Dubai…

Well, it was 23rd of September, and I was all set to fly out of the country and relax! Me and my co-worker/ friend, Justin, were so anxious to get out of what had become our norm for what seemed like forever that we could barely contain ourselves! I can’t tell you the feeling of relief that I had felt for about a day….ugh what sweet relief! I can only imagine what it will feel like when it comes time to go home for good!

We boarded our flight to dubai, and without a hitch we were there in no time! I must say that I had mixed reservations about that flight and really it was if we were on a commercial jetliner! We picked up our luggage at the cargo section of the Dubai airport, and proceeded to the hotel. What a different world I felt like I was in. It almost feels as though we somehow are flown to a different world, that first day in country, and now we are returning to the world we left some 100 days ago? Dubai is HAWT…the kind of hot that I remember feeling in Kuwait, a lot of humidity! I am so used to a different kind of heat, one that is dusty and about 80% less humidity. I really don’t know how the native folks get around, and don’t even sweat….a true mystery for someone who can sweat at the drop of a hat.

We boarded our van and off to our hotel we went. In looking at the landscape and the city, I felt like I was in one of those spy movies, like Spy Game…..the set up is that similar! I was constantly looking for the city that we all associate with Dubai, but because of the way the desert is and having sand in the air all the time, it reacts much the same way as smog in that you don’t have much visibility past 10 miles or so in the sky if that. We got to our room and wow, what a feeling to have a room by yourself, complete with your own bathroom! i changed and sat down immediately! Ugh, I compressed even more, part of me relaxing and the other filled excitement for a trip that I would never forget filled with places and things that I had yet see or experience!

Not too much later, I took a shower without flip flops on! WOW….no squeaking, no worrying about how much time you were taking…..ALL MINE! I can’t tell you how lucky I feel that in my normal life, I have my own bathroom, that is located right next to my bedroom some 5 feet away! I don’t have to shower with flip flops on and I can take as long as I want! I remember that some of my wishes while in country were showering without flops on, walking on a paved street, and having that first beer…..i had now, completed all three and I can’t tell you how good it feels!! Man, I was beginning to feel like the man I was three month earlier!

Later that evening, I had what would be my first pedicure as I find the need to really take care of my feet with being couped up in my boots all day, some pretty nasty things can happen. Fortunately, I take really good care of them and this was my way of continuing that! Kind of nice to take care of yourself in this way! After going to get my feet done, Justin and I went to dinner at a Lebonese place, which was very similar to my buddy Joe’s type of food, Egyptian. There were various types of Shawarma, and meat kabobs, with hummus and pastry. Not too long after dinner, we went back to the hotel, had a couple of more drink,s and went back to our rooms in order to be up early to take flights to Europe!


Up next, MUNICH and OKTOBERFEST!!!

Ketchup…

It’s been a while since I’ve written, and so I thought that I’d Ketchup everyone up on what I’ve been up to and why I haven’t written in a while. As most everyone knows I’ve been reassigned back to bagram and with that I’m now doing the cost for Task Order 004. The ENTIRE project.! Basically, I’m doing the forecasting and accruals all by myself! When I say that it is a lot of work that barely begins to say just how busy I am. The whole process takes two weeks and it is very tedious, and detailed. I’m glad that I can’t drink cause it wouldn’t allow me to focus like I would need to for this whole process! I find myself putting in a 20 hour day almost once a week! So as you can tell, when my day is finally over, the absolute last thing that I want to do is put in some more time on the computer. Anyhow, my timeline over the past couple of weeks is I was up in Bagram for 5 weeks before I returned to the south to collect my belongings at Camp Leatherneck to send up to Bagram while I go on my first R & R in Europe. I took a flight out of Bagram (BAF) on Friday morning the 18th headed for Kandahar (KAF). What would normally seem like an easy thing to do, it’s really a big time waiting game, as I was up at 2am to take a shower and at the passenger (PAX) terminal at 3am. So I sat there for about 3 hours in order to catch a flight. The initial plan was to try to get to Camp Leatherneck on Friday for a quick turn around, but to no avail. I ended up catching the late flight out of KAF Saturday night at about 11:30 or so, with a flight on MilAir at about 2am. Once I finally got into bed, it was 3:30am Sunday morning. I got up 5 hours later at about 8am, took a shower and began my errands for the day. I quickly learned that I had been booked on the helicopter that I don’t like to fly on Monday, so I inquired about MilAir flights that same day (Sunday). I got a flight on the MilAir flight at 4pm and was back in KAF by 5 or so. Knowing that I didn’t put in any work that day and with deadlines such as they are, I worked that night until midnight. Monday, now all non-work stress behind me, I was back in the office that morning at my usual time of 7am to get all this work done before I could truly relax and begin my much awaited R&R, a mere 98days after arriving in country. Hard to believe that I’ve already worked the equivalent of half a year’s normal work load…some 1,090 hours or so, and all in 98 days. Truth is I’ve probably worked more than that but we’ll let that slide. Its hard to imagine that life again, and yet here I am going on R&R for 2.5 weeks, and I find myself wondering how am I going to not work during that period. Work has become so normal, and a part of every waking moment. Somehow I think that I can manage! I finished all my work Tuesday, and was free and clear of it all in an instant, able to relax and begin thinking about the adventure I was about to embark on! All was right in the world again!!

