Day 62 - Busy Around Here

So its been a busy few days. I have bee helping Weaver setup several commercial Internet satellite dishes around the base. He rents out bandwidth to people so they can have regular Internet. My fee for helping him is that I get Internet for free. I also got a semi-new computer out of the deal. Its a lot of work up front. We had to setup the network and put all the equipment in place. Now we are adding users.

Monday night we had the worst sand storm yet. It came at night but lasted till Wednesday morning. Monday night was so bad, it stirred up the dust in the wooden building I am in. Sand here is nick-named moon dust. It is a fine powder similar to flour. Well, it can set off a smoke alarm. In fact it set off all the smoke alarms in the hallway Monday night. Of course not all at once. I awoke to one going off at 130am. Another some later point of time. Finally the last one went off and I had enough. The other two I got up and shut them down. This last one I laid there for 10 minutes hoping someone else would take a turn. NOPE! So I made sure everyone else shared in my misery. I stomped down the hall (hollow wooden floor) snatched it off the wall and yanked the battery out. Then I tossed it to the ground and stomped back. Yeah, I know, childish, but I was sleep deprived and grumpy!

Tuesday night we had an impromptu Poker game since Chris Knight is going home for vacation. I won again! Seems my luck is kicking back in. I told Chris too bad, I know he had hopes of winning so he had some spending money for the trip.

Tonight I spent some time playing Halo 3 on legendary mode. Man that is a hard game! After that I had some server maintenance to do (YES! I actually had some work to do!!!) Late night but no major issues.

I'll upload a few more pictures later, one Marine got an Easter basket in the mail. I know Mom's are their own person but plastic eggs with stickers to decorate them. This ain't the Marine Corp I expected!?! He also received a chocolate bunny. Well I think it was supposed to be a bunny. It had melted and reformed to the shape of the bag that held it. Mail takes about 2 weeks to reach us here. I don't think it gets an air conditioned ride either!

Enough for now,

Chris

Day 59 - What a Day

Helped the new mail guys unload three Iso's of mail. It was hard work but what was difficult was keeping the brilliant minds of the military from making the task a lot harder than it needed to be. Had one Staff Sergent that was not pleased to be told a better way of doing things by some civilian. Oh well, he will get over it.

So much for a day of rest. I went from that to chow to the poker game. No big winning streak at this point. Time for bed.

G'night all!

Day 56 - Jackpot

Well tonight was our mid week game of Texas Hold'em. I pulled off a win with an Ace and 10 off suit. Very cool.

The rest of the day was busy with server work. Our racks are missing the rails for each server so I am having the Seabees make something that will work to space out the servers. Seabees are the Navy's answer to Mr Fix It.

Overall, it was a great day.

Hope your's is just as great!

Day 54 - Hakuna Matata

Just when I think the Marines I work with can't get any weirder, they take it to a whole new level. Today Coon decided to dress up like Batman. He wore a trash bag over the main part of his body. He used paper towels for the belt and for the mask. He even stapled paper to make ears. The funny thing is, everyone else helped him find things for his utility belt. Wow, is all I can say. Yes folks, it's a bit boring out here.

Today I wasn't bored. I actully had work to do. I started rebuilding some of the servers to optimize how they are setup. Typical government equipment, I had to borrow from another to get the main one working. The main thing is that it worked.

While walking into the chow hall I thought I heard someone say Hakuna Matata. Then on my way to sit down I heard it again. By the time I left the chow hall I was singing the song from the Lion King. Weaver was ready to strangle me. We have some Ugandas here on base and they kept saying it to each other tonight. I had to smile because "Hakuna Matata" and "Never Tell Me The Odds," have always been two of my mottos. I forgot that this last year. It's good to be back.

Take Care Everybody

Chris

PS, Check yourself, if you are not wearing green at the moment you ready this, pinch yourself for me. And for God's sake will someone kiss me, I'm Irish!!! Oh wait, that's right, Scottish...Never mind!

Day 51 - A Change

You know, for the longest time I wondered, how do you get past a problem. At what point are you heading out of the problem and back to normal? Is it possible to be stuck at a point so far from normal, that you may never get back? How do you know when things are back to normal?

