...Thy Neighbor...

You're supposed to love them right? And I guess you can say I do, if for nothing else there is the fact that I never have to worry about making too much noise. Why, you may ask? Well Matt and I live next to a couple of Civilian Contractors (that in general is a blog for another day, but bear with me) and they do their own thing (putting it lightly {and again, more on Contractors in general later.})
So they keep strange hours, one day I happened to be home around 1000 and they came like they'd just worked a full day and maybe not seen each other, when I'd heard them leave sometime around 0800. And evidently they don't know how to talk to each other, they just know how to yell, not mad yell, but like, "we're about 100 meters away and I'm afraid you won't be able to hear me" yelling. First thing in the morning, late at night, strange times in the middle of the day it doesn't matter they just yell.
Not just at each other though, also on the phone (or computer chat, or whatever) they have no volume lower than 11. I know more bout these folks than any neighbor should, up to and including: stupid facts about movies..."could you believe it at the end where they killed that guy with a rock" ( I don't even pretend to know what movie they were talking about), to gift certificates, to "you look good, you'd look even better without any clothes on" (I know shudder), I could go on and on, but I start to get creeped out.
Oh and when they drop something I half expect it to roll into our room (yes it is that loud, the walls are super thin, but c'mon...really.) And then there is the fact that they evidently play two radios all night long; one with Techno and the other on AFN, The Eagle (where if you heard it yesterday, you'll probably hear it again today.
So like I said, I have nothing to fear as far as making noise goes. 'Cos really if they were to ever pound on the wall, or come over here all I would say is...

"Really?!?!?"

So there you go..."Love thy neighbor" 'cos what else are you going to do?
Cheers,
g

Wait for the Wheel

Someone, somewhere once said, "Life is like a great big wheel, and it keeps spinning 'round. And of course we are attached to it. Sometimes it lifts you incredibly high, other times it grinds you into the ground, crushes you." That being said, all any of use really have to do is Wait for the Wheel. Of course that can be a bit of a "double-edged sword" since if you wait for it to lift you up, that's great...being positive and all. But if you wait for it to grind then you're "being negative."

I like to think of it as Realistic, but who am I? Fact is you've got to prepare yourself for it I guess, while during the grind it can be comforting to know that there will always be an upswing, if you focus on the grind while up...See what I mean, you can't win. But you can, and you will, but chances are you will always lose too. Such is Life.

So Wait for the Wheel. Either way at least there will be Change. Something we always think we can rely on after all, "All that ever stays the same is Change." And then you find yourself somewhere like here, and well...Six Mondays and a Sunday.

Now don't go thinking that I am being morose or writing this for any reason that I promised that I would do better about this thing, and did promise to explain the Wheel...so no deeper or hidden meaning. Just me being me.

Oh, and five bucks to whomever can come up with the "Wheel" reference that I have paraphrased here.

Cheers,
g

I Really Should Do Better

Wish I had some good excuse, but I don't. Not really there was the whole sinus infection thing, and everyone is always busy. Busy living or busy dying, or "just tryin' to survive" so "Polly put the kettle on" from here forward I will (try at least to) do better.

There's so much to say and yet there really isn't. I guess if you haven't "been there and done that" it might not seem like it. It might actually be fascinating, or seem so. And there are days, but beyond that there are hours. And like Indiana Jones said, "It's not the years sweetheart, it's the mileage."
Right now I just want to go to sleep and probably should 'cos when its 2355 and you have to get up and do it all over again at 0500...But it's all about "living" I guess, you need to do something besides work and eat and sleep and do it all over it again. Oh and shit, unless it is that point in the cycle where you just can't..."wait for the wheel" though and soon you'll be able to do nothing else. More on the wheel later maybe, perhaps one in ten got the reference, so it might bear going over at somepoint. It fits, not just here but life in general. Someday remind me and I will do my best to make some sense.
I do have some Christmas pics, since my lovely wife thought (and rightly so) that I probably needed a little Holiday somethingorother (and knew that I wouldn't on my own) sent me one package that I am actually able to open up before Christmas. I sure do love her. So I will share two with y'all now. One is of a little red Christmas tree that lights up, hard as Hell to get a picture of though (my hands tend to shake) and the other is my prepacked stocking (no I didn't take stuff out it was sent that way so I didn't cheat at all) Hope enjoy, I know it made a little difference in my life. Did I mention how much I love my wife?
I guess that isn't too bad for not being here in forever...
Cheers,
g

File Me Under Super Geek

So you may call me a big Super Geek, but if nothing else my time off recuperating has brought me back to an original love.
Farscape
If you don't know what it is find out, go somewhere, you tube, scifi.com, hulu, Ali's DVD Emporium and find out. One of the best shows to ever grace television, period. Before it's time, underappreciated, way to smart for the average Boob Tube watcher.
So I may be a Super Geek, but at least I've got good taste. I only brought a few DVDs with me; some Doctor Who, The Return of the King, and Farscape. And baby life couldn't be better. I actually get excited about something, so label me if you have to but, Fascape Lives. Frell me dead!
Cheers,
g

