Thursday, April 08, 2004
Well, thanks to B, for getting me back here... It would likely have been a long, LONG time before I reposted in this, and as she noted, it "seemed lonely"
Well, a lot has happened since Oct 10th. I'll try to break it down by month...
October was fun, I had a week of frenzied packing, preparing, and such, rushing here and there, trying to get everything in order. Most people get three months. I had 7 days.
I flew out at 6 in the morning on the 17th of October, a totally ungodly hour, and one that should be stricken from the clock forever. I arrived in Ft Stewart, Germany around 1 PM, ready to get to it! little did I know how much of a hassle Stewart would be.
In the first three weeks of my deployment, I walked at least three miles everyday, trying to get things done. It seemed like no one had a clue what was going on, and no one wanted one.
Oh well, thats in the past now. We went through rifle Qualification, I shot 29 out of 40. I would have done better, but it was about 40 degrees, pouring rain, and I didn't have any rain gear. I was literally soaked all the way through, it was great! 29 isn't bad, it's just not that great. Thats okay though, cause next year I'm shooting for mid 30's
The theatre-specific training sucked. They kept telling us all these things about Kosovo that didn't sound right after the things I heard from NGIC(National Ground Intelligence Center). I decided that they were just full of it. I've been in Kosovo for two months as I write this, and I was right. They really didn't know what they were talking about. Maybe the Army should consider having people who recently got back from theatre teach those classes...
The rest of the time in Georgia was rather dull. There was a bit of excitement right after we got back from Christams Vacation, but I'll talk about that later. Adieu, and see you all later!
Well, a lot has happened since Oct 10th. I'll try to break it down by month...
October was fun, I had a week of frenzied packing, preparing, and such, rushing here and there, trying to get everything in order. Most people get three months. I had 7 days.
I flew out at 6 in the morning on the 17th of October, a totally ungodly hour, and one that should be stricken from the clock forever. I arrived in Ft Stewart, Germany around 1 PM, ready to get to it! little did I know how much of a hassle Stewart would be.
In the first three weeks of my deployment, I walked at least three miles everyday, trying to get things done. It seemed like no one had a clue what was going on, and no one wanted one.
Oh well, thats in the past now. We went through rifle Qualification, I shot 29 out of 40. I would have done better, but it was about 40 degrees, pouring rain, and I didn't have any rain gear. I was literally soaked all the way through, it was great! 29 isn't bad, it's just not that great. Thats okay though, cause next year I'm shooting for mid 30's
The theatre-specific training sucked. They kept telling us all these things about Kosovo that didn't sound right after the things I heard from NGIC(National Ground Intelligence Center). I decided that they were just full of it. I've been in Kosovo for two months as I write this, and I was right. They really didn't know what they were talking about. Maybe the Army should consider having people who recently got back from theatre teach those classes...
The rest of the time in Georgia was rather dull. There was a bit of excitement right after we got back from Christams Vacation, but I'll talk about that later. Adieu, and see you all later!
Friday, October 10, 2003
Hehe... It's official. Really, truly, completely official... I leave for Kosovo in ten days. Course, my journey to Kosovo is gonna take three months total, but the endstate is gonna be the same... Cool!
Hehe... It's official. Really, truly, completely official... I leave for Kosovo in ten days. Course, my journey to Kosovo is gonna take three months total, but the endstate is gonna be the same... Cool!
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Well, I'm back. three long weeks after my last post, I return to you know, at the turn of the tide...
Okay, maybe not, but I am feeling a little goofy right now... It seems that this next job is still kinda questionable... And today is my last day of working here... Oh well, I'm sure something will work itself out...
So I just got back from Kearney, Nebraska.
Finally, I'm back to normal things.
The things I saw there would shock and horrify any sane human being (and as she reads this, Nikki has a look of apprehension on her face. She's probably thinking "How can he say that?")
I gotta admit, though, I had fun...
It's funny, I knew that Nebraska was flat, and brown, but I didn't realize HOW flat and brown it was until I got there... I missed the trees, the hills, the green stuff... but it's all good ; )
Okay, maybe not, but I am feeling a little goofy right now... It seems that this next job is still kinda questionable... And today is my last day of working here... Oh well, I'm sure something will work itself out...
So I just got back from Kearney, Nebraska.
Finally, I'm back to normal things.
The things I saw there would shock and horrify any sane human being (and as she reads this, Nikki has a look of apprehension on her face. She's probably thinking "How can he say that?")
I gotta admit, though, I had fun...
