How Much for the Pain?

So the other day (29 January) was my daughter's birthday. She's 18 now, how crazy is that? I know it may not seem like I talk about her much, but that is 'cos of the pain mainly. See, she hasn't really talked to me in like 3 years and it just hurts. Everyday, every hour, etc, etc, hole in my heart, all that.

But enough melancholy, I just wanted to say, "Happy Birthday Raven!" And to share the fact that she is still here with me. That is her on the left, Polly in the middle, and Jennifer and I on the right. They all sit on my nightstand so that i can say "hello" in the morning and "goodnight" when i turn off the light.

That's it for now, if you know her give her a call and say "Happy Birthday" and let her know that her Dad loves her. Public pain, what more could the average reader ask for?

Cheers,
g

Contradictions

Okay, observation of the day...
Seems like most (take that however you like it) of the people around me are all into "Doing PT (physical training), hooah!" nothing wrong that. I wish I had time or energy to do more myself. Then again...
So the problem is that they like look down on you if you don't get all crazy like they do. Heaven forbid you should have to work. I mean sometimes work is more than pushing stuff off on other people. So they are all "PT, Hooah!" and whatever, and here comes the contradiction. They can't be bothered to walk across the hall and get a piece of paper off the printer, oh God Almighty save us all if they had to walk to Someone Else's desk to get the phone. So they will run around the lake a hundred times, lift a million pounds, and do P-90X or whatever sometimes starting in the middle of the freaking day and yet they wouldn't think of walking to another desk, across the hall...much their trailer, chow, or to the laundry.
Go figure.
And then there's the fact that I have probably spent hours of this deployment (during "duty hours") at my desk, while they have probably spent days if not months. I wish I had a timer that I could keep track of my time spent there. Fact is though I would probably have to get up so much and sometimes so fast that I would forget to check in or out. So the Hell with it.
We as humans are a big steaming pile of contradictions, this is just one more example.

"This certainly is a nice hand-basket," said the Traveler.

"Yes only the best for where we are going," replied the Porter.

"Oh," exclaimed the Traveler, interest piqued. "And where would that be?"

The Porter just smiled.

Cheers,
g

So Much For Resolutions...

Or as Tracey Chapman might say, "Talkin' 'bout a resolution."
I know that was a reach, but what are you going to do? I never really called it a resolution to come here and update the adoring public, but it still feels like I blew it. That is what those things are really for though, breaking. Regardless and even though I really have nothing to say, here I am.
I wish I had more something to go on a rant on something but, I really have nothing. Oh I just slapped at a mosquito, hit my ear, and it is still ringing (does that count?) but the mosquito is still flying around unscathed.
Must procure deep thoughts from somewhere...(Er uhm well...) well next time will surely be better.
Cheers,
g

...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