LAST MAN STANDING

31AUG07. Friday. Well, the weather is getting a little more crisp and the tempreature variables are becomming more extreme. My sleep pattern is all outta whack. I've been sleeping on and off throughout the day to ensure I'm well rested for any adventure thrown my way. So, in the end, I'm wide awake with nothing to do. Still living outta my backpack, with a lot of folks lending me their gear. Just too funny to put into words. Also waiting to ensure travel arrangements come together. I believe it's a lot like waiting for the planets to align. Only once in a hundred years (or so). Well, whereas I'd like to say something earth-shattering, unfortunately it's much the same here - Many hours of Boredom seperated by Seconds of Excitement. Will update when I can. Doug

THE LATE SHOW

30AUG07. Thursday. Well, got to the Flight Line at the appointed time. Only to watch my airplace take off while we were entering. So, the aircraft took off without me about 15mins early. Still, it was pretty funny to show up prior to the appointed time only to find out the aircraft departed earlier. So in the end, it afforded my the opportunity to wash my clothes and catch-up on some sleep. Lots of moving parts. Also funny, majority of my gear is still at Fort Bragg. So, the gear I'm using is all loaner. Too funny. Well, hope all is well with my family and friends. Take Care. And, until I'm able to upload again. Doug

PS Thanks for the Goodie Package. The timing could not be better. Love to do the Crosswords, and Snacks included within. Thanks Again

PIZZIA

29AUG07. Wednesday. Just completed my Laundry. Finally caught up. It's not too hard with only 3-4 pair of underwear & T-Shirts. Still, ready and rearing to go. My Gear will be here sometime next month. Can't wait. Still, I'm doing quite well, enjoy the people I work with, and the mission is quite satisfying. My buddy and I split a Pizzia yesterday afternoon. Just a little bit of decadance amongst the chaos. So, sipping water and eating pizzia. Without a ice-cold beer it's just not the same. Well, I'll be quite busy. So, I'll update when I can. Doug

HAPPY 200th POST

28AUG07. Tuesday. Well, it's a few blog posts beyond my 200th. That's gotta be some sort of record. Well, it should at least be some milestone of sorts. My shift is winding down and I have only 4hrs more of work. Afterwhich, I'll make a mad dash to the shoppette and get some personal hygine supplies (like nail clippers). The supplies I am replacing were confiscated by the TSA at the various airports. So, time to replenish my humble supplies of toothpaste and shampoo. Thus, I'll tradeoff my time at the gym to get my supplies. On a seperate note, it was wonderful to chat to my bride last night. Getting caught-up on the kids, school, scouts, etc. Really a shot in arm. Well, running outta things to chat about. So, until I can write again. Doug

MONDAY, MONDAY - SO GOOD TO ME

27AUG07. Monday. Well, Looks Like I will be Busy next week. Might have to go for a trip over the next month. That will probrably be a change of pace. Don't know how much access I'll have to the Phones or Net. But, I will keep all concerned informed to the best of my ability. The two folks I'm helping to train are doing well. I don't know how much more I will be of assistance to them. Other than just getting in the way. On another note, my buddy is giving me some a little Sh!t because I gained a whole 3lbs while on leave. Still, I'm quickly getting back into the groove of things. Working out about every day for about 1.5hours each day. Will probrably take a day off over the next week. Well, in the end, I'm in good spirits, surrounded by good people, and doing an awesome job. Thats all for now. Will update when I can. Doug

SUNDAY BRUNCH

26AUG07. Sunday. Well, just got back from the Chow Hall. My buddy and I have gotten back into the Habit of "indulging" on Sundays. That is, having a made-to-order Omlette. The one I ate will last the remainder of the day I'm sure. Will certainly workout after the night shift to burn a few calories of the Omlette off. The weather is turning a little brisk. Still miserably hot during the day. However, the mornings are certianly to be looked forward to. Well, wish I had more to relay. Oh, before I forget. I might be Very Busy within a week or so. So, if I can't reach a phone or computer......Well, that's all for now. Hope the family has fun at the Pool. Luv me.

