Today was one of those weird days. Was in a pretty good mood. Yeah, I know… what's up with that? To make things even better got an e-mail about some nonsense about being on the look out for something not important, what was important was that in this letter we (my group out here in Iraq) were referred to as "Field People".
So I took it upon myself to inform the Babylon crew that we were now to refer to ourselves as "The Babylonian Field People". I even said as much in my reply to the e-mail.
I, Richard, Leader of the Babylonian Field People have .. yada yada yada.
Haven't gotten a reply back on that, so I am wondering if I went too far… again. (shrug) What in the hell do I care? I mean if you can't have a little fun at someone else's slip up, no matter how small or benign, then what's the point? I do know, however, that all of us in the office got a lot of laughs out of it. So whatever horrible punishment might be waiting for me in my e-mail tomorrow morning … it was well worth it.
So I took it upon myself to inform the Babylon crew that we were now to refer to ourselves as "The Babylonian Field People". I even said as much in my reply to the e-mail.
I, Richard, Leader of the Babylonian Field People have .. yada yada yada.
Haven't gotten a reply back on that, so I am wondering if I went too far… again. (shrug) What in the hell do I care? I mean if you can't have a little fun at someone else's slip up, no matter how small or benign, then what's the point? I do know, however, that all of us in the office got a lot of laughs out of it. So whatever horrible punishment might be waiting for me in my e-mail tomorrow morning … it was well worth it.
Picture of the Day
Standing on top of one of the shipping containers in our holding yard. The sunset would have been a whole lot nicer if I would have gotten my lazy butt up there sooner. By the time I did, most of the color had faded. (sigh) Maybe tomorrow.
Standing on top of one of the shipping containers in our holding yard. The sunset would have been a whole lot nicer if I would have gotten my lazy butt up there sooner. By the time I did, most of the color had faded. (sigh) Maybe tomorrow.
Quote of the Day
"I, Richard, now proclaim us to be The Babylonian Field People!"
"I, Richard, now proclaim us to be The Babylonian Field People!"
Myself (Using the deepest voice I could muster)
"There are times I really worry about you."
Kevin (Shortly after the Proclamation)
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Picture of the Day
What a stopped convoy on Highway 1 (also known as Tampa) looks like. My vehicle was about mid-point in the line.
What a stopped convoy on Highway 1 (also known as Tampa) looks like. My vehicle was about mid-point in the line.
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Quote of the Day
"Guess it's a good thing I went to the bathroom before we left."
"Guess it's a good thing I went to the bathroom before we left."
Myself
"Why in the hell did you say that? Now I have to go!!"
Unnamed Female Captain (Who ducked behind a bush quickly after that)
Wow. Seems like it's old home week around here. I am not sure what is the deal with the timing but I recieved three letters at the same time from people that I haven't spoken to in quite a while. (Must be an alignment of the planets or something)
Two were from a group of fantastic people that I used to play Acrophobia with ... cripes... almost hurts to say it... years ago. Both FyreNIce and Shooter dropped me a quick note. (And yes, if you two do make it back to this site, it is me. : )
One was from a friend of mine from the G4/PC6 crew. Someone I had thought forgot about me, being out in Iraq and all. She never writes, she never calls (sigh).
Problem is, my catchall e-mail is on the fritz. So things sent to me using sageclaw@sageclaw.com get's stripped of all the sender's information. Then it replaces it with my own e-mail account as the sender. So as far as it looks, I sent myself those three messages, to sageclaw from sageclaw. I understand that my grasp on reality isn't that hot lately but if I am so far gone I am sending myself messages disguised as old friends.... well, I don't even want to talk about it. : )
So if anyone sends me a message could you please include your return e-mail so I can at least write back. Not to mention that it would prove to myself I am not completely insane. And that goes double for you three that just wrote me. Kinda killing me that I can't write you back.
Funny that I should get mail from some of the old Acrophobia crew. Back when I started all of this website nonsense, I did a running story/parody using people I played this game with as characters in the story. We used to hang out in the Camelot room which became the setting. It was funny and odd and didn't really mean anything except that it was fun for the people I wrote it for.... and that was all that mattered to me. Going to have to make sure that I put that back up on this site as soon as I get back to the States.
After Acrophobia went the way of the dotcoms most of us ended up in a new Acrophobia-like game called Acrochallenge. It was a nice substitute for us, well for most of us, unfortunately I fell out of that game. Like a lot of things in life that happen slowly and over a long time, you aren't sure why it happened or you can't place your finger on when it occurred but soon you are going "Why did I stop going there?" or "Why did I stop doing that?".
I think I am going to have to take some time and stop by Acrochallenge and see if there is anyone one I remember still around. I would recommend you check it out. It is a great game only made better if you are with great people.
Two were from a group of fantastic people that I used to play Acrophobia with ... cripes... almost hurts to say it... years ago. Both FyreNIce and Shooter dropped me a quick note. (And yes, if you two do make it back to this site, it is me. : )
One was from a friend of mine from the G4/PC6 crew. Someone I had thought forgot about me, being out in Iraq and all. She never writes, she never calls (sigh).
