GOOD DOG

31MARCH2008. Monday. Well, called the family tonight. Caught Terri in the middle of trying to walk the dog. this is a feat in and of itself. needless to say, I don't think she was successful putting the leash on the dog..... It's Spring Break and the kids will go to the dentist. Finally. What every kid needs is to go to the dentist during Spring Break. I'm sure that beats a visit to the beach on any day... Still same old junk here. Nother day, nother pile of paper. well, can't wait to come home. all my best. will update when i can. Doug

GEAR ISSUE

30MARCH08. Sunday. Well, I was complaining about not receiving any Cold Weather Gear. Now that Summer is almost here, I'm surprised we haven't been called to the Logistics Center for our Issue. Did however, receive a Palm Pilot. This is the neatest little tech gadget I've seen in a while. I've been using mine to the fullest. Well, I'm counting the days, weeks, and months. And, do they crawl by..... Just wanted to drop a quick line to let you know someone is working the weekend. I just don't know who it is....grin. Take Care. Doug

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

28-29MARCH2008. Friday-Saturday. My apologoies for not posting yesterday. The computers were down for maintenance upgrades. I have received unconfirmed reports that Kristen has been Speeding, Texting Messages on her Phone, and messing with the Radio Station while "Supposedly" Driving. However, these allegations could not be proved until now. I was able to obtain a photo to Prove Kristen is a LEAD FOOT. Another day fighting the war on Boredom....er., Terror. Will update when I can. Doug

HOT, STICKY & SWEATY....NOT THAT WAY

27MAR08. Thursday. Another day in paradise. Can't believe another day has gone by. Lost power (again). Woke up in a pool of sweat, and an hour early. Still, another day in paridise. I've got it easy tho. Terri's mom can't feel part of her face (after the crash & operation). Doc says may take a year or so for the feeling to return. Further, her vision is still unclear and double from that eye. My heart goes to her. Wish I had a lot to report, but I don't. Just another day at the Office. Will update when I can. Doug

CHANGE THE FILTER!!!

26MARCH08. Wednesday. Well, just got word that the Maintenace Folks will be coming round and cleaning the A/C Filters on the Hootches. See, we got these little A/C's on the Hootch which runs 24x7. The thing never seems to work. Rather, it almost works in reverse. Blasting Cold Air in Winter and Hot Air in Summer. Anyhow, I've pretty much given-up on the thing ever really working. So, they're conducting cleaning & inspections on these A/C units. Of course, they're doing all this during our sleep cycle....Wait, Wait. I'm getting off track. Of the A/C Units they have inspected, several have been found with Black Spores growing in them. Now, I can hardly wait until the inspeciton...Never mind, I really don't want to know the results.... Living the Dream. Will Update When I Can. Doug

CONGRADS RYAN

25MARCH2008. Tuesday. Congradulation to Ryan for becoming a Second Class in the Boy Scouts. Way to Go!!!! What a personal achievement. Keep up the Good Work. Wish I was there to in person to watch you Pin On. I am there in Spirit Tho....

In chatting with my fit bride Terri, we got talking about the weather here vs Pensacola. I understand that it was unusually cool there. I relayed that it is typical mountain weather, sweat during the day, freeze at night. Just got another Package from my Bride again (guess she really cares). In addition to the goodies inside, she had enclosed a card. Gotta admit, the card was quite touching. Almost brought a tear to my eye. Just a few months to go.....Well, still looking for a Job. Still plugging away wondering what the future will bring. So many unanswered questions. Well, I'm starting to ramble, so that's my que to sign off. Will update when I can. Doug

BROAD SMILES

24MARCH2008. Monday. yep, another fun-filled weekend has gone by. Had lots of paperwork to present early last week to get signed (in the states) prior to the 4-day weekend. Gotta love the artifical red-tape. Still, while walking to work, I started to daydream about the Easter Cookout hosted my brother-in-law's house. Quickly brought a smile to my face with all those around chatting and getting caught up. Watching a little golf and playing ping pong. The thought of a nicely chilled beer quickly sprang into my pea-brain. Then, I came across the attached picture. Too Funny. Damn Terrorists.......

On a seperate note, the armed forces are promoting an ACT/SAT help & prep site. Thing is advertised as free to the military. Hopefully, it's something Kristen can use. The link is as follows: http://sat.eknowledge.com/military.asp

Lastly, I want to say thanks to Auntie Sharon. She sent a nice care pkg with a pic of kendal. Thanks. Certainly is very appreciated.....