It's funny, I knew that Nebraska was flat, and brown, but I didn't realize HOW flat and brown it was until I got there... I missed the trees, the hills, the green stuff... but it's all good ; )
Thursday, September 11, 2003
September 11th, 2003.
I remember what happened two years ago, as if it happened yesterday.
I can still see the images, burning sharply in my mind, as if I were standing there again.
I still cry when I remember.
here is a post that I made aboard the Jade's Fire, one of the message boards I frequent:
Well, we come around to it again. Tomorrow is September 11th, and I just had a few words of note that I wanted to say.
I know that 9/11 threads are going to be beaten to death among the various message boards that we all attend, because everyone wants to have their say, whether American, British, French, German, or any of the host of nationalities out there. A lot of people argue that 9/11 has become nothing more than an excuse for America to become Imperialistic, invading countries at will in the guise of "anti-terrorism."
Some will complain that America just has a grudge against Arabs.
And some will remember the tragedies of what happened that fateful day two years ago.
I do not mean to downplay the terrorist attacks that have taken place around the world in the last twenty years. Every one of them was just as tragic, every one just as horrible. From Pan Am in Scotland to the many bombings in Israel. From the Embassy attacks in South Africa to the hostages taken in Indonesia. Every one of them has been a horrible act, acts that have shattered lives, acts that have ruined futures.
9/11 was a wake-up call. Never before had so many lives been lost in such a short amount of time. Three thousand people, with wives, husbands, children, and parents of there own, lost their lives. Three thousand people that didn’t have a problem with Afghanistan, or with Iraq. A majority of them didn’t even know what Al Qaeda was, or what the Taliban did. And very few could tell you the difference between the Baath separatists and the Shiite parties in Iraq. They were just normal people who wanted to make some more money so they could move up in the world, but they were not given a chance.
Now, two years after the day, this nation is still healing. I, for one, was shocked on that fateful day, and the scars still run deep in me. I have trouble overcoming my rage at the people who committed those acts, and the images of the towers collapsing still burn cleanly in my mind as if I was standing there, watching it happen all over again. My eyes tear up as I write these words, the horror of it all replaying graphically in my mind.
I will never forget, and I know many others will not.
Take what you will out of this post. It is not to be inflammatory, nor is it meant to be sad. It is merely my thoughts on the subject.
That pretty much sums it up...
I remember what happened two years ago, as if it happened yesterday.
I can still see the images, burning sharply in my mind, as if I were standing there again.
I still cry when I remember.
here is a post that I made aboard the Jade's Fire, one of the message boards I frequent:
Well, we come around to it again. Tomorrow is September 11th, and I just had a few words of note that I wanted to say.
I know that 9/11 threads are going to be beaten to death among the various message boards that we all attend, because everyone wants to have their say, whether American, British, French, German, or any of the host of nationalities out there. A lot of people argue that 9/11 has become nothing more than an excuse for America to become Imperialistic, invading countries at will in the guise of "anti-terrorism."
Some will complain that America just has a grudge against Arabs.
And some will remember the tragedies of what happened that fateful day two years ago.
I do not mean to downplay the terrorist attacks that have taken place around the world in the last twenty years. Every one of them was just as tragic, every one just as horrible. From Pan Am in Scotland to the many bombings in Israel. From the Embassy attacks in South Africa to the hostages taken in Indonesia. Every one of them has been a horrible act, acts that have shattered lives, acts that have ruined futures.
9/11 was a wake-up call. Never before had so many lives been lost in such a short amount of time. Three thousand people, with wives, husbands, children, and parents of there own, lost their lives. Three thousand people that didn’t have a problem with Afghanistan, or with Iraq. A majority of them didn’t even know what Al Qaeda was, or what the Taliban did. And very few could tell you the difference between the Baath separatists and the Shiite parties in Iraq. They were just normal people who wanted to make some more money so they could move up in the world, but they were not given a chance.
Now, two years after the day, this nation is still healing. I, for one, was shocked on that fateful day, and the scars still run deep in me. I have trouble overcoming my rage at the people who committed those acts, and the images of the towers collapsing still burn cleanly in my mind as if I was standing there, watching it happen all over again. My eyes tear up as I write these words, the horror of it all replaying graphically in my mind.
I will never forget, and I know many others will not.
Take what you will out of this post. It is not to be inflammatory, nor is it meant to be sad. It is merely my thoughts on the subject.
That pretty much sums it up...
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
It's amazing what you can do when you're bored. For what, three weeks now, I've been meaning to clean my room.
Last night I was bored
This morning my room is clean.
