Taking Requests

With so much going on I have failed to mention that help has arrived. Tom's replacement is now here. He actually arrived last Thursday and life is good, again. Everyday is like a half day. I workout regularly, return people's emails, call my honey-bunny almost every night, and even cook (hot dogs on the grill).

I still haven't heard any word on my redeployment date. Tentatively it is 24 March, but realistically a lot depends on my replacement's arrival date. I have begun the process of sorting my stuff and shipping things back to the states. One box last week, one box this week, and one footlocker the week after that. The days, that once were crawling, are passing faster and faster. These last few weeks will be a blur.

I am taking requests, what do you want to see? Things I may take for granted, you might be wondering about. This will give me the opportunity to answer your questions directly with pictures or investigate before I leave.

A Toast

I told you it was hectic Sunday, so I took Monday off...from the blog. I was busy playing host to Joe B. He was here to upgrade some of my computer systems. He finished early and Sunday I gave him "the tour". That was what took up all my time Sunday and caused me to play catch up yesterday.

We toured the paved roads, the dirt roads, the chow hall, and laundry mat, pretty exciting stuff. After that I took him to 7-11 (a haji store) and the monastery (pictured below). The monastery was the highlight. It dates back to 595 A.D. You have to make a reservation with the Chaplain and it last about 1.5-2 hours. It is pretty impressive.

It got all hectic in the evening. Joe's flight for the next day got canceled, but there was a space-A flight that night (within the hour). We ran back to the shop to gather his things. I dropped him off just in time to find the flight was delayed.

Since we had time, I ran to get him something to eat. I returned with the food to find the laptop he was finishing up some last minute work died. I had to run back to work, pick up the AC adapter before he left. Long, more dramatic, story short, I bring the adapter just in time for him to restart a program and then he was gone.

I am out of breath just retelling the story.

(Was that a good enough excuse for missing a day on the blog?)

Mosul Airfield Mosque

Sorry about the late post. Today was hectic, not busy, just hectic. I was hosting a visitor and a lot happened in a short period (more on that tomorrow). I started this post, but couldn't find time to finish it until today, 26 Feb. Uploading pictures is harder than it looks.

The three pictures below are of the airfield mosque down the street from where I've been coming to work for the past 5 months. It belonged to the civilian airfield in Mosul prior to 2003. It has since been closed.

The photograph below was taken from across the street.

This one was taken from within the mosque baha (Arabic for "open space" or "courtyard")

This one is of the entrance. Notice the English, "The Airfield Mosque" (left to right) , and the Arabic (from right to left).

Diamondback Graffiti

I think the habit part is a bit much, borderline brainwashing. It should read, "Standards lead to discipline and with discipline all things are possible." I would buy into that.

Fun Fact: It takes 30 days to form a pattern and 90 days to form a habit.

The Other Door

Have you ever wondered where the back door to the batcave is? It could be a question I only ask, but...I'm going to show you anyways.

It's here...352 Batcave...Mosul, Iraq. I walk by "the batcave" every morning on my way to breakfast. The reason the door is labeled as such is because of the bats that fly in and out of the small holes beneath the overhang.

I haven't seen any bats, just birds, but how cool is that?!?!

Casie, I guess I'm not the only comic book nerd in Mosul. :-)

Third Time's A Charm

Yep, you probably guessed it, but I fell again. And yes, this is my third fall this deployment. Casie jinxed me in her comment yesterday. The picture above is the scene of the incident. If you look at the bottom-center of the picture you will see some loose dirt. That is where an embedded tile or cinder block was. You will also see some matted grass on the right side. That is from my dive.

Once again, due to my quick reflexes I saved my face and the grass saved my hands from further scaring. The thing that tripped me has since been removed (by me).

In baseball, it's three strikes, "you're out." Maybe this is a sign my deployment is winding down.

Drying Out

The mud is starting to disappear. I know it will not be for long, but it feels good not to be sloshing around everywhere you go.

I wonder what this sign said before the mud?

And I Thought...

...my hair was short.

Maybe Britney Spears is joining the military? Or, short hair does feel nice. The opposite sex is always touching my head of hair.

By the way Martinez, Britney is off my list. It's official now.

Tin Man

Today I went for a run for the first time in 25 days! (Yikes, has it really been that long?)

