Live Entertainment

Tonight the band assigned to CENTAF (Air Force component of Central Command) goes around to different camps, FOBs and bases within the area of operations. I missed their initial performance by mere minutes - they were packing up as I arrived the other night.

Circumstances at their next scheduled location forced them to stick around for a couple more days. We were not complaining - its so nice to have different people around. I suspect people get tired of talking about the same things, with the same people.

Anyway, the band agreed to put on another show for us - and we all had such a good time.

Break

This was this afternoon. My two commo guys.

Happy Birthday 3ID

poster taken from their website: here.

I was able to see their reenlistment ceremony. All those chairs were filled with Soldiers who volunteered, continuing to serve.

It was pretty cool and I realized that this is what I will miss about the Army. I was ... well, emotional in a mixed up kind of way. I will really miss this sort of thing, the ceremony and the significance of being in uniform. I mean, I didn't feel enough to change my mind, but I will miss this... noone but us really gets it.

A bit harsh...

my last post.

Certainly, I was miserable, but there were many, many good things about my trip and my return. I made a list of happy things.

*people going out of their way to help me (SGT H @ Finance, 1LT L and SFC P with the signal platoon)
*chat w/ T - reminding me of something called 'grace'
*emails from people who love me (P, M) that are under no obligation to love me
*getting on that flight back to camp
*having people happy to see me when I got off the helo
*hot water for my shower
*a heater that works!
*my bed

I also got mail from cousin (yummy cookies - thanks ria+3!), sister (good coffee and love the Onion you included), Blue Star Mothers, boy, 2 T letters, Amazon.com (Heroes Season 1, The Best American Nonrequired Reading of 2007 (love this series), and Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Follow the Lights) (love this guy)...

Made it!

Honestly, this was the worst trip.
Ever.
Beats any other time I've ever been stuck
in an airport
or in a car
or in a blizzard in the middle of nowhere Kansas ***at least when we were stuck in Kansas, we had a bar to dilute our misery***

I'm finally back in my little 10x10 (or whatever the dimensions) room.

It was
cold
cold
cold
in Mosul and the room I had was without a heater. The next day I switched rooms to one with a heater, only to have that heater crap out somewhere between indirect fire attack 3 or indirect fire attack 4. My awesome Army sleeping bag really is awesome - I was toasty inside, but the chill outside made for a rough wake up. Really, I've slept in colder environments (uh, south of the Imjin River in Korea ... in JANUARY!), but I just was not in the mood for it. Especially after a 14 hour wait for the C-17 in Baghdad, only to go south to Kuwait to catch a C-130 headed north to Mosul.

And I was extra miserable because it was THANKSGIVING and I was with no family to speak of - not my parents or sister, my roommates or friends, or my Zaytun family either.

I'm looking for a little love...at least a little sympathy!

[Feel sorry for me! Feel sorry for me!]

Holiday Weekend

Happy (Late) Thanksgiving!

Not much going on here with me. I spent a week in Baghdad for some administrative stuff and now I'm in Mosul trying to take care of some contracting/money stuff. I've been living out of one bag for over a week now, and I'm ready to get back to my little 10x10 room in Irbil!

I was able to have Thanksgiving dinner with some friends I met back in January. We ate around 8pm at the big, big DFAC on Victory Base.

Here in Mosul, places are already decorated for Christmas. I think they're trying to make us feel better, but really, I think it just makes me feel even more isolated and lonely. I'll be home soon (52 days soon!) so I'm trying not to think about Holidays.

I've got 2 maybe maybe 3 more mail pushes, so please don't send anything more my way. I have enough things and whatnots to keep me stocked until I leave and leave behind for the rest of the group. I have enjoyed everyone's letters and packages this past year.

That's it for now!

Ludicrously Tasty

The Box says, "CRUNCHY NUT! ... its ludicrously tasty!" (this pic was just sent to me, we discovered notquiteright marketing months ago...)

{Not as funny as Liz's gem "The Cleaning Power of Barf"

CLS

I know these are bit late.. apologies. I've got some free time and my internet connection is cooperating!

The students stick each other with IVs the last day of the combat lifesaver course (CLS). This guy's buddy needed some more practice...

Things I've Done This Week That I Haven't Done In Awhile.

1. Ate a meal at the Korean DFAC. Realized that I hadn't seen the ROK Commanding General since September! One ROK Colonel kept asking me if I had ever eaten this food before. My inner voice: "Yes, I've been here 10 freaking months! Of course I've eaten kimchi!" What I really said was, "Oh, of course! I love Korean food!" Then this same Colonel kept telling me that I should learn how to cook bulgogi and bean paste soup because that's what "Good Korean wives do." I just smiled :)

2. Ran 8 miles - all at once! My running friends will understand. My family, {ahem, cousin Ria}, will continue to think I'm nuts.

3. Worked. Oh, I have lots of smart ass comments for this, but won't include them here ...

4. Responded to stupid boy comments.
Him: Ah! You smell so good I could take a bite out of you!
Me: Don't ever say that to me again.

As of today, I've been here 10 complete months! Which means I have 2 months to go!

in a truck. for hours.

I might look tough here,



but the biggest threat during the convoy were these kids! So excited to see Americans, they are tearing through the streets, weaving in and out of parked cars...



and catching us at the stop light. This little guy came right up to my window and waved and waved, blowing me kisses when we left.



It was so cute. And look at me! I look like an alien!

Chai Master

This guy we called the Chai Master..


mmmm....chai....

Ibrahim Khalil

I tagged along with the Border Transition Team (BTT) last week. They were training one of the Iraqi border brigades, and since lately I find myself without a lot of work, I asked if I could go with them. We stayed at the Ibrahim Khalil Border complex, the main POE between Iraq and Turkey.

{Here is one guy's observation of the Turkey/PKK tensions. And another article.}

I didn't see any Turkish soldiers, or any PKK rebels - just a lot of trucks moving back and forth between the countries. (Well, a lot of trucks waiting to move back and forth between countries.) We did eat at a truck stop within the complex - kabobs, lamb skewers, bbq chicken, flat bread, fresh vegetables, zaytuns (which means "olive"). The food was so good we went back the next night.



It was a welcome break from camp, and the 10-man BTT always takes care of me whenever I tag along.

Happy Halloween!

{taken with my camera phone}

one of the new guys who's really excited to be here (uh, that would not be me) managed to get his hands on a pumpkin.