Problem is, my catchall e-mail is on the fritz. So things sent to me using sageclaw@sageclaw.com get's stripped of all the sender's information. Then it replaces it with my own e-mail account as the sender. So as far as it looks, I sent myself those three messages, to sageclaw from sageclaw. I understand that my grasp on reality isn't that hot lately but if I am so far gone I am sending myself messages disguised as old friends.... well, I don't even want to talk about it. : )
So if anyone sends me a message could you please include your return e-mail so I can at least write back. Not to mention that it would prove to myself I am not completely insane. And that goes double for you three that just wrote me. Kinda killing me that I can't write you back.
Funny that I should get mail from some of the old Acrophobia crew. Back when I started all of this website nonsense, I did a running story/parody using people I played this game with as characters in the story. We used to hang out in the Camelot room which became the setting. It was funny and odd and didn't really mean anything except that it was fun for the people I wrote it for.... and that was all that mattered to me. Going to have to make sure that I put that back up on this site as soon as I get back to the States.
After Acrophobia went the way of the dotcoms most of us ended up in a new Acrophobia-like game called Acrochallenge. It was a nice substitute for us, well for most of us, unfortunately I fell out of that game. Like a lot of things in life that happen slowly and over a long time, you aren't sure why it happened or you can't place your finger on when it occurred but soon you are going "Why did I stop going there?" or "Why did I stop doing that?".
I think I am going to have to take some time and stop by Acrochallenge and see if there is anyone one I remember still around. I would recommend you check it out. It is a great game only made better if you are with great people.
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Quote of the Day
"What? Am I supposed to eat meat just so I can tell you what is good for dinner at the chow hall?!"
"What? Am I supposed to eat meat just so I can tell you what is good for dinner at the chow hall?!"
Brittany (after telling me that she had a salad yet again)
"Um... well... yeah."
Myself
Getting ready to go on my next and last R&R.* Whatever supreme being that you may believe in must be going out of his/her way to make my last few days before my break a living, breathing, hellish existance. I like to think that I am a good, semi-decent person so I can't understand what I have done to deserve some of the things that I have been going through lately. And as much as you and I are close and I would love to tell you everything that goes on in my life, we never know who might be listening. : ) One of these days I will be happy to tell you all about it over a beer or four.
One of the minor problems, minor but irritating like a splinter that is just under the skin that you can't get out no matter how hard you dig at it, was one dealing with expectations. Part of my job out here is running the Post Exchange on Camp Babylon. This is in support of the troops out here so they can have access to things that only were available in the past via care packages from home. We are talking about chips, cookies, books, magazines, soap, towels, shampoo, toothpaste... see a pattern here? Mainly this is a morale concern. Troop morale, especially in this AOR, is very important. So when we don't have an item that a particular soldier wants, I try my best to get it for them, within reason.
Try to remember, we are not Wal-Mart, we are not Best Buy, we are a PX in a warzone halfway across the globe.
So guess what I got an ass chewing over? A satellite television decoder box. AFN** decoder boxes are available out here but since I have been at Babylon I have had zero requests for them, so I didn't carry a supply of them at our store. At 535 bucks a pop, there didn't seem to be a need.
That was until football season hit.
All of a sudden everybody and their brother wants a decoder box. Not a problem. The Babylon PX is a small facility but I do get to Baghdad every other week where a much larger store exists and I had been able to get these boxes without issue. Until they ran out. Now there is a lack of them theater wide. So what does one of my customers do? He writes directly to HQ and complains.
Then of course, shit rolls downhill.
To summarize, I volunteer to come out here, to a warzone to support the troops, for a year, leaving my wife and my son, only to get hammered because I am not able to get a soldier satellite TV...... in Iraq..... a place that doesn't even have running water....
So right now I am seriously wondering what in the hell we are doing out here. I am not talking about the troops (that is a whole can of worms right there), I am talking about the branch of the DoD that runs the PX systems out here. Not to sound like a cranky old guy but when I was in the Army, serving in Desert Shield/Storm, if the PX had soap we were fucking ecstatic. I find it hard to believe in the time that has passed we have gone from "Holy crap! They have soap AND toothpaste!" to "Where in the hell is my satellite TV.... you guys SUCK!!!"
I am all for taking a hit if I am not able to provide the troops with toothpaste or books or socks or any of the necessities but it's a serious kick in the nuts when you are told that you are completely dropping the ball if you are not able to get something as extravagant as satellite TV.
Bah.
*For a volunteer one year tour we are allowed three Rest & Relaxation trips which consist of ten days at your home station. So basically for every 90 days you get to go home for ten.
** Armed Forces Network. It's a... ah never mind.. if you are that interested in what it is, get off your ass and look it up on Google.
One of the minor problems, minor but irritating like a splinter that is just under the skin that you can't get out no matter how hard you dig at it, was one dealing with expectations. Part of my job out here is running the Post Exchange on Camp Babylon. This is in support of the troops out here so they can have access to things that only were available in the past via care packages from home. We are talking about chips, cookies, books, magazines, soap, towels, shampoo, toothpaste... see a pattern here? Mainly this is a morale concern. Troop morale, especially in this AOR, is very important. So when we don't have an item that a particular soldier wants, I try my best to get it for them, within reason.