Well that’s it, there’s my story for the last couple of weeks. Next time, MUNICH for OKTOBERFEST!

Lung Dart Anyone????

It’s been a while since, I posted an entry about one of my observances so I thought that I would give ya another one, although not as comical as copy cat Toyotas. I’ve noticed since I’ve been here how much the military smokes. You can see them everywhere there is a smoke pit, about 4 to 5 folks smoking, like it’s their last. I can no doubt attribute this habit to the inherent danger that awaits those that travel outside the wire to patrol and perhaps curtail all the wrong doing of the Taliban. I can sympathize with that fact; however, I just can’t see the point in smoking even still? I, myself, have never been able to handle a cigarette, or even chewing tobacco for that matter….it makes me gag! I can still remember the first time I ever tried “dip” or chewing tobacco. I was playing legion baseball in the summer for Greer and after what is still the fastest buzz set in, I disappeared behind the equipment shed where I must have vomited 4 times followed by a 2 inning nap. This all transpired during the game! Ahhhh memories!!

Anyhow it amazes me how all these military personnel smoke what seems to be about 2 packs of cigarettes a day and still get up each and every morning to do their PT, running miles upon miles, often times vomiting when they get to their finish line. I guess they too should perhaps give up the habit as I did many years ago. One difference would be that I was never able to start!! A habit such as this may seem trivial or even uneccessary or unhealthy, but I can see where the social aspect that surrounds it would be a must when thrust into an environment such as this. I guess that I can only wonder as I pass by on my way to the gym or work….i don’t know that I’ll ever truly understand?


I hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying some cooler weather, I know I have been!


T – minus 18 days til Dubai!!

The Growth….

Some of you have made comments about the growth on my face that has taken it over in hopes to one day reach the top of my head where most normal folks have hair. Let me reassure everyone that the picture I posted on facebook a couple of days ago was a picked out version of what my beard really looks like. No I will not be buying a pick to stick on my beard so if I feel the need, I can pick it out. This picture was merely a joke to see how big I could get the beard to stick out….I’m guessing with the response, that I succeeded masterfully in shocking a few folks….ha!

Anyway, nothing new to report other than a bit under 4 weeks until I fly to Dubai for my first R&R…It can’t get here soon enough as I’ve been working really long hours lately trying to track down all the meal counts for the ENTIRE theatre of Afghanistan since we began keeping count last November!! Lucky me?!?! An ardous, yet needed task…..


Anyhow, I hope that everyone is doing well!!

Home…

Throughout the day I’m reminded of home, often in the most obscure ways. I think that most of the time I’ll be listening to music and I’m reminded of a memory and it takes me back! I’ve been fortunate enough to have a ton of memories and good ones at that! I’m so very thankful to have the friends and family I have. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without ya’ll! Here are some of the things that I miss most….

