Archive for December, 2007

• His name is quite hard to pronounce

  Date: 2007.12.31 | Category: videos | Response: 1

• Leaving

  Date: 2007.12.31 | Category: Life as we know it, desert | Response: 0

  Leaving her behind was one of the hardest things I’ve done in years. We left for the airport early this morning and quickly found out that my original flight plan was not going to work. Instead of flying through Denver to get to Baltimore we flew direct to Dulles and took a cab to Baltimore (where our hotel is). Travel wise it worked out fairly well and we ended up leaving 20 minutes after our originally scheduled flight departed. The other option was to wait around till 2PM – the other guys wanted to get to our destination and waiting to leave can really tug on your heart. Sometimes its just better to get it over with – leaving sucks, being gone still sucks but you can avoid thinking about it.

  So – here I am in Baltimore on New Years Eve and I have nothing to do. I could go out and buy beer but I’d end up drinking alone – then again, if I went to a bar I’d still end up drinking alone. Oh well, such is my life.

• Still working on it

  Date: 2007.12.22 | Category: Life as we know it | Response: 0

  We’ve spent the last two days moving virtually everything that I own and its been quite a task. Jessica now understands why I try to keep as little chaff around and why I retain the wheat (thats todays only farmer analogy). We’ve got some clothes left in the apartment, a bed, and a Christmas tree. We plan on getting the rest of it out of here next Wednesday – we also plan on cleaning the entire place between here and next Friday. It shouldn’t be that bad because we both want to get it done and I’m sure that we can knock it out in a few hours (save for the carpet cleaning) if we really work at it.

  I’ve filled most of a 10×16 storage space but there still is al ot of room inside. The boxes are mostly to her height so we could have gone much higher – then again, I don’t think it would have been very safe because we were reusing boxes so the crush strength isn’t as high as it once was. I’m not looking forward to moving into our next place but we’ve already done the hard work. Moving out is a pain in the ass – moving is a much smoother process

• Boxing your life up

  Date: 2007.12.21 | Category: Life as we know it | Response: 0

  Everything must go – its got to get into a box of some sort – nothing can be left behind. I’ve taken my life with me but I always leave something behind. This time around I’m leaving boxes and furniture but there is something more that I am leaving behind. This time, I’m leaving behind people that I care about.

  Today we’re moving almost everything out of my apartment into a storage unit. Its going to be a long day (one that will probably be fraught with frustration). I’ve got to go to work this morning to get the last of my paperwork and to pick up a few extra items. While out, we’ve also got to get our hands on a hand cart, a tarp, some bungees, and Jessica’s paycheck (she has a few last minute gifts to purchase). On top of all of that, we’re moving everything using the worlds smallest and slowest elevators. Luckily, they can lock the elevator down and I know that since I got it all in the apartment that I can probably get it out without much trouble.

  I’ve only got 10 days left before I fly out – hardly enough time to get this done and spend some time with the people that matter.

  I will be back – its only a 4 months (or so… it is the military) – and I can spend time with the people that matter the most to me.

• The Obligatory Christmas Letter

  Date: 2007.12.18 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  “Whatever does not destroy me makes me stronger.” — Friedrich Nietzche

  
      This past year has been a roller coaster ride of events for our family. None of us could have foreseen what was in store for us this year.

      and Becky didn’t get the chance to race the dogs much at all last year. About a week before they had planned to leave for the Wyoming race, Jessica had to be taken in for emergency surgery. She was originally scheduled to have her gall bladder taken out in February. Her body didn’t seem to want to wait that long, so after many trips to the E.R., they decided to just get it out of her a.s.a.p. It took her a few months to get back to normal but she is doing much better now.

      Then, in March of this year, Joe hit the big one. That’s right, 50. We had the black balloons, black beads, and black cake to celebrate. We took him out mid-night bowling and he had a great time. Although he had received his present about 9 months before his actual birthday, he was still in good spirits. In case you didn’t hear about his big present, Becky bought him a 2007 Firefighter Special Edition Roadking Harley Davidson. I think it’s the best present he has ever received. He loves it and they take it out every chance they get.

      In April, Joe took a trip to the Doctor for a sore throat that would not go away. This led to many tests and the eventual prognosis of tonsillar cancer. He had the tonsil removed and was given 8 weeks of Radiation and Chemotherapy. It was hard on his body and he lost quite a bit of weight. It was a chore to try and eat. Unfortunately, the only thing he could eat with out too much pain was chicken noodle soup. The ordeal was hard on us all. This is the strongest man we know, the one who runs into burning buildings to save lives, so it was quite hard for us to see him in pain. A few months after the treatments he went back to the Dr. for another PET/CAT scan where he found the cancer had gone into remission. He is now on an amazing road to recovery – unfortunately for us, as he has begun to recover we have seen his appetite return in full effect – we can barely afford to feed him.

      September was a stressful yet exciting month for us all as well. On September 22, 2007 Leanne and Jeff were married. It was the event of the year. The wedding was beautiful and so was bridezilla, I mean the bride. We were all so happy to be part of that magical day. After the wedding they fled to Maui for 10 days. They loved it so much and had such an amazing time; they didn’t want to come home!   

  All in all the year has been a test for us. It tested our strength as humans and as a family; however, it seemed to be a bit of a blessing in disguise. We had so many people who offered to help us in anyway they could. Thank you everyone for your support through the tough and joyous moments of this past year.

  Happy Holidays everyone, and a wonderful New Year to you all.

• … and a happy new year

  Date: 2007.12.14 | Category: Life as we know it | Response: 0

  Well, as I’ve mentioned, I’m scheduled to depart for my four months in Iraq and I finally have a date when I’m leaving – Jan 1. I still have quite a bit to do so I can take care of all of my personal affairs but I think I’ve got almost everything else wrapped up at work. I’ve got some training records to take care of this evening or tomorrow but I’m not sure when I’ll have a chance to do it. Odds are, I’ll have to give up doing something that I might enjoy so that I can finish my work.