EASY DAY

25AUG07. Saturday. Well, days almost done. Ran into a bunch of friends who I haven't seen in a while. Still was good to see some familiar faces. Moreover, having a decent time mentoring a couple of new people. Makes me feel needed......Ha. Found out my luggage will be here the middle of next month. I can't wait. Obviously, I'm doing lots of laundry. About a batch every 3-days. Still, weather is very nice in the morning. Temps into the 60s in the morning. Quickly rising into the 90s. So, Fall is fast approaching with Winter not too far behind. Will Updae when I can. Doug

EASY MORNING

24AUG07. Friday. At the time of this writing, it is bright and early in the morning (about 500AM). Weather is very nice. Very little humitiy, lots of sunshine. I have about 6hrs more of work to complete my 12hrs. Afterwhich, will workout, read, then crash. What a Life. At the momemt, I am mentoring a couple of folks and generally having a good time - if you like a Prison Sentence...... My buddy and I are trying to figure out ways to get together when our Prison Term is over. Still haven't quite figured out the best way yet. The Putting Competition is back on. Seems like the competition has grown while I've been gone. I'm sure I'll get an opportunity to get good at Putting shortly. Well, that's the latest. Take Care. Will certainly Update the Blog when I can. Doug

SOUND SLEEPER

22AUG07. Wednesday. Fell to sleep easily yesterday. Slept for about 10hrs. Guess I was tired. It's amazing what a little fatigue will do to one's body. Getting into the swing of things again.......The upside to comming back to work are the new faces that are eager to learn and work. Another plus are the old faces that want to continue to work with you. Well, wish I could relay more stuff of value and/or interest. Unfortunately, I live a very bland life. Well, will update when I can. Doug

IT"S BEEN A HARD DAY"S NIGHT

22AUG07. WEDNESDAY. Well, made it through my first day at work....again. Seems the powers to be want me to be a mentor to several new folks. Hurt me. What's really nice is the everyone seems to be pretty laid back and easy going. Also, a lot of new faces. The "Spin-Up" is not going to be too difficult. So, in the end, I made it through the first night at work (er, back at work) without too much difficulty. Didn't get too sleepy. Looking forward to getting back into the groove. Well, only have a few hours more of work. Then to the Gym and....Sleep. Will update when I can. Doug

THE BIG SPENDER

21AUG07. Tuesday. Showed up to work and met some new folks. Got reacquianted with some of the older staff. Found out I'll be going back to the same Job I had prior to my departure. Which, isn't a bad Gig. Also found out my working hours will be the same. So, in effect, I was told to go back to my Hootch and get some rest for the Night Shift. Got 3hrs of Sleep. So, I'm still a little tired, but should be able to sleep and get into the "Groove". Another data-point, I was informed out gear (luggage) will not be here until the 27th of August. But with things the way the are, not to count on it. After that, the next scheduled flight is not until mid-Sept. Too Funny. So, in the interim, I am doing my best at Backpack Living. Kinda like Margaret Stewart but without all the money. Did manage to relay to my wife that I did make it here safely and was doing well. The kids have now started school, so they will be preocuppied for the next few weeks. Well, that's it for now. Take Care. Doug

THE LONGEST DAY

20AUG07. Monday. Got up after 4hours of sleep. Slept soundly (as one would expect). Even slept thru the Fire Alarm that went off at 0230AM. Too Funny. Had enough time to get some chow then off to the Airport to wait and (eventually) catch a flight. The Flight was a C130 (again) slow moving that took 4hours to get to the first stop then another hour to my final destination. Hot is the word for the day 107-109 with lows at 97 degrees. It's okay tho, the sweat actually gets pretty cold at altitude in the airplane. Then you get a little of the Chills. No wonder a lot of folks get the Crud while here. Got settled in my hootch. Unfortunately, it's a diffent Hootch with a different Floorplan. Regardless, I'll make it work. Found out the remainder of my junk will come in the middle of Next Month. Too Funny. Until then, Looks like I'll be doing a lot of laundry just to keep me in clean clothes. That's all for now. Take Care. Doug