College football
HD TV
Good coffee
Leather chairs
Falling asleep watching golf on a Sunday
Taking a nap on the couch
Hanging out
Beer
Liquor
Loud bars
WOMEN
Sheets
Friends
Family
Choices
Getting up after 7am


I’d say overall just being able to control my environment. For instance, when I go to bed I can’t just turn off the light and go to bed, I have to do the courteous thing and wait or just try and go to sleep with the light on. I can’t control the noise or volume of noise. I have no say in the temperature. I can’t just go for a drive with my windows down, music blasting, not really knowing where I want to drive to at that moment! You now it’s things like this that really make me appreciate my freedoms and all it affords me! I know that there will be things that I have left off this list that will surprise me for a good while. I can’t wait to discover just exactly what those things will be!

For those that don’t know, I’m in Bagram again doing some training in what appears to be another role that I’ve been asked to fill here in country. I’ll be headed back to the south at some point here in the next couple of weeks, then off to Oktoberfest!

I hope that everyone is doing well and counting down those days til college football!!!

It’s Groundhog Day!!

Well, I’m coming up on 2 months and I must say that every day is about the same with its 1 twist or turn which make it unique to all the ones before it. It’s crazy to think that this 3 month stretch will be the longest I’ll go without a break over here and here I am just over a month to go! I truly enjoy this opportunity and what it will do for me mentally. I have never challenged myself like this, and I find myself saying almost everyday…”one day at a time!” I’ve said it many times, if you focus on the whole length of stay here, that it may seem insurmountable. However, if you take it a day at a time you’ll do just fine.

After all, small things pile up and often times become big things, sometimes bigger than those insurmountable obstacles! The more you’re willing to stick with it and keep getting back up, the more prepared you’ll be for that next test of wills, or that next day of work! So with this subject line, even though it is ground hog day, I’ll be sure and see if I have a shadow each and every day! So far, I have seen my shadow every day...got to love sunshine!

Anyway, I hope that each and every one is doing well and looking forward to another great college football season!

And this little PINKY went….ugh!

I’ve been very surprised at how nice and formal all the Middle Eastern dudes are; always calling us Americans, sir. It is all so nice and they’re all so seemingly willing to please. I found out recently what is meant by their niceness and how it goes. Over here it is absolutely necessary that when a man and a woman marry, that each other be their “first”. You see over here men don’t marry until much later because they spend their lives trying to make enough of a dowry to give the family of his potential wife. By the time a man does marry he can be well into his 40s, while the girl may be in her early 20s if not late teens. All this way of life is so back asswards to me! I can’t tell you how screwed up this all seems, but it is just one of the many differences that us American have with the Middle Eastern world!

While men are working toward their dowry, they tend to “experiment” with younger boys or other men as a way to be sexual, and at the same time remaining pure. It is crazy because the women do not have the same type of leeway. If a woman doesn’t bleed on her wedding night then she is deemed to not have been pure, and she can wind up being killed in some cases!

I’ve been told that you can see who is “experimenting” by who is walking and holding pinkys; interlocked of coarse! And to add to this, they like to skip along! When I was told this I was cracking up laughing. It’s funny how when you’re told something such as this, you go back and relive every time some dude was nice to you, and even how they looked at you! I now get it why they’re always smiling when you walk their way. Here I am thinking that they are just happy to be working, making money so that they may send it home! Boy was I wrong!!! And you should see the way they look at women, it’s even more obvious!

I feel lucky that I’m here at Camp Leatherneck and haven’t had to take a shower with a bunch of the Third County Nationals (TCNs), which are mostly Middle Eastern and Indian. We, Americans, are always joking around saying that if we were to be put in that position, the TCNs would be offering to bath you, much like they did in Coming to America, “can I wash your back, sir?”(said in the likeness of 'n stuff n stuf...') My reply would be…NO THANK YOU, I GOT IT!!! As a result, I’ll be showering in our Fluor only shower room well before it opens up every morning to be used as another shower room for the TCNs to shower in.

Anyway, alittle humor to close on what I consider to be another eye opener in the world abroad; one that you may otherwise wouldn’t have known about…..I know I didn’t!!

Before I forget, I haven’t said anything about my workout regiment. I’ve taken it upon myself to keep in shape and possibly lose that little bit of excess that I’ve always meant to lose! Currently, I’ve lost close to 10 lbs, and I’ve got a ways to go to reaching my goal. For me, it was never about how much I weigh, just how I would like to look! Wish me luck!

Also, I’ve included an updated picture of my beard! Phew, this thing is beginning to get thick!!!

I hope that all is going well!!