Sorry, I Haven't Been Here In Awhile

What can I say, sometimes work drags you off in directions you cannot predict. Other times you end up with a Railroad Spike in your head. Figuratively of course. That is what the sinus infection felt like anyway. Today it is more like a knife. Jennifer said she hopes tomorrow feels like a pencil, I guess I have to take that as a good thing, right?
So as not to go on and on about the pain and all the fun that it brings, we'll just move on. To what though, I don't know. I have some ideas in my head but they are going to take way, way more concentration than I have yet. For lack of anything better then I will start something that I hope makes sense eventually...

Picture me Alone
With or without everything I've know
Watch it slip through my fingers
Somewhere between the dust and the Road
Lost more than I've gained
While along the Way

Cheers,
g

Thankfulness

Today we say thanks, for what we have, and from here what we have not as well. So without further ado...thanks.

First off I need to say how thankful I am for my wife, who has changed my life (it’s almost like I should rhyme again, but I will resist) and for all the support she has given me. It is hard to put it all in a couple of sentences and all I can really do is let her know that I will keep on being thankful, and doing my best to show her that for the rest of our lives.

Next come Family and friends back home who’ve been there for me (and are still there for me, they are just there and I am here) who I can’t look in the eye, wrap my arms around, and say thank you to. You all know who you are, so pat yourself on the back and know that I am grateful for you all and your support and love.

Now I have to say thanks to some others (they don’t read this yet, but I should probably tell them about it sometime) namely my crew here. I couldn’t ask for a better bunch. And I can smile to myself a little when I think about that. You see there were so many things that I said, “Never again” about after last deployment. I had a dream of a team, or a Family, and knew that when I had to do this again (Jennifer will no doubt notice that I didn’t say “if”) that is what had to be built. And from the top to the bottom, from side to side, and however else you want to call it, there isn’t a finer bunch. They make me proud every day. The way they work, the way we stand together, the way that we know and think of each other at each and every turn. I hope they know when I tell them, “Thanks” and “Good job” and “Y’all make me proud” etc. that I mean that with all that I am. So here’s to the Ox, Caveman, Stacker, Snapper, Robo, Blackout, Papa Smurf, and the Ma’am. Cheers Six, and thanks. You are my Family and my friends and yes (to get all sappy) I love you all. Now get back to work.

And I would be wholly remiss if I didn’t mention Those Guys, my bandmates. Thanks for helping to keep me sane, and making something that regardless of whatever else is going on is something good. Something that is ours. Thanks to Matt, the Bomber, Sprad, David, and Maturin.

Last, but not least to all my other friends and Family here suffering every step of the way together. To the 49^th, for all its good and bad and otherwise is a part of my life that I am proud of. Like it or not we are a Family, with all that comes with it. To name a few (there is no way I would even try to name them all, but they know who they are) Arne, Tim, Top, Cedric, Missy, Jonothan, Sophie, Trevor, Keith, Naz, Jose, Daniel...it’s hard to tell when to stop. Please don’t anybody feel left out my brain kinda hurts here. Thank you all for all that you do...here and there, Family and friends.

Cheers,

g

So the Vacation Is Over

Yep as you will see from recent photos the Vacation From Myself is over. First to go was the hair, it is just too much work to get it cut by a "professional" that and it just takes too long. Used to was, where we were before I could wander over to the "Barber" and get a quick cut. Also, and maybe this is rose-coloured glasses here but, it didn't seem like there were a thousand dudes all looking to get their haircut at the exact same moment as me. I take that back, lines sucked then don't get me wrong that is one thing that never changes, no good comes from standing in the queue. Maybe it was easier last time just to say "Forget it," and walk away. Nowadays it might be days before I get the proper amount of time and getupandgo (for lack of a better term) to actually get it done. So gone is the hair, it is too easy for me to just hit it with the clippers every couple of days.
Next came the 'stache, not that having to shave more or less of my face makes really any difference, but I think only Pirates can pull off the no hair and mustache look. Just not me, maybe I'll get bored again and try something new, but really my choices are pretty limited.
I'll post a picture in a couple of days, but whatever. The amazing thing is that you get all these geeky looks and comments, even though I've had little or no hair and no mustache way more than I have had them, yet it seems like a big deal to some people. I guess I should just be glad that they noticed. Talked to a guy the other day (no names please) and he said he shaved off his mustache the other day for the first time in like 20 years, and only 2 people commented (myself being one, natch) either way, what are you going to do.
Cheers,
g