"Come On & Tighten Up, Do the Tighten Up Now"

"Hi, everybody... (we're Those Guys, from Baghdad, Iraq.) We don't only sing, but we dance as good as we walk."

So I know the People have been asking about the hair, and I really do have some decent pictures (just not with me right now.) So I thought in the meantime I would post something others of you have been clamouring for... more music!

This is the song we usually "Tighten Up" too (hence the quote/paraphrasing {and that is the perfect excuse if it doesn't really sound great}) and we did so again the other night for Sentinel Idol (Yeah. It is pretty much just like it sounds, except even with as little talent that showed up we probably had more talent than the American version. More originality for sure.) It was fun, we didn't win but we never expected to anyway. "I'm not doing this for me. No, I'm doing it for them. 'Cos they love me" (or there abouts.)

Hopefully it is enjoyable for you. Thanks to Arne! Quite the surprise to find the video there when I downloaded the pictures. You can see that my hair is longer as the lights don't reflect off the shaven head, "No shaved head, it's quite sane."



Cheers,
g

"Under a Blood Orange Sky"

Okay so I have taken the pictures off of my camera, I know I am really slow at doing things. But I wanted to post a couple of the mini-dust storm. Like I promised so long ago.
This is out my door on that day. You can see the pinkish-orangeish tint to the sky, normally it looks very dull and gray.

And then there is one taken a little later. When if got darker it made me say, "My God, I am breathing this." Actually I say that a lot 'round here.

So now I have caught up a little so that I can get behind
again.

So now I want to put this to the People...what do you want to hear more about? What follow up story do you most want to read? More about the contractors? About the blind date? My hair? I put it to you the dedicated followers of this humble blog...what do you want to hear me ramble about? Since I fixed the comment thing everyone can vote.

Cheers,
g

Bowling, "Down the Roses"

Sorry, there are no Roses here. But there is a bowling alley, and yes I know the title is a massive major jump...but I don't really feel good. Nothing to write home about (ha ha ha) I'll be okay.

Just wanted to talk about the bowling alley a little. And speaking of little it is...11 lanes that are stacked so close to each other that if'n yer large (like me) you are actually in the lane next to you when you go down. Not really sure why there is a bowling alley here, I know there is one on almost every Military Installation, but it doesn't feel like this one was made for us. I mean when we were there the other night (a nice brief respite I must say, don't think I could do it all the time but nice change of pace) there was only one other group of Soldiers. And we were there for almost two hours. The rest of the place was filled with contractors, of all types and varieties. From the wider older people who you expect to find at a bowling alley (please no one take offense here, I am not profiling or stereotyping but I have spent a fair amount of time in the bowling alleys of the world, and anyone else who has knows what I am talking about) to the folks who work in the laundry, to the guys next to us who I am pretty sure were on a blind date. (Read it twice if you have to it says what you think.)

I just don't know, it didn't feel...I don't know, right? It looked right from outside, you know there was the wall that could have been blocking the freeway noise (minus the big hole probably I guess it depends on where you bowl), the poor lighting, the parking lot filled with pick-up trucks, etc. Like I said I just don't think it was built for "us" and I really have to wonder what will happen to it later, when we are gone. Doing a lot of that actually, along with looking at all the civilians and wondering, "Why do we need YOU here?"

That is probably a blog best left for another day. I am tired now, so I just want to thank everyone for showing up and being patient (especially about the pictures, I do have some ideas, trust me) and say, "Sorry" to Mr. Johnson.

Cheers,
g

Just When...

...You think you've seen it all.
From the direction of the bathrooms comes...(wait for it) a guy in a bathrobe! I shit you not. Some scraggly guy with a salt and pepper beard comes strolling back from I don't know where. I mean obviously the bathroom, but not even the shower (well, he didn't have a towel and all that so one can only guess {but then again I guess he could have just dried off with the robe.}) And just so you don't think I am kidding, the robe was dark blue and fuzzy and had brown vertical stripes.