  I’m planning on snowboarding tomorrow – pending a check on the snow reports. Jessica is off to attend a wedding so I’m taking advantage of my free time to go while I have a chance.

  Leaving here is going to suck but I need a break from my regular job. I tend to last for about a year in a particular location before I need to deploy for a while, take a vacation, or just change work sections. I definitely want to come back to maintenance but some people have been scheming to put me in Munitions Control when I return. I’d rather shoot myself in the face.

  Why is it that people that do a good job always tend to get screwed while the worthless ones get nothing. Today, for example, one of our resident idiots wasted an entire day away. We tend to give him menial tasks because he is completely incompetent. Keep in mind that he has the same rank that I do and that he has been in for about five more years. We gave him the task at about 10AM and he told me that I had more work to do at about 1430 when I came back from what I was doing. I started on the rest of the work for the day (knowing full well he would skate out at the earliest opportunity because he was too worthless to even help) at about 1500. I enlisted the help of everyone else in the shop and we all left at about 1645. Who knows what time he left but I don’t think he finished the menial task we gave him. What a worthless piece of shit.

  It doesn’t help he tends to fuck up on anything we might give him – I’ve got troops with less than a year on station that I would trust more than I might trust him.

  Ok… back from the bunny trail

  I’m not sure if I am going to get the uniforms I need on time by the time I am scheduled to deploy. I told my deployment manager that I would show up in my BDU’s (greens) in the desert if all else failed. I’m sure they would see the error in their ways and get me what I needed immediately. Its a shame that we can’t get the stuff on hand before I actually leave. Can you imagine how funny I would look when everyone else is wearing some brand of desert pattern and I am rocking the woodland?

  I’m not looking forward to the bag drag – I think I’ll be carrying 4 bags – and after I get the required gear I’ll have to carry two additional bags – for the remainder of the necessities (clothing, towels, boots, etc.) Its a shame I can’t check a hand cart in my luggage and use it on the other end. If I had a few bungee straps it would work like a champ.

  Ok… this has been a bit of rant – haven’t had one of those in a while – I guess you can tell how my Friday has been

• Wonderful World of Snowboarding

  Date: 2007.12.13 | Category: I was too lazy to organize these | Response: 0

  Well, Sunday I was introduced to the wonderful world of snowboarding. Not at all what I expected. I knew it would be hard, and I knew it would use muscles that I don’t really use ever. John loves to go and so he thought it would be fun to do it together. A little side note about me, I do not like to not do things well. I need to be perfect at everything I do the very first time I do it. Well, snowboarding doesn’t work like that. It takes a while to learn the basics. Then after spending lots of time learning those, you can start to learn the things like moving down a hill. It took me a while to figure some things out, and when I could move down a slight slope and not fall after 2 feet, I did have fun. I might try it again, who knows. It has potential to be pretty fun if I could just not fall down as much. We spent the day at Mt. Baker. It was a bit of a drive but it was worth it, and Snoqualmie was closed. So, we’ll see what happens. Being sore for 4 days doesn’t feel well, but I guess I’ve got to push past the pain to get to the fun.

  

  

   

  

  

• Work

  Date: 2007.12.05 | Category: Life as we know it | Response: 0

  Work is winding down while winding up for me at the same time. You might wonder what the heck I could be talking about. Well, I finished the last shift at my part time job last night but I’ve still got a few weeks left here. We’ve got an inspection the second week of January (which I’ll conveniently miss) that needs my help with preparation. I’ve got most of my programs taken care of, save for the biggest one, so I’m almost up to date on that front. The only thing thats slowing me down right now is all of the training classes I need to take before I leave. I’ve finished most of my online training but I’ve got a three day class that starts today and I’ve got a two day class and another one day class to finish before I leave.

  Now it comes down to how good I am at scheduling my work so I get it finished in time. Lets hope I do a decent job.

• Canada photos eh!

  Date: 2007.12.02 | Category: Life as we know it, links! | Response: 0

  I had a chance to upload all of the photos from Canada – you can check all of them out at the gallery. Enjoi!

  admin edit – link removed

• Changes to the Changes

  Date: 2007.12.02 | Category: Life as we know it, desert | Response: 0

  What a week it has been. Earlier this week I gave my apartment manager notice that I intended to move out before the beginning of the month because I was slated to deploy. I found out a few days later that I was actually not going to deploy. On top of the fact that I wasn’t deploying I had already spent the money that I normally would have spent on rent so my only option was to apply the last months rent and find another place. I was going to have three paychecks in between the day I found out and move in day so I was sure that I could pay for rent and deposit but the whole thing was going to be a giant pain in the ass. On Thursday I was told that another guy that was slated to go to Iraq had received orders to Korea and they needed someone else to go. I volunteered… as I pretty much always will. I knew that Jessica was excited about me being around and that I knew she would be down because of my decision but I knew it was a tough choice I needed to make. I will miss her greatly but I will be back – and our lives should have slightly fewer stressers as I should be able to pay off one of my creditors.

  So, I’m packing up all of my stuff to move into a storage unit before the end of the month but I don’t know when I’m leaving yet. The estimated in place date is from the day after Christmas to New Years – its all TBD. I’ve got a large chunk of the apartment packed up and I can probably get the rest packed up (that I won’t use in the next few weeks) in a night or two.

  This should be an interesting trip but I’ll be fairly safe out there, well, as safe as one can be. I’ll continue to post here as frequently as I can. If you remember what happened last time you’ll find that I have enough time to rant and rave – almost daily. I’m not sure how the filters/internet access are going to work so I’ll have to see how it goes.