Try to remember, we are not Wal-Mart, we are not Best Buy, we are a PX in a warzone halfway across the globe.
So guess what I got an ass chewing over? A satellite television decoder box. AFN** decoder boxes are available out here but since I have been at Babylon I have had zero requests for them, so I didn't carry a supply of them at our store. At 535 bucks a pop, there didn't seem to be a need.
That was until football season hit.
All of a sudden everybody and their brother wants a decoder box. Not a problem. The Babylon PX is a small facility but I do get to Baghdad every other week where a much larger store exists and I had been able to get these boxes without issue. Until they ran out. Now there is a lack of them theater wide. So what does one of my customers do? He writes directly to HQ and complains.
Then of course, shit rolls downhill.
To summarize, I volunteer to come out here, to a warzone to support the troops, for a year, leaving my wife and my son, only to get hammered because I am not able to get a soldier satellite TV...... in Iraq..... a place that doesn't even have running water....
So right now I am seriously wondering what in the hell we are doing out here. I am not talking about the troops (that is a whole can of worms right there), I am talking about the branch of the DoD that runs the PX systems out here. Not to sound like a cranky old guy but when I was in the Army, serving in Desert Shield/Storm, if the PX had soap we were fucking ecstatic. I find it hard to believe in the time that has passed we have gone from "Holy crap! They have soap AND toothpaste!" to "Where in the hell is my satellite TV.... you guys SUCK!!!"
I am all for taking a hit if I am not able to provide the troops with toothpaste or books or socks or any of the necessities but it's a serious kick in the nuts when you are told that you are completely dropping the ball if you are not able to get something as extravagant as satellite TV.
Bah.
*For a volunteer one year tour we are allowed three Rest & Relaxation trips which consist of ten days at your home station. So basically for every 90 days you get to go home for ten.
** Armed Forces Network. It's a... ah never mind.. if you are that interested in what it is, get off your ass and look it up on Google.
Picture of the Day
I am going to have to apologize for all the sunset pics. There is something about the sunsets and sunrises out here that just ... well makes me want to take pictures. The fact that something this beautiful can be found here, in the most violent/chaotic place currently on Earth, it makes it seem just an extra bit special. One of these days I will take one that does what I see justice.
I am going to have to apologize for all the sunset pics. There is something about the sunsets and sunrises out here that just ... well makes me want to take pictures. The fact that something this beautiful can be found here, in the most violent/chaotic place currently on Earth, it makes it seem just an extra bit special. One of these days I will take one that does what I see justice.
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Quote of the Day
"I don't give a good God damn what Baghdad is doing with that! We are not Baghdad."
"I don't give a good God damn what Baghdad is doing with that! We are not Baghdad."
Myself (in answer to a "What if Baghdad is doing..." question)
"Works for me."
Kevin (Smiling, knowing he pushed my button with that question in the first place)*
*Just to let you know, we pick on each other like this all the time. It's all done in good humor and we all know it. So it's not as bad as it sounds taken out of context like this. Besides, Kevin thought that I should make this the Quote of the Day because it was so out of character for me to say something like that, and it scared the hell out of our new girl.
Having a little trouble. Was planning on leaving Babylon on Tuesday so I could be at Baghdad to catch an early C-130 flight on Wednesday morning to then catch a flight home that night.
Well leave it to the supreme being that has been cheesing me all week to come up with a doozy. Was all set to convoy up with the Polish when we get a message telling us that all ground travel has been suspended until further notice.
Meaning well past my needed, well planned out, departure time.
So now I am running around trying to get on a flight out of this place. Had the Latvians say I could get on their bird but it was going to leave in under an hour. That would be fine, except I hadn't even packed a damn thing. (Why would I, I mean I still had 2 full days left... well before this happened)
Got with a Medivac group that is leaving later on tonight. Then I was told that it wasn't leaving until Monday night (even better) then they call and tell me it's back on for tonight. Then it's canceled. Now it's back on.
Kill me now please.
Assuming that it truly is back on, I sent a message to our Ops center in Baghdad requesting approval to travel with these guys. Still waiting on that one. If I don't get a message from them in the next 2 hours then I can't fly out.
I know what you are thinking "Fuck them... take the flight anyway." Well I may bend the rules, I may dabble in the grey areas of a lot of different things but this is one that I can't even think of brushing off. It's not like I can arrive at Baghdad and pretend I didn't break a travel restriction.
So now I wait.
(Later)
Okay, got confirmation. Was starting to get worried. Now all I have to do is hope they don't cancel the flight or hope that I don't get bumped.
If the post ends here, guess I made the flight... if not, I will add more.
Well leave it to the supreme being that has been cheesing me all week to come up with a doozy. Was all set to convoy up with the Polish when we get a message telling us that all ground travel has been suspended until further notice.
Meaning well past my needed, well planned out, departure time.