Sorry I couldn't think of any snappy song line or anything to title this one, but I mean, Really!?! "They just don't write 'em like that anymore" (there are you happy now, a little Greg Kihn to satisfy your needs {and a song that has parenthesis in the title to boot. }) "Uh uh ah uh uh uh uh ah" (You'd have to check the spelling on that but I bet someone, somewhere is laughing.)

Did I mention that I fixed the commenting thing (I guess if I can't remember I really should write more often.) You know I think I have more parenthetical than I do regular prose (English Major...in your face!)

And I guess by now you've noticed that I put a Warning on this thing too, thought I had better before I got shut down. I do try and keep the language tame, you should hear me speak these days.

I will post a picture of the hair in a couple of days, it is getting in that ridiculous stage right now where I look like a chia pet. (My brothers know whereof I speak, one o' my nieces too.) But I shall endeavor to rise above it all.

And here I only thought I was going to give a couple of sentences about the guy in the bathrobe...

Oh and yes it is starting to get warm. Someone said it was "Hot" today...I laughed in their face.

Cheers,
g

"Turn & Face the Strain"

Keeping with the Change theme, thought I'd throw in a little Bowie.
So what Change is there now? You may ask. Not much really, I'd just heard that everyone couldn't comment on the blog, so I made some Changes. Try it out, you might have noticed the Parental Advisory too, fact is I couldn't remember if I swore in this thing at all or not and I didn't want to get shut down. Wouldn't want to deny what the public is clamouring for would I?
I thought I had something but then I realized that I didn't so this will be short. I will have some pictures of the progress on my hair sooner or later. The thing is that I already need a haircut, that is the hardest part I think, having to get my hair cut so much. But I will endeavor to do my best here.
Also I went out during the dust storm and took a couple of pictures. Wish I could accurately describe the taste it leaves in one's mouth. I will work on that too I suppose, got nothing but time really...
Cheers,
g

The Winds of Change

Today the Wind blew in a little bit of dust, a true Sign of the Times that Winter is almost over. It have been in the 70's for the last few days. The orange tinted sky and the taste of grit in my mouth were another sign. Soon we won't see the 70's again until "round midnight" and then we can "let is all hang out." I took a couple of pictures but will post them when i have taken some of a clear sky (someone remind me to do that tomorrow) so you can tell the difference.

Another change is coming...to do with my head.

I realized that i haven't combed my hair in like 10 years, so I have set a goal for myself to have enough to comb by the Time I leave here. The tween Times will be the most difficult to handle, for me at least (I know they really won't even touch anyone else, but hey its my blog and I'll rant if I want to) you know when there is just nothing you can do with it, where it looks a bit porcupiney "Pinning for the pork of my Porcupine." But the goals and the small things are what keep us sane, so wish me luck. (More luck than I've had with keeping this page up to date anyway.) And I promise some pictures of the progress. I've been noticing more and more gray lately, mainly on the sides for that Reed Richards look, how very debonair.

So now as we say goodbye to the mud and the rain, as the Wind blows in the heat and the dust, all we can do is try and enjoy the Iraqi Spring. It usually lasts about two weeks so have to get on that the best we can.

Can you say, "Block Party?"


Cheers,
g

Think I Need It Too

So maybe my last post was a little on the melancholy side. Hard not to get that way once in awhile 'round here. And I meant everything that I said, except if it made it seem like I can get over it that quick. I can't, I don't... get over it not in a minute or hour or, ever...until.
But you do what you can to keep going. This one here well the title says it all to most, others...well you really should get out more. Anyway has become sort of mine and Jennifer's "Song" among the hundreds of others. Hopefully this rendition doesn't sicken anyone's stomach, I working with pretty primitive equipment here (you know, for posting it on a blog from my trailer in Iraq and all) and it's my first at delving into public internet video. Either way it don't matter...
This one is for you baby, hopefully it is a good surprise.
"Whatever you want, whatever you need"
Cheers,
g