Is there any other news? yeah, probably. Do I remember it all? Are you kidding me? I can't even remember what I was sposed to do today...
Well, Tim is gettin the Cadian Boxed Army. This is a good thing. My Tau can't be effective below 1000 points, and aren't very effective below 1500 points. Tim doesn't yet have 1000 points. Until Tim gets 1500 points, I have a hard time fighting against him, because I can't fight effectively and lose valuable parts of my army.
My knee feels better, so thats a good thing...
The more time goes by, the more it drives me nuts that Nikki is so far away... pfft... Guess thats what I deserve... (love ya hun)
Well, I'm off to work. See ya'll later...
Last night I was bored
This morning my room is clean.
Is there any other news? yeah, probably. Do I remember it all? Are you kidding me? I can't even remember what I was sposed to do today...
Well, Tim is gettin the Cadian Boxed Army. This is a good thing. My Tau can't be effective below 1000 points, and aren't very effective below 1500 points. Tim doesn't yet have 1000 points. Until Tim gets 1500 points, I have a hard time fighting against him, because I can't fight effectively and lose valuable parts of my army.
My knee feels better, so thats a good thing...
The more time goes by, the more it drives me nuts that Nikki is so far away... pfft... Guess thats what I deserve... (love ya hun)
Well, I'm off to work. See ya'll later...
Monday, September 08, 2003
I absolutely hate being called in on my day off. On Saturday, I found out (at 5 in the morning) that I was sposed to work. Now, normally this isn't much of an issue, but 1-it was Saturday. 2-I didn't know about it beforehand. 3-I really coulda used the day off.
I'll use one of Prin's old formats for the rest of today... the good/bad one...
Good-I helped put out a fire that threatened to burn half the field behind the rifle ranges
Bad-I tore my knee up real good
Good-I had Sunday off
Bad-I hd nothing to do
Good-I pretty much had the weekend to myself
Bad-I pretty much had the weekend to myself
well... here's hoping this week turns out better... and that next weekend is even better than this one... (not likely)
I'll use one of Prin's old formats for the rest of today... the good/bad one...
Good-I helped put out a fire that threatened to burn half the field behind the rifle ranges
Bad-I tore my knee up real good
Good-I had Sunday off
Bad-I hd nothing to do
Good-I pretty much had the weekend to myself
Bad-I pretty much had the weekend to myself
well... here's hoping this week turns out better... and that next weekend is even better than this one... (not likely)
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
Wow... It's been a while since I posted... oops...
Well, I'm back on a (semi) normal schedule. Work, eat, nothing, sleep, wash, rinse, repeat... Job ends in a month, hopefully I'll get something else lined up soon, otherwise I might end up back to doing nothing but looking for work all day long, and I really don't need that... Nikki's doin good, but thats usual for her... Sis is doin okay, but I don't think she realizes that she needs to lighten up and not take everything so personal. She'd be a lot happier if she just did that. That and not get upset over little things. (I swear, you really aren't sposed to take them down escelators.)
My two armies haven't been worked on much for a while. I base-coated the DA special characters, and the Terminators, but thats about it.
Tim's doin pretty good. He's having a hard time with life in general, but overall he seems okay.
Trevor is, well, Trevor.
Everyone else is doing just fine, it seems...
Except for me.
I hate being unsure, and it seems thats all I've been over the past few weeks. Is my employment going to continue? Will I be able to keep this lifestyle I've grown accustomed to? Should I talk to my parents more?
Just things like that... Oh well... Hopefully everything works out in the end...
Well, I'm back on a (semi) normal schedule. Work, eat, nothing, sleep, wash, rinse, repeat... Job ends in a month, hopefully I'll get something else lined up soon, otherwise I might end up back to doing nothing but looking for work all day long, and I really don't need that... Nikki's doin good, but thats usual for her... Sis is doin okay, but I don't think she realizes that she needs to lighten up and not take everything so personal. She'd be a lot happier if she just did that. That and not get upset over little things. (I swear, you really aren't sposed to take them down escelators.)
My two armies haven't been worked on much for a while. I base-coated the DA special characters, and the Terminators, but thats about it.
Tim's doin pretty good. He's having a hard time with life in general, but overall he seems okay.
Trevor is, well, Trevor.
Everyone else is doing just fine, it seems...
Except for me.
I hate being unsure, and it seems thats all I've been over the past few weeks. Is my employment going to continue? Will I be able to keep this lifestyle I've grown accustomed to? Should I talk to my parents more?
Just things like that... Oh well... Hopefully everything works out in the end...