So now I am running around trying to get on a flight out of this place. Had the Latvians say I could get on their bird but it was going to leave in under an hour. That would be fine, except I hadn't even packed a damn thing. (Why would I, I mean I still had 2 full days left... well before this happened)
Got with a Medivac group that is leaving later on tonight. Then I was told that it wasn't leaving until Monday night (even better) then they call and tell me it's back on for tonight. Then it's canceled. Now it's back on.
Kill me now please.
Assuming that it truly is back on, I sent a message to our Ops center in Baghdad requesting approval to travel with these guys. Still waiting on that one. If I don't get a message from them in the next 2 hours then I can't fly out.
I know what you are thinking "Fuck them... take the flight anyway." Well I may bend the rules, I may dabble in the grey areas of a lot of different things but this is one that I can't even think of brushing off. It's not like I can arrive at Baghdad and pretend I didn't break a travel restriction.
So now I wait.
(Later)
Okay, got confirmation. Was starting to get worried. Now all I have to do is hope they don't cancel the flight or hope that I don't get bumped.
If the post ends here, guess I made the flight... if not, I will add more.
Picture of the Day
Seeing as how I have Baghdad on the mind, I dug up this pic that I took while Tent City still existed. I thought it turned out surprisingly good.
Tent City hasn't been around since we turned the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) back over to the Iraqis.
Seeing as how I have Baghdad on the mind, I dug up this pic that I took while Tent City still existed. I thought it turned out surprisingly good.
Tent City hasn't been around since we turned the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) back over to the Iraqis.
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Quote of the Day
"You have got to be shitting me."
"You have got to be shitting me."
Myself (Upon reading the news about no ground travel)
"Do me a favor, don't stand to close to me Rich, the only thing left is you getting hit by lightning."
John (A British Civilian out here making fun of my bad luck recently)
Well believe it or not we got out on time. After the off again on again flight, it was on and I got confirmation from our Ops in Baghdad that I could take it.
Got to the pad in time.
Got crammed into a Blackhawk Medivac helicopter... and when I say crammed I mean CRAMMED. I had all of 3 inches from the chest plate of my Interceptor Vest and a box of medical supplies stacked in front of me. The only other time I had been that jammed in for a flight was on a Navy P3 Sub Chaser from Florida to Maine.
I digress.
Even though it was crammed it was a flight out of Babylon and I do appreciate it. Beggars can't be choosers.. but we can still moan and bitch about it... a little bit at least. : )
Got to Baghdad in about 45 minutes. Once on the Griffin pad at South Victory, I went looking for my ride. It wasn't there. So I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Finally they shut down the Flight Office at Griffin (this consisted of one young soldier watching football in a nearby building) and I caught a ride with the soldier as he headed out.
Two hours after I landed.
You might think that I was pissed. I mean I seem to get pissed very easily. This time you would be wrong. Yeah, surprises me too. I just couldn't get upset by it. I was on the ground in Baghdad on my way towards my R&R. The hard part was over with. When I got to the military side of our Ops center, the Lt. that was there (watching the game that was still going on... and the only reason she was in the office) couldn't apologize more when she found out what had happened. All I could do was shrug and say "Meh... it happens. No biggie."
I did this whenever anyone found out that I had waited as long as I had and ended up getting a ride on my own. I think this put a lot of people on edge as this is certainly not the norm. : ) I wonder if they thought I was just saying this to lull them into a false sense of security and then blast them when they least suspected it.
Even now, while I am sitting at home typing this out, I am not angry about it. This is one that squarely fell under "Shit Happens." Sure there are people that I could blame but at this point, why bother.
See lazy beats out anger most of the time. : )
I don't expect to do much updating of this page while I am at home. Too many other things I would rather be doing, even though I do expect to fix a few things and add some more pictures... but that's about it.
Will talk with you again... just not sure when.
Got to the pad in time.
Got crammed into a Blackhawk Medivac helicopter... and when I say crammed I mean CRAMMED. I had all of 3 inches from the chest plate of my Interceptor Vest and a box of medical supplies stacked in front of me. The only other time I had been that jammed in for a flight was on a Navy P3 Sub Chaser from Florida to Maine.
I digress.
Even though it was crammed it was a flight out of Babylon and I do appreciate it. Beggars can't be choosers.. but we can still moan and bitch about it... a little bit at least. : )
Got to Baghdad in about 45 minutes. Once on the Griffin pad at South Victory, I went looking for my ride. It wasn't there. So I waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Finally they shut down the Flight Office at Griffin (this consisted of one young soldier watching football in a nearby building) and I caught a ride with the soldier as he headed out.
Two hours after I landed.
You might think that I was pissed. I mean I seem to get pissed very easily. This time you would be wrong. Yeah, surprises me too. I just couldn't get upset by it. I was on the ground in Baghdad on my way towards my R&R. The hard part was over with. When I got to the military side of our Ops center, the Lt. that was there (watching the game that was still going on... and the only reason she was in the office) couldn't apologize more when she found out what had happened. All I could do was shrug and say "Meh... it happens. No biggie."
I did this whenever anyone found out that I had waited as long as I had and ended up getting a ride on my own. I think this put a lot of people on edge as this is certainly not the norm. : ) I wonder if they thought I was just saying this to lull them into a false sense of security and then blast them when they least suspected it.