LONG HAUL II

19AUG07. Sunday. Finally Landed in Zurich at 0745AM. I was amazed at how many Tobacco companies endorse and support the Smoking Lounges in Europe. All these little rooms sponsored by Camel, Winston, etc. Too Funny. Got Tickets from Zurich into Qatar. Waited around with Red-eyes for a while. The Trip Takes us from Zurich, to Crotia, Serbia, Turkey, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, then Qatar. Nice, nice, plane. Seats about 300 people, there were about 40 folks traveling. International Crew, hand service, Video on Demand. I almost didn't want to leave the Plane. Landed at 800PM (after a 6hr flight). Got thru Customs. Wisked off to the Base. Dumped our gear and went for our 3-beer limit. Seems like old times. Tomorrow, we get underway at 700AM. They say to expect 24-48hrs Travel Time. I can't wait. Doug

THE LONG HAUL

18AUG07. Saturday. Well, departed for the airport today at 1000AM. Releshed my last Burger King Chicken Sandwich for a while. Will leave from North Carolina at around 100PM. Tried to check-in my rental car - only to find the Compiuter Network they use was down. So, I left without knowing what my final Car Rental Bill is/was. Will certainly close the loop when I can. Fayettevill Airport is a really, really dinky airport. Smaller than Pensacola. Only 3 Gates to choose from. While going thru security, I had to surrender my toothpaste. Apparently, the 7 Oz Gel was too much to take onboard. Flight to atlanta is 57mins long. However, with the screeming kid in front of me, it feels like forever.
Finally got to Atlanta, Boarded a 767 for the Flight to Zurich, Switzerland. The Plane is Huge. Seven Seats Wide. Had my last Fried Lice for Lunch prior to departure. During the Flight, the Plane ran out of Ice.....Figures. Movie was "Fractured," with Anthony Hopkins. Don't waste any money on it. The Movie Sucked. For Dinner, we has some TV Dinner luke-warm at best. The Flight Profile takes us over Bangor, Maine, Halifax Nova Scotia, then the Atlantic Ocean. Hitting Ground again, we cross over Ireland, the UK, France, then into Zurich. Doug

COUNTDOWN

16AUG07. Thursday. This will probably be my last post for a while. I'll ensure all my baggage gets on the Pallet tomorrow for the Rotator into the Sandbox. So, I'll be living out of my backpack for the next few days. I've pretty much finished up at work. So, I'm in the "Hurry-up and Wait" mode. I know that I'm in no big hurry to get into the Sandbox. Well, I can't think of much else to say. Will update when I can. Doug

FLURRY III

15AUG07. Wednesday. Well, got my Trip Itenary to the Sandbox. Looks like I leave Saturday at about 1:00PM. First leg to Atlanta. Second Leg to Zurich, Switzerland. Third Leg to Doha, Qatar. After that, I hang around until I can get a seat on a C-130. Unfortunately, I could not get manifested on the "Rotator" (read aircraft) directly from here. Oh well....Will do some laundry tomorrow afternoon to get caught up. That's the latest. Doug

FLURRY II

14AUG07. Tuesday. Well, did get my gear and checked out of my room. Luckily, they did have another room (somking) to get my gear into. Looks like we are getting into the final days. Course is almost over. Gear Issue is slated for tomorrow (more stuff?). Luckily, they provide storage for the "excess" gear we don't need. Believe me, I'll go thru and make sure the mosquite netting is set aside. Last thing I need to hump is darn mosquito netting in the desert. So, long story made short, I'll go thru my junk yet again - just to dump as much excess as I can. On the flip-side, I know we will be leaving within the next week or so. Groups of people are starting to align with the specific "shops" they will be working with in Theater. Hopefully, I can get to the Laundromat one more time before departure. Well, will continue to sweat in North Carolina. Until Late. Will update when I can. Doug

