan constantly about not making enough money, and how hard it is to be a billionaire.  They hold cities hostage by threatening to move or contract teams, demanding that municipalities fund their hobby.  Consider the case of the Sonics-Bennett demandi...

  The Art of the Timeout - WSJ.com Click the link above to for the full article...   Another reason that Nate McMillan should be coach of the year-the impact of his timeouts on the play of the team.  This fine article outlines the fact that Portland is the best team in the league in post time-out performance, a direct reflection on coaching acumen.

So, no doubt most of you were wondering what the Dalai Lama's visit to Seattle was like. Being that I was an audience member at his honorary degree ceremony at the University of Washington, I suppose I can give some idea. Anyway, the ceremony itself was held in the Hec Ed Pavilion (the Bball arena right next to Husky Stadium) on a rainy Monday afternoon. Upon arriving at the scene, there was a group of pro-China protesters at the entrance, though I, having arrived later than most, went through an unprotested entrance. Now, it certainly seemed odd to have people protesting an honorary degree, but then again, we do like our protests up here in Seattle. The ceremony itself was quite interesting, with all the pomp and circumstance of a regular graduation ceremony. All the faculty were there in their academic regalia, complete with various brightly colored robes and hats, representing their respective field or school. The band played in the rear of the stage, while the audience o...

  On a somber note, we here would like to comment on the passing of cinema legend, Charlton Heston.  To me, he was the man who defined the epic movie actor.  To be sure, there have been others whom I have thought as great and emblematic of their time, but ol' Chuck stands above them all in my book.  I think growing up, I saw more of him than any of the others, with the many great dramatic must-see epics that were thankfully also quite family-friendly.  His accolades are many, staring from classic Biblical and historical roles as Moses and El Cid to the far reaches of Sci-Fi in films like Planet of the Apes .  Additionally, he brings to mind what I think is the greatest movie scene ever, namely, the chariot race from Ben-Hur .  He was the perfect man to play the larger than life hero, the star of a somewhat bygone age in history.  Truly quite the memorable star.  for you movie renters out there, you should really pick up a few of his movies an...

So, I suppose all of you want to know what life is in the guard...well, I've got to tell you, not so interesting as the commercials make it out to be. There is no jumping out of helicopters or anything like that. It mostly consists of sitting around or going out and practicing some skills that will very likely have absolutely no bearing upon anything we have to do in a deployment situation. This makes for a rather tedious weekend of duty. Making it worse is the fact that we have to come in Friday nights now too, in addition to having to come in an hour earlier on Saturdays and Sundays. Not to sound like a complainer, but it's one thing if we actually had a lot to do on these weekends, but the fact of the matter is we don't, and the end result is that have to spend even more time doing the same amount of work. Adding to this dilemma is the remarkably ineffecient manner in which everything is handled-training that could be finished in small groups in a couple hours take...

Well, it has certainly been a long time coming but I am finally in my last quarter here as an undergrad at UW. Of course, my previous plan would have left me with a few quarters to go, but, certain issues have precipitated the need to tweak the old schedule. And by "certain issues" I am referring, of course, to the fact that I am once again being sent to desert duty. Not very pleasant, especially given that I was so close to being finished with the whole thing. Oh well...hopefully whomever the next president is has a plan for a quicker withdrawal... That being said, I am happy with the classes I'm taking this quarter, and it looks to be an enjoyable one, especially is I put forth a little more effort than I did last quarter (hey, I got good grades, but I made myself work much harder than I needed to with all the time I set aside for procrastinating!).