Even now, while I am sitting at home typing this out, I am not angry about it. This is one that squarely fell under "Shit Happens." Sure there are people that I could blame but at this point, why bother.
See lazy beats out anger most of the time. : )
I don't expect to do much updating of this page while I am at home. Too many other things I would rather be doing, even though I do expect to fix a few things and add some more pictures... but that's about it.
Will talk with you again... just not sure when.
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Picture of the Day
One of the few pics I have of the AT&T Phone Center we are responsible for. I think it turned out real well with the castle in the background.
One of the few pics I have of the AT&T Phone Center we are responsible for. I think it turned out real well with the castle in the background.
SageClaw's Corner of the Internet
NOT the damned knife from World of Warcraft
Okay, okay. I know, I know. I said that I wasn't going to be around to update this because I had better things to do.
Well ... um ... I was mistaken. That may not be 100% accurate, let's just say that I do have better things to do but it kept on itching at me about fixing this damn page. Kept on going "Well I could just add this.." or ".. If I change this... " or "..wonder if I should.."
So screw it. (shrug)
Added a few more pics. Will add some more over time. Didn't want to make the same mistake I did the first time around and just do thumbnails of the full sized pics. Some of those pictures were 25000000x150000000 or some ungodly number I can't remember. Needless to say they were freaking huge.... I didn't realize what a pain in the ass it would end up being for the people that visit this site.* So I am resizing them before putting them up. If you (and you know who you are) would like to have the full sized, unadulterated picture file, just let me know and I will be happy to send it to you.
Well maybe not happy... but I will do it... maybe.
Also since I will be on Blackwolf's radio show tomorrow, he put up a link to this site. Suddenly I feel very much in need to bulk it up a bit. Kinda like getting caught running around the house in your underwear. It's fine when you are with close friends but when strangers show up you have to at least put on socks and they had damn well better match. Clean is an option however...
Um... where was I?
Oh yeah, so Blackwolf had to mention stories from Iraq. This put me in a spot. My old site took a major dump (as you can see at the top of the page) and all of my previous ... um ... stories went poof. Didn't help that my old laptop met a horrible end (that is a story in itself for another time) so I had no way to recover anything. So from scratch I start again. As one of those incidents come to mind I am going to add them from memory. Since that is the case, I am sure you know it's going to be a long, slow, drawn out process.
Of course Blackwolf had to mention camel spiders. Heh. This was a hot topic of conversation in the IRC chat while I was home on R&R the last time. It amazed me on how many people knew what the hell was going on with them and would argue with me about it. I just had to chuckle. Arguing with self-proclaimed camel spider experts because of what they had read on the internet. These were kids that had spent the last 7 months spanking their monkeys while surfing the internet in their parent's basements... where I had been running away from these creepy entomology nightmares like a little girl during that time.
Um... wait... that doesn't sound too good... heh.. but it's true.
I can deal with the mortars... the gun fire... the convoy attacks... I don't like them but I can deal but I swear to Christ, if one of those freakishly horrific arachnids drop out of my towel again, I am so done with Iraq. Yes, these things love to hide in my towel as it's hanging outside the shower stall while I am taking a shower. After the shower, reach for the towel, hear that dreaded thump followed by that scuttling sound of it trying to escape through the shower stall.... shower stall I am in, naked, but for all of a split second as I am dashing out of there like.... well a seriously freaked out nekkid guy. What makes it worse, camel spiders never seems to realize that it's a sealed unit, so it just skitters around there like mad until someone much braver than I takes care of it. More than likely someone with boots on.... and isn't nude.
And that is not the reason I got the nickname "The Flash" over there believe it or not. That reason is for another story at another time.
*Yeah, I do care about you guys. Just don't let that get out. I don't want people getting the wrong ideas about me.. like I am a nice guy or something. That would just suck.
Well ... um ... I was mistaken. That may not be 100% accurate, let's just say that I do have better things to do but it kept on itching at me about fixing this damn page. Kept on going "Well I could just add this.." or ".. If I change this... " or "..wonder if I should.."
So screw it. (shrug)
Added a few more pics. Will add some more over time. Didn't want to make the same mistake I did the first time around and just do thumbnails of the full sized pics. Some of those pictures were 25000000x150000000 or some ungodly number I can't remember. Needless to say they were freaking huge.... I didn't realize what a pain in the ass it would end up being for the people that visit this site.* So I am resizing them before putting them up. If you (and you know who you are) would like to have the full sized, unadulterated picture file, just let me know and I will be happy to send it to you.
Well maybe not happy... but I will do it... maybe.
Also since I will be on Blackwolf's radio show tomorrow, he put up a link to this site. Suddenly I feel very much in need to bulk it up a bit. Kinda like getting caught running around the house in your underwear. It's fine when you are with close friends but when strangers show up you have to at least put on socks and they had damn well better match. Clean is an option however...
Um... where was I?
