Archive for August, 2007
I think I’m going to change the layout of my blog around sometime soonish. The default theme is getting old, and I prefer my older darker color scheme to this boring (and bright) white business. Work was insanely boring today, just like I like it. I’ll be working on a brilliant letter before too long, as well as jotting down some more song ideas and other fun stuff – maybe. Who knows.
Ahh, my first day back and the luxurious^Wdusty FOB Hammer. Not all bad really, as I’ve been reunited with my preferred recording equipment, one of my guitars, and some of the people I’ve spent the majority of the last four years around. A few things have even improved, namely the AC in my tent actually cools while the sun is out, and makes things downright frosty when the sun is bothering the other side of the planet.
The glasses I broke on my birthday had a feature I’ve now come to miss a lot – tinting lenses. My current pair lack any special coatings at all, and I can see that causing a number of things to happen. First off, I’ll be doing a lot more squinting, because the sun is really bright, and the sand here is really reflective. Secondly, fine sand + uncoated lenses = scratches. Honestly, fine sand + any surface at all = scratches, so this isn’t really something I’m too worried about.
There were a few boxes waiting for me when I got back, so thanks to everyone that sent me anything in July! I’ve not got a nice collection of new movies to watch, magazines to read, and music to listen to – I’ll be busy for a while. It is nice to come back and have things waiting, so thanks again.
So BIAP was fun, I ended up in a tent with no door and a broken A/C. After a little while some other NCO came in whining that it smelled bad. It smelled bad, in Iraq? NO!? You don’t say!? Who could have imagined such a thing could even possibly occur in such a pristine land. Obviously we need to do a police call, and sweep the floor. You know, because sand smells bad – and making the tend a dusty cloud will definitely fix everything. To avoid mouthing off too much, I had to excuse myself from the tent for about and hour and walk around. I thought I would get at least a day or two without the insane idiocy of the general population, but I was greeted point blank with a prime example in less than an hour.
After an extra night in Texas (at the Gaylord Texan, which is really nice despite a really gay name) we finally made it to Kuwait on one very old, and very broken L-1011-500. We had to turn around due to some problem with a wing or something on first attempt, the second time we didn’t even get on the runway when a hydraulic pump shit the bed, someone hit it with a hammer and we were good to go. Something tells me the FAA probably wouldn’t have approved that aircraft for flight had it not just been full of government property – aka soldiers. Gotta love the .gov. Anyway, I’m in Kuwait right now, should be back in Iraq shortly. Oh joy.
Well tonight is my last night at home, so I think I’m just going to play guitar, eat good food, and have a beer or five. I got a few good shots of Victoria the other day, and have posted them up. I didn’t get to do quite as much recording as I’d have liked while I was home, but weather and other things I can’t control got in the way of a lot of my plans. I did manage to do a few live cuts on my latest song, which you can find if you go here and scroll down. Well, my guitar isn’t going to play itself. If you’re still around and want to see me before I leave, stop by the house, I’ll be here till the morning – then I’m gone till whenever I come back.