I feel a weight lifting today. I was given a message, or at least a cloud lifted so that I could see something a little clearer. They say that history has a way of repeating itself unless we truly understand what was done wrong in the past. We can learn from the past if we open our eyes.

Sorry to be all cryptic folks. Just know that I feel a whole lot better about the future. I just had to look at my past and be willing to learn from it.

Goodnight all, I hope you sleep as sound as I will tonight.

Day 50 - Internet Issues

Wow, a few days of no internet can make a guy crazy. I have it it just is so slow nothing works and web pages time out. I'm working on the issue though.

Yesturday was a bit to exciting as well. I had to play mediator between one of my co workers and one of the other contractors out here. Lets just say there is only room for one bald guy in the odd couple. We had to split them up. Can't we all just get along?

Doing good otherwise. Catch you guys later.

Day 47 - Looking good for the brass

Today was almost uneventful. We had Two Colonels and a Master Sergent visit the office today. All Marines, but they forgave me for being prior Army. All the Marines I work with were a bit nervous. I am so glad I dont have to deal with that anymore.

Day 46 - Just another Monday

Spent the day helping Weaver take over the internet services for part of the base. He now has three satelite dishes and runs three seperate ISPs here. I am going to help him manage one of them.

Got to play some poker tonight. Didn't win but had fun.

Day 45 - Cleaning Day

So another simple day off. Cleaned things up in my room, Vacumed. Watched Hitman and Die Hard. Started playing Fallout 3.

I shaved my face clean today. Got a haircut. I told the guys I work with that if I heard another old man joke, I would shave and look younger than most of them. I always love doing this. People get use to how you look. They tend to freakout when you change like this. It's nothing new for anyone that knows me. Heck, I plan on growing it right back out. Maybe I'll go for a full beard. Who Knows?!?

Chris

Day 44 - Just another day

Nothing exciting today. Went to work then came back to my room and watched "The Ref" and "Die Hard 4.0"

Im getting my first Iraqi cold. Just a runny nose at this point. I'm taking vitamis and taking it easy. Hopefully it wont be much more than it already is.

Enjoy your weekend!

Chris

Day 43 - Poker again?

So today some of my co-workers got a hair up the tail to build a poker table for our Sunday night game. They did a gret job. It's big enough for 8 players to sit comfortably. Everyone can reach the center easily enough. They even found a thin blanket to give it a felt-like top. Of course when they finished we had to try it out. I didnt win tonight but it was fun.

Day 42 - I accept your challenge!

Tonight was Ellie's BBQ. Ellie is a local that lives and work on base with us. He has a BBQ from time to time. Tonight, I was challenged to a HoneyBun eating contest. One minute to eat a cold honeybun. I needed about 30 more seconds. Dean is a champ at this and beat me with time to spare. I have a new found respect for this kid. Well, not really but I tell him that to make him feel better. Great food and good fun.

Other things of interest I saw today, we have a crew of bomb sniffing/attack dogs on site with us. These very well trained dogs attack on command. Well it seems that a normal thing is for a marine to suit up and be the attackie. They actually request to be the "Dummy." I was offered and passed. Something about only having the jacket and the dogs can go for necks and legs help me decide on passing. I took a few pics and added them to flickr.

Still mourning the hard drive crash. Working on shipping in a replacement. Dont ask my opinion of Seagate at the moment.

Day 41 - System malfunction!!!

I don't know about my luck with computers. Today the only exciting thing to report is my 500 gig Media hard drive is toast! All my pictures I brought, TV and movie, all gone. The messed up thing is i unplugged it yesterday and left it still and unplugged for the day. so it's not shock or electrical damage. It just decided today to stop working. The worst part of it is that I bought it in January.

Joy.

Day 40 - I Got Mail!!!

So after I posted yesturday and sat back to watch Die Hard 1 on my computer, I made it about half way when the power to my Hutt went out. Upon going outside to investigate I see a bunch of people down by the post office. When I get there I see some of my fellow ITT guys helping the Marines sort mail. The whole, rain, sleet, snow, blah, blah thing doesnt apply here. Nor does being closed on Sunday. We have had a lot of sandstomrs lately and that can hold up the convoys. The mail is trucked in so if the convoy doesnt go neither does the mail. We get mail about every three days. This particular day we got three sets of mail or ruffly nine days of mail all at once. I took some pictures and then addd myself to the help. The nice thing was that I got a package today. The wife sent me some items I asked for and some she added herself.