Oh yeah, so Blackwolf had to mention stories from Iraq. This put me in a spot. My old site took a major dump (as you can see at the top of the page) and all of my previous ... um ... stories went poof. Didn't help that my old laptop met a horrible end (that is a story in itself for another time) so I had no way to recover anything. So from scratch I start again. As one of those incidents come to mind I am going to add them from memory. Since that is the case, I am sure you know it's going to be a long, slow, drawn out process.
Of course Blackwolf had to mention camel spiders. Heh. This was a hot topic of conversation in the IRC chat while I was home on R&R the last time. It amazed me on how many people knew what the hell was going on with them and would argue with me about it. I just had to chuckle. Arguing with self-proclaimed camel spider experts because of what they had read on the internet. These were kids that had spent the last 7 months spanking their monkeys while surfing the internet in their parent's basements... where I had been running away from these creepy entomology nightmares like a little girl during that time.
Um... wait... that doesn't sound too good... heh.. but it's true.
I can deal with the mortars... the gun fire... the convoy attacks... I don't like them but I can deal but I swear to Christ, if one of those freakishly horrific arachnids drop out of my towel again, I am so done with Iraq. Yes, these things love to hide in my towel as it's hanging outside the shower stall while I am taking a shower. After the shower, reach for the towel, hear that dreaded thump followed by that scuttling sound of it trying to escape through the shower stall.... shower stall I am in, naked, but for all of a split second as I am dashing out of there like.... well a seriously freaked out nekkid guy. What makes it worse, camel spiders never seems to realize that it's a sealed unit, so it just skitters around there like mad until someone much braver than I takes care of it. More than likely someone with boots on.... and isn't nude.
And that is not the reason I got the nickname "The Flash" over there believe it or not. That reason is for another story at another time.
*Yeah, I do care about you guys. Just don't let that get out. I don't want people getting the wrong ideas about me.. like I am a nice guy or something. That would just suck.
Just to let you guys know, I am still alive and back in Babylon, Iraq, my home away from home... or I guess it should be my hell away from home.
(shrug) Meh, either or... they both work.
Been a lot happening since I was last able to get on here and put any time to this. My R&R ended, I got stuck in Baghdad for a week due to travel conditions being the worst I have seen to date, got back to my facility only to find 90% more people working for me then when I had left... all females* and now currently working on getting over a really bad case of something flu-like.
As you can probably tell, I have fixed a few more things on the site. New menu bar at the top. Video page is up and working. Recovered The Camelot Tale and put it in it's own special place. Spot reserved for the return of "Things I Hate" section... even though that's not up yet (hey, I have been busy and sick.. so back off : ).
Couldn't sleep anymore and since everyone else is.. I figured I would put in some time. Will post this and the changes now and update this in a short while.
*I know that sounds bad on my part but it wasn't meant the way I am sure some of you took it. It's just it completely reversed the dynamic of what I was dealing with before I left not to mention the problem with housing them.... even though we live in the 21st century we can't have adults of two different sexes living together out here. So it has caused a few issues I would have rather not had to deal with all around. That's all. On top of it all, Babylon is like 90% males. One of my previous female team members told me they called this place Man-topia. So with the sudden influx of new women..... we are getting a lot more attention.... the wrong kind of attention.
(A short while later)
Okay, the Things I Hate Section is back up and working. Only have the older stuff so far, but it's working. On the downside, I noticed that I have screwed up the pictures section again. All things considered, that isn't too bad. Fixed two things, screwed up one..... sweet!
(shrug) Meh, either or... they both work.
Been a lot happening since I was last able to get on here and put any time to this. My R&R ended, I got stuck in Baghdad for a week due to travel conditions being the worst I have seen to date, got back to my facility only to find 90% more people working for me then when I had left... all females* and now currently working on getting over a really bad case of something flu-like.
As you can probably tell, I have fixed a few more things on the site. New menu bar at the top. Video page is up and working. Recovered The Camelot Tale and put it in it's own special place. Spot reserved for the return of "Things I Hate" section... even though that's not up yet (hey, I have been busy and sick.. so back off : ).
Couldn't sleep anymore and since everyone else is.. I figured I would put in some time. Will post this and the changes now and update this in a short while.
*I know that sounds bad on my part but it wasn't meant the way I am sure some of you took it. It's just it completely reversed the dynamic of what I was dealing with before I left not to mention the problem with housing them.... even though we live in the 21st century we can't have adults of two different sexes living together out here. So it has caused a few issues I would have rather not had to deal with all around. That's all. On top of it all, Babylon is like 90% males. One of my previous female team members told me they called this place Man-topia. So with the sudden influx of new women..... we are getting a lot more attention.... the wrong kind of attention.
(A short while later)
Okay, the Things I Hate Section is back up and working. Only have the older stuff so far, but it's working. On the downside, I noticed that I have screwed up the pictures section again. All things considered, that isn't too bad. Fixed two things, screwed up one..... sweet!
Well hell.
It's been one of those weeks. Can't seem to get the time to do anything. Can't get focused on the job. Can't seem to relax. Can't seem to do anything.
If I had the plumbing for it I would blame it on 'my time of the month' but it could be that I am looking at 31 days left of my 1 year tour over here. : ) I know it's crunch time with everything but damn, it's been a struggle just to get the everyday stuff done. I know it's all psychological because I am getting 'short' but it's not helping me deal any better.