Will Update when I can. Doug

EASTER SUNDAY

23MARCH2008. Sunday. Well, it's Easter Sunday. Lot of folks going to church, then getting together for a feast. I know my family is. I can close my eyes and almost see it. Golf on the Boob-Tube, Pig in the Roaster, Bloody Mary in hand. Have Fun! Speaking of Golf, this picture was sent to me from a good friend, the question was if in fact the shaft in question was Titanium. I believe it is. Ha, Ha.

A TOUCH OF HOME

22 March 2008. Saturday. All Right! Another working day!!! The Japanese have it easy with only 6 workdays. Whimps! Got these pictures from my dear sister. They really put a smile on my face. Thought I'd share these with you, and save the sexist humor for a later time. Guess little Kendal is growing quickly.

FEAR....A FOUR-LETTER WORD

20-21MARCH08. Thursday-Friday. Didn't get a chance to update the Blog yesterday. The Place was closed for a "Fallen Camrade Ceremony". Just as well. Not much to relay from here. SOSDD. Looking forward to a Haircut and sleeping-in an extra hour. Ah, it's always the little things in life that bring me joy. Will update when I can. Doug

NO WITTY TITLE TODAY

19March2008. Wednesday. Another day at military humor. My watch battery finally died. Perhaps it's a godsend. Not to distinguish one day from another. Who Knows? Still slaving away at the paperwork. Boy, oh boy, am I learning a lot of shortcuts..... On the upside, was able to speak with some folks stateside about job opportunities. All which were positive. Goodness knows it's hard enough just to ensure the right time to call!! Till, made some significant progress. So, hopefully the glass is half-full. Will update when I can. Doug

MOTIVATION

18March2008. Tuesday. On the homefront scene, guess all is on track for Terri's mom. She goes under the knife on Wednesday to repair her eyesocket. I suspect this will be a long and winding road for Terri. More especially for her mom. Still, our prayers go to her in this time of uncertainity. On the work scene here, I'm still doing my part at contributing to Global Warming

and supporting the Paper Industry. Did get a wonderful funny from Terri's friend Diane. Thought I'd attach the pic just to keep things in perspective. Will Update when I can. Doug

Funny for the day

This little animal is called the Naked Mole-Rat and is from Africa . So if you are having a bad day and feeling sorry for yourself, remember: You could look like a dick with buck teeth!

LAUGHTER, THE BEST MEDICINE

The below pictures were provided my one of my buddies and Colorado's Finest

SINGLE.







MARRIED.







DIVORCED. ANY QUESTIONS?




17MAR08. Monday. Whereas the job is quite mundane, it's the laughter that keeps me going. I'm continually impressed by the quality of jokes I received from my friends. Whereas, at work I usually did not have the time to read them. Seems, I yearn for them now..... I'm at a crummy keyboard with sticky keys. The mouse seldom works. So, I'm just happy to put some words into prose. In an effort to get a job from afar, I''ll be talking with a guy from IBM within the next few days. What a pain in the rear this simple task is. Got to figure out a decent time for the two of us, wait in line, then sell myself within 15mins. Boy, this should be interesting. We'll see. Changing gears, the below is a funny sent my a good friend and one of Colorado's Finest...

KILLING THE ENEMY ONE PAPERCUT AT A TIME

16MAR08. Sunday. Survived yet another day at the office. Accomplished by avoiding the myriad of office politics and just doing the job. Coined a new phrase which seems to fit the job at the moment. Killing the enemy one papercut at a time. I'm still in awe of the amount of paperwork required to fight a war, let alone finding terrorists! Needless to say, I have done my fair share of killing the Brazilian Rain Forest with the amount of paper I've used. Changing the subject, I'm down to about 14-weeks left. I believe I'll be quite giddy when down to single-digits. I've attached a pic of JBAD. So, if you're unhappy with your local utilitiy company, don't complain. It could be worse.....

TWO MORE DAYS TIL MONDAY

15MAR08. Friday. Yet another gone by. Seems Terri has her hands busy with all the Doctor Appointments after the Crash. My heart Goes out to her. This, plus the added challenges of the Kids. Tho, can't really call them Kids any more. They have all developed into very good young adults. My hats off to them all. In an attempt to keep everyones morale lifted, Terri sent the Below video. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=24744358

Also, in an age of power point presentations and it's application towards warfare. The following is provided just to put things in perspective....

