Xmas ala Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell is Christmas to me.
The iconic cheer and togetherness shared by American families this time of year. Although I have become disillusioned by the entire holiday “thing” I still fondly remember my childhood Iowa holiday seasons. The snow outside punctuated by a warm house filled with family noise and smells of roast turkey or goose permeating the air. I’m saddened to think those times are gone forever. In the spirit of the Christmas season I wish everyone good health and happiness.

Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showingthe America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.
—Norman Rockwell

Hazy Morning

0630 view

Long way from the 33rd floor to the ground!

Another Sight Shot.

Here's another one. Not as focused as the other, maybe if I had a tripod. Anyway, I'll send a few morning shots after I download them.

Here’s the view from my balcony. I took this within 1 hour of arriving at my new home. I must say, my little dive camera takes fairly nice night photos.

Sweet Escape!

I received a call to interview for a job on the 23rd of last month. It was a very good interview, I missed only one question. I received the usual spiel that I would get an answer either way in 3-4 days. The very next day the job I interviewed for was reposted. Even though this seemed to be a bad sign I waited until the 5th day to send an email of inquiry as to my situation. I was informed that my interview notes would be added to the interview noted of the applicants from the repost and a decision would be made. At least it wasn’t a No. I started searching thru other job postings in an attempt to get out of my current location. Few stood out, one in Kuwait, but nothing that would have been as good as moving to Dubai. When I had almost forgotten about the whole affair I get a friendly phone call from an HR representative in Dubai asking if I would be interested in a follow up interview. I accepted, hiding my certain glee. The second interview was given by the business segment manager, all four travel supervisors and the senior HR generalist. I got a huge amount of positive feed back from the group and closed the interview with a very good feeling. I got the standard post interview HR shtick about being notified in 3-4 days with a decision. I must have made a good impression. Approximately 7 hours later I got a preliminary job offer. I was a bit confused by the email as it did not convey anything solid. The exact wording was “We would like to inform you that we have considered you for our Travel Coordinator position in Dubai. We would like to make you this preliminary offer, pending approvals from all sides concerned.” I wasn’t left with a warm fuzzy feeling so, I conveyed my acceptance and now am waiting to move to Dubai. After everything I will finally escape Iraq to a whole new place where I can have a beer if I choose. I won’t know what to do with myself. No more body armor or bunker drills. No more incoming alarms from rockets and mortars and best of all, no more ass clown boss! Although I think Dubai is actually just a false sense of security. It has the largest concentration of expatriates in the middle east. There is tight security but I don’t trust any Arabs, too difficult to tell who’s a fanatic just pretending to go along long enough to blow you up. At least there is a movie theater.

Emotive

For those of you who know me…….I’m a fairly happy person - I try to get along with everyone. I’m in a place that should be the great to work at - small camp, very few people to deal with. But, after about 4 months now I’m finally wearing down. Actually, this is probably the culmination of my total time in Iraq. No matter what people think, everyone here suffers from varying degrees of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. So, I ask myself, what do you do when a particular individual strains you so bad all you want to do is physically damage them? There is so much superfluous drama here. Virtually every fragment of dissension can be coupled to one personality. That’s right folks, Mr. Cyclothymia strikes again! He inflates every minute problem to such a degree that an instant calamity forms. This person then proceeds to travel from person to person, department to department, leaving crisis and turmoil in his wake. I decided to exercise whenever I have the urge to choke him. Now I find myself in the gym or exercising 2-3 times a day. Honestly, abject rage has done wonders for my abs. I’ve recently interviewed for a job in Dubai and applied for a few others. So, I’m in a holding pattern until something breaks. This is me taking an unfathomable lungful of air………….

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.

Cyclothymia

A persistent instability of mood, involving numerous periods of mild depression and mild elation. This instability usually develops early in adult life and pursues a chronic course, although at times the mood may be normal and stable for days at a time. The mood swings are usually perceived by the individual as being unrelated to life events.
A.K.A. My Boss!

