We Are Friends.

and some of you thought I was kidding about the 'we are friends' bus.

Only in Irbil can the Koreans get away with using this bus. I can't imagine what the insurgents would do if they saw this thing be bopping around Baghdad....

Garden

He's been working hard, prepping the soil for his garden expansion...



growing sunflowers, pumpkin, okra, watermelon, corn...




then I wanted a picture with him....




and then they all wanted in :)

Sh*tty Day Award

SSG S: Ma'am, close your eyes, I have a present for you. C'mon, close your eyes.

Me: What is it?

SSG S: Just close your eyes.

Me (eyes closed and already annoyed): All right.

SSG S (handing me a toilet seat): Today, you win the sh*tty day award!

halfway.

As of today,

6 months down, 6 more to go.

food art

Our DFAC (dining facility) guys are great - and not just because they arrange pineapple rinds into fishies.

They're just a lot of fun.

Unlike the majority of military camps/posts here, our DFAC is not a KBR-run facility. And because we're so small, they can give us a lot of personal attention. Thomas, the grill master, knows how everyone likes their eggs. When I miss dinner for whatever reason, the guys know what food to set aside for me - they know what I will and won't eat. When they make hummus for themselves, they'll set aside a little bowl for me, knowing how much I like their hummus.

Me! In a helicopter (again)!

Back in 2002 - 2004 I had lots of pictures of me in a helicopter - when I was a signal officer for a UH-60 unit in Korea. I've been on a number of helo rides since being in Iraq, but never thought to take a picture. Probably because I thought I had enough of those.

Anyway.

A few weeks ago, we went on a trip further south, to Tikrit. It was hot. Imagine turning your hair dryer on and directing the blowing air right in your face. That's what it felt like. Oh, throw some dirt in there occasionally, to get the full effect. Do that for 45 minutes.

heat wave

I think its hotter in Las Vegas than it is here.

random pics

The ROK Public Affairs office gave me these this morning...

Carrying Coals to Newcastle

Pops said the soup fell into this category:

"foolhardy or pointless action"

Oh yeah.

Mom and Dad sent me kimchi flavored instant ramen.

Is that a joke?

Reminds me of the time they came to visit me in Georgia and Mom brought me cans of tuna fish. From Ohio. In her carry on.

un-

motivated.
uninterested
-in doing anything productive right now.

I'm mesmerized by Keanu Reeves kicking "agent" a** in _The Matrix: Reloaded_ (on the movie channel right now. I didn't realize that Michael from Lost was in this movie... Anyway).

I'm also superexcited about the mail I received last night - coffee, splenda, books, CDs, gossip magazines, kleenex, Sour Patch Kids, animal crackers, PopsAmato biscotti...

Two Ryans came in the mail last night = Ryan Adams _Easy Tiger_ and Ryan Shaw _This Is Ryan Shaw_ Highly recommend both. Ryan #1 kinda country, kinda bluesey. Ryan #2 big-voiced, old-school R&B.