Nothing too ambitious, a short 30:00 minutes run, plus a 5:00 minute cool down (600 calories though!). I felt like a tin man working the rust out of my joints. The good news is I didn't gain any weight in those 25 days. In fact, I lost a pound.

I guess working your butt off does burn calories, just not very fast.

Cravings of a Deployed Airman

Since about DD 90 I've been getting these strong cravings for certain foods. It started off with the obvious things; steak, pizza, or a Moe's burrito ("welcome to Moe's"). But now they are turning into something entirely different. My latest craving is for salami, a food I rarely even eat at home. I imagine these are the cravings women feel during their pregnancy.

Luckily this last craving was an easy fill. My parents sent me a small summer sausage that I received today. I really didn't need it, but being the best parents in the world, they sent it right away. I am sure my dad told the postal clerk the care package was for very important government business. ;-)

They also sent Valentine cookies for the (cookie) monster in me, a package of Payday candy bars, jerky, some magazines, and a DVD for my fever, my baseball fever that is. Spring training started this week for pitchers and catchers! More on that tomorrow.

Thank you Mom and Dad!

DD - Deployment Day (another of my made up words/phrases)

The 'Beck' Iraqi Valentine's Day Ever!

Valentine's Day away from your sweetheart can be hard, but receiving about 100 valentines from a local elementary school you grew up near helps. The 4th graders at Beck Centennial Elementary in Macomb, Michigan not only sent valentines, but they sent enough candy hearts, chocolate, magazines, and books for an Army. All the cards were very encouraging. I received "Strong Hi 5's", a "good luck pom-pom", "keep your hopes up", games and prayers.

After I finished reading them, I wallpapered my walls at work...

...and the door into my office.

You forget that people, besides your family and friends, actually appreciate the things we do over here.

Thank you Beck Centennial Elementary 4th graders!

Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood

Lately I've been on a french toast kick for breakfast and it got me thinking. I've been eating french toast for two weeks now and I maybe getting spoiled. I mean where else can you get the selection of food available to me for 180 days straight? (and for free?)

For breakfast I get to choose from 10 different cereals, french toast, "real" blueberry pancakes, regular pancakes, waffles, omelets, eggs, burritos, sausage, bacon, ham, oatmeal, grits, fresh fruit, donuts, danishes, muffins, and a huge selection of juices.

For lunch I get to choose from grilled cheese, cheese burgers, lunch meat, egg rolls, salad, fruit, all types of soda, soup, baked potato bar, and hot meals (like chicken dumplings, chicken nuggets, meat loaf, etc). Oh and there is ice cream, pies, cake, and cookies for desert.

For dinner I get to choose from all the selections at lunch, plus stir fry.

There are many things you miss while being away from home, but hunger is not one of them in Iraq. But, some Pizza Hut sure sounds good though. :-)

Desk-ing It

Below is a quick picture from my photo excursion on Sunday.

Another day behind the desk, "desking it" (I create new words in the little spare time I have). It is strange to think, not even five years ago, that an Iraqi Army soldier may have been working in the same building I now call my home away from home.

Setting Sun

The weather has been great here lately. After four straight days of rain last week, the clouds broke and it has been in the lower 60s during the day. I don't get out much, except for chow and the restroom, but I did managed to break away from my desk to catch a sunset.

The sun setting behind the Mosul Airport Mosque on Sunday.

A few minutes later...

More on the mosque to come later this week. I am still sorting through the pictures.

I'm Still Here!

I'm still here, just extremely busy. I am sure you miss my entries as much as I miss your comments every morning I log on.

So what have I been missing? I know the Detroit Pistons acquired Chris Webber and are 9-2 since he entered the starting line-up. I also know the Wings are looking good. Someone in my office said the Grammy Awards were on last night, how were they? I didn't get a chance to watch any of the Superbowl or the commercials. What were your favorite? I know I am all over the place, but I really haven't had much time to think outside of work related issues.

I did manage to sneak out of the office for a half hour yesterday to take some pictures. Look for them this week! I miss you all!

My Linguist Has Arrived!

I've been begging and pleading for a linguist since day 61, when my first linguist, Majed was re-tasked. It is day 137, but now, finally, I have a linguist to call my very own.

Sam Said arrived to Mosul on Tuesday and is a great addition to my team, of me (because there is "m" and "e" in the word team). Don't get me wrong, I would love to be a team player, but you need teammates.