Okay enough with the 'woe is me' section.
Got up some more pictures (now that it's fixed). Will put up more eventually, that is if I don't break the damn page in the process. Have also tossed up another video in that section.
I think I have mentioned before that the Iraqi government is kicking us out of Babylon and we are moving down the road. This is a huge pain in the ass but on the bright side, it's a great opportunity to cash in on some great deals. You see, a lot of the people here aren't sure where they are going to end up so Babylon is turning into 'yard sale' central. Refrigerators for 20 bucks. TVs for 40. XBoxes for 75 with games (got mine with 5 games and the thing doesn't even look like it's been used). You name it, it's for sale here.
EVERYTHING MUST GO!! : )
Well that is everything that they don't want to have to lug around with them. Nice thing about being stationed at a place is you can fill up your living space, be it tent or container, with the niceties. The bad thing is when you move... well those things are not on the packing list. Even if they were, nobody wants to lug that crap around.
Me, I don't have to. Going to be mailing all that reasonably sized stuff home before the move. The larger stuff I am dealing with differently. My TV, I am giving that to one of my people that is going to be here for the next 9 months. Heck, I got my money's worth out of it... so why not? (shrug) Same goes with my fridge, microwave, coffee maker, just to different people. Not selling, just giving away. Do NOT think that is because I am nice or anything, I just don't want the hassle from trying to sell it. They are doing me a favor by taking it off my hands.
Besides, I am not sure I have the time or the desire to try and mail home a fridge.... even though it would fit nicely next to my computer desk and is the perfect size for beer/soda. Crap, have got to stop thinking like that. Going to be bringing enough stuff back home as it is. : )
It's been one of those weeks. Can't seem to get the time to do anything. Can't get focused on the job. Can't seem to relax. Can't seem to do anything.
If I had the plumbing for it I would blame it on 'my time of the month' but it could be that I am looking at 31 days left of my 1 year tour over here. : ) I know it's crunch time with everything but damn, it's been a struggle just to get the everyday stuff done. I know it's all psychological because I am getting 'short' but it's not helping me deal any better.
Okay enough with the 'woe is me' section.
Got up some more pictures (now that it's fixed). Will put up more eventually, that is if I don't break the damn page in the process. Have also tossed up another video in that section.
I think I have mentioned before that the Iraqi government is kicking us out of Babylon and we are moving down the road. This is a huge pain in the ass but on the bright side, it's a great opportunity to cash in on some great deals. You see, a lot of the people here aren't sure where they are going to end up so Babylon is turning into 'yard sale' central. Refrigerators for 20 bucks. TVs for 40. XBoxes for 75 with games (got mine with 5 games and the thing doesn't even look like it's been used). You name it, it's for sale here.
EVERYTHING MUST GO!! : )
Well that is everything that they don't want to have to lug around with them. Nice thing about being stationed at a place is you can fill up your living space, be it tent or container, with the niceties. The bad thing is when you move... well those things are not on the packing list. Even if they were, nobody wants to lug that crap around.
Me, I don't have to. Going to be mailing all that reasonably sized stuff home before the move. The larger stuff I am dealing with differently. My TV, I am giving that to one of my people that is going to be here for the next 9 months. Heck, I got my money's worth out of it... so why not? (shrug) Same goes with my fridge, microwave, coffee maker, just to different people. Not selling, just giving away. Do NOT think that is because I am nice or anything, I just don't want the hassle from trying to sell it. They are doing me a favor by taking it off my hands.
Besides, I am not sure I have the time or the desire to try and mail home a fridge.... even though it would fit nicely next to my computer desk and is the perfect size for beer/soda. Crap, have got to stop thinking like that. Going to be bringing enough stuff back home as it is. : )
Picture of the Day
Example of the niceties that I was talking about. This is in my container. Yeah, yeah, I know I am a slob. What else is new?
Example of the niceties that I was talking about. This is in my container. Yeah, yeah, I know I am a slob. What else is new?
.JPG)
Quote of the Day
"You do realize why we are getting invited to all the parties recently?"
"You do realize why we are getting invited to all the parties recently?"
Kevin (Right after being invited, as a group, to the Titan get together)
"Because we are considered the Home of the Honeys now?"
Myself
"Wonder if we should have new signs made up."
Kevin
*This was because of the sudden influx of women at the Babylon facility.
Tomorrow we close down the Babylon PX.
I am not exactly sure how I feel about it. Sure I am getting ready to go home real soon (as you can tell by the countdown I have at the bottom of every page) and it shouldn't matter to me.... but it does. One of the main personal goals of mine when I was given this facility, back in January, was to be able to turn it over to the next guy in better shape than I got it. Right now if someone was to take my place it would be mission accomplished and then some. However, this is not the case.
It is going away. No one is taking it over. It is just going to cease to exist.
It just doesn't seem fair to have worked as hard as we have only to have it disappear. It will be as if all that work was for nothing. I know, when I think about it, that isn't really true but on the surface it feels like that.