I now have my xbox 360 so my evenings will pass by very quick now. Look out Sean, I'm gonna catch up on gamer points now! I got a couple of things of deoderant and such. Chritina included a bottle of Sunflowers because she know the effects it has on me. It's nice to be able to smell something that brings me home. I also got a Hard Drive with copies of my TV shows I am missing. That should keep me busy for a while.

I have added more photos to my flickr account. Some of them are of my new home. I moved in this weekend to my own room. Well its t least four walls and a door. Think a wooden motel 6. Its about the size of my old office and I have my own heat/cold control. I have power, internet, a tv, fridge, and microwave. All but the power i had to supply but at least its home. I have finally unpacked and can relax in a space I call my own. Its noisier than where I was but I can sleep with earplugs. The neighbor loves to play local music loud enough for all to hear, so I have introduced her to AC/DC at a sound level that says I will win if you want to challenge my tollerance for noise.

All in all, not a bad weekend or Monday for that matter. The guys I work with were nice enough to add a phone line to my room. I dont have a number that anyone outside of the military could call but I can call out without having to wait in line to use a phone that has a 30 min time limit. Of course this means the troops here can call anytime they need help but thats what I am here for.

Well, Goodnight all.

Day 39 - March 1st

So I should start with an apology. I haven't really been in the mood to write anything here. For that matter call or chat with many either. It's no ones fault, as you know I am an emotional person so dealing with being over here is weird at times. I miss everyone very much but there are times when the actions of some really make me want to shut off the rest of the world. Please don't assume my wife, she is the one I have still been talking to during this time away from the blog. I want to thank those of you that check in on this blog. It is nice to know that I am missed.

I said I would be honest with my feelings when I started this blog. I'm shocked with the way some people have decided to support me. When someone points out that God will forgive me if I divorce my wife, that through me for a loop. So much for "Till death do us part." My self isolation while here mainly comes from those of you out there that choose to tell me that I should leave my wife. Some think I came out here to make leaving her easier. Some think I will lose her because I came out here. Some are still worried that I was forced to come here and it will be the end of me. Is it so hard to ask for support in my choices? No one out there can possibly understand why I am still by my wife's side. Most of you see the pain I have been through and still go through because of the issues between me and my wife. Heck, there are times when I wonder why I am still here. Not here in Iraq either. By her side.

Christina is the most precious thing in my life. Her smile is intoxicating. She is so strong willed and determined. After all my mother has gone through in life I never thought I would find another spirit so strong. It is amazing to see someone so strong feel that they are weak. The pain I am going through comes from the fear that I have lost her. Many times in the last year I have been selfish, focusing on that fear to the point I am demanding she not focus on herself and love me. The hardest part is understanding a problem and knowing their is very little I can do about it. Christina isn't hurting me, I am. My Father once said that "Love is the absence of Fear." My wife still loves me. She feels she is weak because of some failures in her life. Her fear of those failures has made her question everything in her life. She is on a quest now to find herself. The only thing I can do is support her on this quest. I have faith that she will be at my side when she completes this quest. There is one other thing I can do, ignore the fear I feel. Because that fear is the only thing that makes me question my love.

All I ask of anyone is that you support Christina on her quest. Give her love and help her realize that she is strong enough to do this. You may not appreciate what she appears to be doing but remember, hate will not help. I hate to quote Yoda on this but Hate, Fear, and Anger are paths to the dark side. Only Love will get us anywhere we want to be. In the end we are all family and friends, how we get there is very important. The ends never justify the means.

Sorry for the serious note but as I said, I want to be honest about what's going on in my life. For now, its Sunday and my day off! Time to watch the Die Hard Quadrilogy and have some Pumpkin Pie.

PS. Did I mention they have pumpkin pie at lunch and diner everyday? Don't worry Mom, it's not as good as yours. But it will due.