As Told by General George Patton
No poor bastard ever won a war by making Power Points for his Country; You win a war by making the other poor bastard make Power Points for his country

ALMOST PAYDAY

14MAR08. Thursday. Wow, almost another payday. Okay, just another tick mark to pass time. It's been some time since I've seen some cash.. Probably the only time it comes to the forefront is when visiting the Post Office. All other places accept the Debit Card. Of course, the availability of the two ATMs, not to mention whether they are working or not, certainly plays into the savings plan. Another crisp Morning. Won't last for too much longer tho. Then, back to shorts and T-Shirt...Hopefully. Well, as you can tell. Not much going on here. SOSDD. Will update when I can. Doug

SO EASY A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT. II

13MAR08. Thursday. Where does the time go. Feels like my existence was taken directly from a Science Fiction Book. Almost like a time warp, or suspended animation..... My officemate sitll provides moments of entertainment. Guy throws things around the office. I find these antics quite amusing to say the least. Not really much happening here. Same Old stuff, just a different day. Will update when I can. Doug

SO EASY A CAVEMAN CAN DO IT

12MAR08. Wednesday. Boy the days are just blurring by. Getting a handle on the new job (especially all the *&%$ Filing). I feel like a glorified Secretary. No true Gung-Ho duties involved. Just the typical mundane paperwork pushing. Chop, edit, review, send back.....Typical Staff Functions. Being all that I can be. On the upside, my hours are certainly very regimented. And, with having to relay back to the States on some issues, typically there are significant delays. Seems our counterparts in the states have something called weekends??? Don't really know what they are. That's about the extent of my latest duties and assignements towards winning the war on terror - Paperwork. Will update when I can. Doug

YOU MIGHT BE A TALIBAN IF...

11MAR08. Tuesday. Bumped into a lot of friends from the outstations. Many of which are going home wihtin a few weeks. The majority of which look very different without their beards.... Still, it's a sign that we are moving closer to getting home...Finally. My buddy Jim sent the following the old "you might be a ________ if" joke. Sadly, this struck me as funny. Simply because of the first-hand knowledge. Will Update when i can. Doug



10 signs YOU might be a Taliban:
10. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a strong moral objection to beer.
9. You own a $300 machine gun and a $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes and accept foreign aid handouts from people you hate.
8. You have more wives than teeth.
7. You think vests come only in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.
6. You can't think of anyone you HAVEN'T declared Jihad against.
5. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry ammunition and a grenade in your robe.
4. You've never been asked, "Does this burka make my ass look big?"
3. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other thansetting off roadside bombs.
2. A common compliment is, "I love what you've done with your cave."
And, the NUMBER ONE SIGN that you might be a member of the Taliban: You wipe your ass with your bare hand and then pick your teeth....... but consider bacon unclean

BRISK WEATHER

10March08. Monday. Yet another has quickly gone by. Getting ready to enjoy the best part of my day. Breakfast, Coffee, and the Crossword. Sadly, I really look forward to getting away from the "pressure" and enjoy the crossword. The Wind really kicked-up last night and made the weather especially cold. Still, at least I didn't spend it in a tent!! Not much really happening here. Starting to put some strategy into getting a job when I return. Don't really know what that means other than exploring my options and making some calls. I do know that I've been brainstorming things I'd like to accomplish when I return home. Unfortunately, the list isn't really robust. Will certainly relay them after I'm thru brainstorming. Well, lots of folks trying to get onto a machine. So, I'll go. Will update when I can. doug

NOTHER DAY, ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY

9MAR08. Sunday. Well, another day has gone by seemingly in a bluf. With all the recent hub-bub of activity at home, quicly overlooked my sisters birthday. More importantly, her birthday corresponds to our Anniversary. So happy birthday sis. Happy (belated) Anniversary. How many years have we been married? Feels like three, and like a Honeymoon....Almost. The kids quickly ground me into reality. Another crisp morning here, and I'm enroute to one of my favorite hightlights for the day. Chow. Of course, the others are Sleeping, PT and a Shower. Hope all is well. Will update all to my mundane life when able. Doug

16 WEEKS TO GO

8MAR08. Saturday. Boy, only about 16 weeks to go. Sounds a lot nicer that 52+ Weeks. The mornings here are crisp and the mountains scenic. Really starting to get into the groove of this office work. I can only hope I don't get some sort of office-related injury like carpel tunnel, or a staple wound. The kids are certianly moving right along. Ryan is off to a BSA Camporee this weekend. Shannon is off to a Band Show, and Kristen is working. Post Crash Events I know Terri will be providing a lot of TLC to her mom. This inclues house chores, groceries, etc. I envision this being the case for some time until her mom's vision gets better. Her dad will be home shortly. I forsee Terri's brother (Chris) providing the same level of support for her dad. I wish I could be there to provide some comfort to my bride during this difficult time. Doug