After we close the doors to the PX, we will be packing everything up in shipping containers and moving them to our new home at Camp Echo. (I have been calling it Camp Echo Echo.... but no one seems to get the joke.... or if they do, they aren't letting on) I will only be on the ground there for maybe a week to a week and a half on the outside.
I made a mention tonight that our Iraqnids wanted to come and work for us at Camp Echo. That got me some flak about how that term was offensive. This was coming from an American. I told him that my guys liked that because they considered it clever.... well at least the guys that speak enough English to get it but they explained it to the rest. They consider it to be their 'Unit' name (kinda a quasi-military thing). Ah well, if I had a nickle for every time someone took something I said the wrong way... well I wouldn't have had to come over here in the first place. : )
I have a ton of things to talk about since I last posted but time and energy is at an all time low. Last week we had our yearly inventory, which was hellish ordeal. We finally got the AT&T Call Center torn down and on it's way.
(Bah... have to go for a minute or so... will continue this when I get back)
I am not exactly sure how I feel about it. Sure I am getting ready to go home real soon (as you can tell by the countdown I have at the bottom of every page) and it shouldn't matter to me.... but it does. One of the main personal goals of mine when I was given this facility, back in January, was to be able to turn it over to the next guy in better shape than I got it. Right now if someone was to take my place it would be mission accomplished and then some. However, this is not the case.
It is going away. No one is taking it over. It is just going to cease to exist.
It just doesn't seem fair to have worked as hard as we have only to have it disappear. It will be as if all that work was for nothing. I know, when I think about it, that isn't really true but on the surface it feels like that.
After we close the doors to the PX, we will be packing everything up in shipping containers and moving them to our new home at Camp Echo. (I have been calling it Camp Echo Echo.... but no one seems to get the joke.... or if they do, they aren't letting on) I will only be on the ground there for maybe a week to a week and a half on the outside.
I made a mention tonight that our Iraqnids wanted to come and work for us at Camp Echo. That got me some flak about how that term was offensive. This was coming from an American. I told him that my guys liked that because they considered it clever.... well at least the guys that speak enough English to get it but they explained it to the rest. They consider it to be their 'Unit' name (kinda a quasi-military thing). Ah well, if I had a nickle for every time someone took something I said the wrong way... well I wouldn't have had to come over here in the first place. : )
I have a ton of things to talk about since I last posted but time and energy is at an all time low. Last week we had our yearly inventory, which was hellish ordeal. We finally got the AT&T Call Center torn down and on it's way.
(Bah... have to go for a minute or so... will continue this when I get back)
Picture of the Day
Me standing outside the Babylon PX, the night before the end of it all.
Me standing outside the Babylon PX, the night before the end of it all.
.JPG)
Quote of the Day
"You know, there are times when I could just beat the crap out of the guy that talked me into coming over here."
"You know, there are times when I could just beat the crap out of the guy that talked me into coming over here."
Myself
"Rich, um... wasn't that you?"
John
"Yeah... what's your point?"
Myself
Ugh. Did the convoy thing to Baghdad yesterday. Normally that is not that big of a deal. (Keep in mind that the word 'normal' around here has a lot of room for interpretation) Yesterday, however, we had a bit of extra fun. About 25 minutes into the trip, one of Polish troop trucks blew a tire. Not because of an IED* or any terrorist act. It was just one of those things. So the entire convoy stopped to wait for the repairs. During this, we all got out of our respective vehicles and stood watch.
Just in case.
During that time, we all stood by and watched everything. Every car that went by, every bush that moved in the wind, every person walking in the far distance. 47 minutes we stood there, knowing for a fact that we were going to be hit by something at any moment.
Then it happened.
The truck started to move forward and the convoy resumed.
Hey, what can I say, not every story here is going to be about bombs and mortars and excitement. : )
*Impovised Explosive Device - Often used on the road to disable vehicles and kill the occupants. Sometimes used as a prelude to an ambush.
Just in case.
During that time, we all stood by and watched everything. Every car that went by, every bush that moved in the wind, every person walking in the far distance. 47 minutes we stood there, knowing for a fact that we were going to be hit by something at any moment.
Then it happened.
The truck started to move forward and the convoy resumed.
Hey, what can I say, not every story here is going to be about bombs and mortars and excitement. : )
*Impovised Explosive Device - Often used on the road to disable vehicles and kill the occupants. Sometimes used as a prelude to an ambush.
Picture of the Day
What a convoy looks like when it is actually rolling. Guess I really shouldn't have been taking pictures while driving but I won't tell anyone if you don't.
What a convoy looks like when it is actually rolling. Guess I really shouldn't have been taking pictures while driving but I won't tell anyone if you don't.
Quote of the Day
"So Mr.DoD* you are coming from Iraq? Are they still fighting over there?"
"So Mr.DoD* you are coming from Iraq? Are they still fighting over there?"
Customs Officer at O'Hare Airport (While checking my credentials through Customs)
*My ID states that I am a Department of Defense Civilian and yes, that is what he called me. Mr.DoD (sigh).
Iraq Stuff
Below are some posts I made to my site during my deployment in Iraq (2003-2004).