I know the blog entries have been short and somewhat boring. I haven't been doing much living. I work, eat, and sleep. I try to watch some TV on DVD before bed to unwind. Right now it's Scrubs season two that's my nighttime entertainment.

For the first time in three weeks I am caught up. I don't know what to do with myself. It may take a few days to get my creative juices flowing again.

Just a Castaway...

...an island lost at sea, oh

Well, as many of you know, I have been working by myself for the past three weeks. Every time I am told someone is headed my way to assist me they are redirected. This morning I was told two more weeks before help arrives. I am preforming the job of three people everywhere else (how does that work?). Grrr

I am beginning to feel like a castaway. Soon I'll be forgotten.

Oh well, I am just venting my frustration. Sending my S.O.S. to the world.

Here Comes the Mud Again

No matter how busy I am, I am never too busy for the mud.

My boots were 5 lbs heavier and my feet were gasping for air. Of course I didn't get out of them until 10:00 pm, hence no blog entry yesterday. It has been raining since Sunday and today I heard my first Iraqi thunder storm.

Pictured below are my boots from yesterday.

The picture doesn't really do them justice.

Rubber Duckie

More pictures from yesterday. These were taken after breakfast on my way back to work. It looks like snow, but it's suds. I have no idea the source of the soap, but strange, none-the-less.

The street...

The fence line. It almost appears like the suds are pushing in the chain link fence.

The bubbles up close. (sorta looks like a pile of snow)

For some reason Ernie, from Sesame Street, singing the Rubber Duckie song popped into my head. Enjoy!

Ernie - Rubber Duckie (right click to save mp3)

I'm Sailing Away

It started raining last night. This is what I saw when I opened my door this morning.

Second door from the left, 31, is mine.

Remember, when you were a kid, that game at the jungle gym where the ground was lava and you couldn't touch it? I felt like I was in an action adventure movie trying to get to the showers. I had to carefully plan the jump from plank to plank, making sure not to touch the contaminated water (only in my mind...I hope). I also didn't want to slip and fall on my face again. Stephanie, a co-worker of mine, says if I fall one more time I will officially be 'clumsy'. We don't want that, right Case? ;-)

There is no sewer system here, so I can see how it would flood quickly, but it has rained before and it never flooded. I have a one question, where does the water go? Maybe I've start an algae garden.

How many of you caught my Styx reference in the title?

The 40s

I've made it to the 40s! 48 days until I'll be back headed back to the states! I can't believe how fast time flies when your working your butt off. My job isn't hard, like when I was on the briefing team, but it's time consuming and monotonous.

I feel like I am working "in the zone" now. I finally have a system that has been working. Don't get me wrong I miss Tom and think I should get a replacement body. Right now its 15-16 hour days every other day. No work outs, no showers, no eating, no fun.

Just kidding about the shower (its the only thing that wakes me up) and eating thing. Big thanks to Easy Mac, chocolate, and Stephanie (my food-picker-upper).

Keeping Your Head Down

Being deployed you hear a lot of, "keep your head down" from people. What does that even mean? I always thought, "heads up" was a better phrase. It helps you stay alert. Well I found out about the "heads down" thing the other day.

Every morning I walk from my morning meeting to breakfast. I enjoy these walks because they give me a chance to plan out my busy day. My head was down because I was watching for puddles from the rain the previous night. It is amazing how much garbage is around considering it is a Army post. (I guess they aren't as clean as us Air Force). About three-quarters into my "planning" I walked over an iTunes gift card and almost left it, but something told me I should pick it up (I have no idea why). When I flipped the card over it was unscratched. It was a $15 iTunes gift certificate, unused. - Casie what are the odds?

The moral of the story; it pays to keep your head down. :-)

It's the little things that keep you going. Ya know?

Up Laughing

Okay, short story time. The other night I woke up laughing, compliments of my mom. I was dreaming of my mom shopping at the farm I worked on growing up. She was at a deep bin reaching for a watermelon at the bottom. As she was bending over on her tippy toes, her feet lost their grip and she was headed face first into the bin. She caught herself and was teeter-tottering until she could redistribute her weight toward her feet. She then looked around to see if anyone saw.

It caused me to wake up and I found my self laughing...hard.

It's funny the things that come to mind when your away from home for so long. I love you mom, thanks for the laugh. I miss you!