FLURRY

13AUG07. Monday. Initially, upon comming to Fort Bragg, I didn't know if I was gonna spend one day, two weeks, or any other timeframe. So, I made reservations at the Hotel until the 14th (tommorrow). I asked to extend my room until later in the week. Unforntuately, it has already been booked. I requested any room. Fortunately, a "different" room is available. So, I had to unload all my junk into the car (for check-out tommorrow) then check back into another room. Are we having fun yet? So, that's my tale of wow. And, that's the end of my Bitchin' I'd much rather be having a horrible time in a hotel (with AC) that a great time in the sandbox. The day was full of computers and boredom......Still, with all the moving parts involved, a pretty good operation. I am slated to meet with the people I'll work with tomorrow. Seems I'm not going to work in the exact job I did last for my first 6-months. But, I can guarentee it will be closely aligned. Doug

LAUNDRY DAY

12AUG07. Sunday. Well, today was a simply lazy day and I loved it. Went to the base and did my laundry. Believe me, I needed to hit the laundramat. The clothes were really starting to pile up. Looks like I have another week of training here. Moreover, at the time of this writing, I am sltated to go back via Commercial Air (instead of the C17 Aircraft). So, looks like I will not be sleeping under a Hummer again. Oh, well. Will update when I can. Doug

AIRBORNE & SPECIAL OPERATIONS MUSEUM

11AUG07. Saturday. Was a wonderful day to sleep in. Awoke at 7:30AM. Day was a little overcast - a welcome change from the last few weeks. My friend and I got together and saw the Airborne/Special Ops Museum downtown Fayetville, NC. Was pretty neat and the price was right....Free. Afterwhich, we went to the "Mashhouse" (a local microbrewery/restaurant) and had lunch. All in all, a pretty decent, low-key day. Doug

FUN IN THE SUN

10AUG07. Friday. Well, Finally got thru the Firing Ranges at Fort Bragg. Were at the Ranges at 6:00AM. Started Firing at 6:30AM. The temp was at 99 Degrees at 8:30AM, and 102 Degrees at 11:00AM. I musta' drank about 20 Coke Bottles full of water during my Shoot. Still haven't lost the touch. Only got two burns from the guy next to me. We shot lots of ammo and his shells found their way into my shirt and promptly put a burn on my neck. Similarly, only got a few burns on my hands from the weapons. Lastly, only my face is Sunburned. Still, it's done...... I am absoutely wiped. My intent for the remainder of the night is to let the sweat dry and sleep-in til 6:00 or 7:00AM. Hope all is well with. Take Care for Now. Doug

ANOTHER SCORCHER

9AUG07. Thursday. Yet another Hot One in North Carolina (just like the majority of the South). Another Fun-Filled Action-Packed Day of Power Point Presentations. Wheeee. Still, majority of activity was well indoors. Tomorrow we are headed for the Firing Range for an all-day "Fun-in-the-Sun" day of Shooting. Afterwhich, we will clean weapons and (hopefully) be done by about 300PM. Lot's of folks antsy about departing to the Sandbox. Lot's of questions and concerns. My only leg-up, is I've already "been there-done that". Still, have met a bunch of new folks. At the time of this writing, I'm back at the hotel, watching the 89th PGA Championship, and getting ready to call my Lovely Wife. That's all I have for now.
Doug

THE FAMILY GUY

8AUG07. Wednesday. Another Death by Powerpoint Day. Still, it's stateside, not "Over There". So, the a Bad Day in North Carolina beats a Good Day in Theater.....Chilling out in the Hotel Room, Watching The Family Guy, enjoying the AC. Slated to go to the Range on Friday. Temperatures should only be in the Low 90's... Will Update when I can. Doug