7MAR08. Friday. Boy, when it rains it pours. Well, I guess Terri's mom and dad are adjusting to the post-crash activities. Seems her mom is the worst off. She has a broken eye socket. Thus, her vision is all messed up. She is slated to get some surgery to get it fixed. All which is good. Now the interesting part. A couple of days prior my step mom broke her leg. Yup, what is that they say, bad news comes in threes? Well, I think we've had our fair share. Oh, if some of the letters on this post are messed-up. It's due to the fact that this machine has seen a lot of action. Thus it is definately not the best. Weather is kinda yukky, rainy and overcast. However, the temps are not too bad. We keep having these power outages. Way, way too many of them. The clocks (and computers) must always be reset. What a way to fight a war.....Think I'm adjusting to this new desk job. We'll see. Well, seems I'm starting to ramble. Take Care. Doug

NIGHT SHIFT

5MAR08. Wednesday. Got word from Terri, I guess her dad and mom are getting situated after the car crash. That's good to hear. Here it's simply another terrific day in the sandbox....Today is raining outside. This simply equates into Seabees taking the day off. Hooray. Also, I've been switched to Nights. So, have a few hours to do laundry and arrange my little closet. Ah, the excitement of it all. In looking at the calander, it looks like I've got about 4-months left here. So, starting to compile a mental list of things "to do". Getting a Job quickly comes to the forefront. Also, I know that Terri has a lot of things which are broken. So, that will take up about a year. After that, we'll see what the next priorities are.

ADJUSTMENTS

4MAR08. Tuesday. Well, I think I'm adjusting to the desk job. Never have I seen so much concern over such munitia. For instance, missing comma, wrong margin, etc. Put me back in the field!!! At least there you only handle paper once. Fire and Forget..... Changing the subject slightly, seems Terri's mom will be going home shortly (if not already). Her dad however, will require a couple of days to transition into a rehab facility. Just what a geographical bachelorete needs. Another family to worry about. Shifting gears yet again. My good friend Tom (and family) sent a wonderful care package. Their Kids took the time to make some wonderful drawings for me. Boy, talk about bringing back memories of kids. The Snacks were also a neat change of pace. Thanks guys. Will certainly update when I can. Take Care for now. Doug

END OF THE RAINBOW

3MAR08. Monday. Start of the Workday Stateside. Continuation of a Workyear for the Warrior.... Chatted with Terri last night, seems the hospital staff is looking for long-term solutions for her dad. Insofar as her mom, the Eye-doc is slated to review her eye. We'll see what happens. In the end, this is certainly a major jolt for the family. I pray that all will come together. Here, the weather is changing for the better. Although the weather-guessers predict a couple more snows. But, it's a significant change from the frigid temps of last month. I'm starting to get my new battle rhythm down. Yet, still have to get off the compound. My buddy Jim sent the below picture. For me, this sums-up this whole deployment. Doug

PRAYERS ABOUND NEAR AND FAR

2MAR08. Sunday. Just to pass the word, Terri's world just came crashing down yesterday. Enroute home, Terri's mom, dad, and family friend were involved in a car crash on the 3-mile bridge (in Pensacola). At the time of this writing, her mom received the brunt of the crash and is still in critical care. Her dad is also in the hospital. So, my heart-felt prayers are with them at this hour of need. Doug

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH - 9YRS OLD

1MAR08. Saturday. Happy Birthday Beth. A whole 9-years old. Hopefully, you will enjoy many more. Typical day in the Sandbox. Ho-hum. Did finally get a package from home. Not only was it in the wrong office, but the box was broken and inspected. The only thing I could make out on the box was T-Shirts. Anything of Value I should Know about??? On a seperate note, a friend sent me the below joke. I thought it was kinda cute; especially since it was delivered from a Boy Sout Leader. Doug

At the end of the tax year, the Tax Office sent an inspector to audit the books of a synagogue. While he was checking the books he turned to the Rabbi and said,

"I notice you buy a lot of candles. What do you do with the candle drippings?"
"Good question," noted the Rabbi. "We save them up and send them back to the candle makers, and every now and then they send us a free box of candles."

"Oh," replied the auditor, somewhat disappointed that his unusual question had a practical answer. But on he went, in his obnoxious way, "What about all these biscuit purchases? What do you do with the crumbs?" "Ah, yes", replied the Rabbi, realizing that the inspector was trying to trap him with an unanswerable question.

"We collect them and send them back to the manufacturers, and every now and then they send a free box of holy biscuits." "I see!" replied the auditor, thinking hard about how he could fluster the know-it-all Rabbi.

"Well, Rabbi," he went on, "What do you do with all the leftover foreskins from the circumcisions you perform?" "Here, too, we do not waste," answered the Rabbi. "We save up all the foreskins and send them to the Tax Office, and once a year they send us a complete dick."