DEATH BY POWERPOINT

7AUG07. Tuesday. Another day of training over. Majority of Training was death by powerpoint. Brief after Brief on Command Structure, Admin Procedures, etc. All Conducted indoors, in a climate-controlled building. Which is good. Today's high was 107 Degrees. Laundry is piling-up quickly - and it's only Tuesday. Actually looking forward toward this Weekend. Will get caught-up on laundry then. Well, that's the latest from afar. Take Care. Doug

SCHOOL IS IN

6AUG07. Monday. Well, reported in at Fort Bragg. Filled out some papers and was told to get lost until later in the day. Too funny. On the Upside, I bumped into a friend from New Orleans here. Was nice to see a familiar face in the crowd. So, I'm stitting in the hotel waiting until the appointed time. To get a welcome aboard (for the new folks). And the day starts at 0630AM tomorrow morning. Back to the Grind...Doug

JASON BOURNE

5AUG07. Sunday. Got up bright and early to check out the Fayetteville, NC area. Really nice old town area. Failed to take any pics tho. Ran on base to get a couple of items. Afterwhich, I saw the New Jason Bourne Movie. Was pretty decent movie. Well, that's it for an update at this moment. Dug

BRAGG BOUND

4AUG07. Saturday. Well, got up bright and early and left for Fort Bragg. Trip was uneventful. Also managed to get my Officer Application in the Mail to the Command. Couple of signatures, and off we go. It's been a truely amazing 20 days. Went by far too quickly for my taste. Thanks for all those who made this trip posible. Take Care for now. Doug

TALES OF WOE

3AUG07. Friday. Well, the time for me to depart is fast approaching. Had a wonderful and memorable stay. Certainly one I will not forget. As I write, the van is packed, and I'm anxiously awaiting the whole "Good-bye thing"....Again. Thanks for all those who are helping keep my family operating. Too numerous to name. You have left an indelible mark on my heart. Flight leaves at 615AM Tomorrow morning. On the upside, took the kids to watch the movie "HotRod". Funny, Funny, Movie. Had tears in my eyes watching the darn thing. Our middle daughter is due back from Band Camp shortly. We will be celebrating her 15th Birthday. Gosh, how they grow. Well, can't think of much else to write about. Oh, I know. Thanks for all those who are reading this darn thing. I'm simply blown away by the number of folks who are actually interested in my humble life. Thanks. Update when I can. Doug

ERRANDS

2AUG07. Thursday. Spent the morning running errands. The middle girl has a Birthday Tomorrow. So, while she's at Band Camp, we are getting the cake and Gifts. Did my best on Fixing the Door Bell. Works Fine. Have perhaps one or two more chores to fix before I leave. Well, it's starting to rain again. Scattered Thunderstorms. Well, bad day here beats a good day there. Doug

ANOTHER RAINY DAY

Wednesday. 1AUG07. Rained hard in the afternoon. Spent the fixin' the house. Gosh, lots of things were broken. Also got the opportunity to good-deal the kids with the "Simpsons Movie". Was pretty cute. Wife was interested in going out for dinner. However, with the Hard Rains, I opted out. Spend the night just kicking back and wathcing TV. Will probrably run around tomorrow and get stuff together prior to leaving Sat. Doug

RAINY DAY

1AUG07. Wednesday. Well, it's my middle daughter's B-day today. Another year older, another notch in the belt. Unfortunately for us, wh's at band cam in Mississippi. Therefore, we'll celebrate the event this Friday (when she returns). Have a whole lotta honey-do's today. Want to get them out of the way before I leave. Lots of junk to do and/or Broken. That's a little of my day. Doug

PENSACOLA BEACH

31JUL07. Tuesday. Got the kids and went to the Beach today. Managed to get in a couple of hours of Sun. If we got rained out, we were going to the Simpson's Movie. Will probrably fold that in tomorrow. Time is just flying by. Will update when I can. Take Care for Now. Dug