OSHA

I’ve been sitting in an OSHA 30 Hour Course for General Construction. I cannot begin to tell you how laborious this week has been. I managed to complete 2 online courses, research flight schools, and balance my financial statements during my time here. The instructor is a very knowledgeable southern woman who has taught the class just as much about her family as OSHA standards. If you didn’t know, OSHA is Occupational Safety and Health Administration. http://www.osha.gov/ in case you can’t sleep tonight. I don’t think I could follow a career in safety, I’m not bossy enough. I did learn what can happen if a guy doesn't adjust a fall protection harness in the proper manor. There was a delightful story of how a guy fell from a building with his harness improperly adjusted. Before he hit the end of the safety line his testicle had worked it's way to the to the other side of the crotch strap. When the medics finally cut the guys pants off, low and behold, his testicle had shot straight out of the scrotal sack. That had to suck!

ENOUGH SAID

Field Day at the Airfield

So, today I was tasked with the opportunity to work out on the airfield with the air force. I noticed this big ass plane and decided to ask if I could take a photo.

The cool thing about this plane is that it actually looks like a movie theater inside.

Going Outside

Here's a photo of myself and our Security guy just before heading outside the base to visit the Regional Embassy Office. Going outside the wire, as it's called, isn't all that exciting for me. Good news is I don't have to do it very often.

Homeland Security

Ask the American Indians what happens when you don't control immigration.

$1.25 Million

That's right folks, tax payer money in action. 4 up armored SUV's coming in at $250,000 each. They don't drive too bad either.

Which Do You Think?

I'm leaning more towards the B&W but I may be just going thru a phase. By the way, this was taken on my last trip to Bangkok.

Cool New Tooth

Before

During

After

Isn't it lovely? Now I can eat nachos without bleeding.

I Think I'll Make A Book

I’m think I’m going to follow my hobby and put my photos together for a coffee table book. Anyone interested in buying something like that? I’ll sign it, ha-ha. On another note, I finally got my new tooth installed…….photo to follow.

Black and White Mood

How I spent my weekend.

Actually it was an extended weekend, from Thursday to Monday. We received a notification from the central office that there were petty cash records that totaled over $1.3 million that had to be found and scanned to the central office by close of business Monday. All the records date back to 2003 and have been carelessly housed in a 40 foot shipping container. During their stay in the container rodents had made homes, water had dripped in and mold had grown. So, myself and 6 other people worked 14 – 17 hours days for the entire weekend to uncover as any files as possible. We all wore rubber gloves to avoid catching any rat poop virus and sat at your desks or on the floor comparing requisition codes and subcontract numbers. The only highlight of the weekend was a call from Trojan; it’s nice to hear the voice of home. Anyway, back to the grind.

SCORE!!!

I have been picking up the mail everyday lately, until our new labor foreman arrives to take over the duties. As with many of my collateral duties I just use it as an excuse to escape my desk on a daily basis to head down to the Post Office and chat with the soldiers who run the facility. We have another site that has not been collecting their mail and packages the way they should be and needless to say, have amassed quite a few packages over the weeks. During one of my previously mentioned conversations; one of the mail clerks told me that no one had contacted the Post Office about all the excess mail taking up valuable shelf real estate. I informed him that some of their packages had even shown up on my mail shelf. After examining the parcels he turned and educated me on a not very commonly known Postal rule regarding “abandoned mail”. If a package is left in the care of the Post Office without contacting them with a forwarding address or some other similar arrangement to recover the package for more than 30 days the Post Office will simply give the packages away; if it cannot be returned to the original sender. The packing slips on the boxes stated the contents to be food so; the clerk asked if I wanted to take the boxes so they could make extra room in the store room. Thinking Santa had come early this year I was more then happy to help out. When I got back to my office I found a few boxes of cereal, pasta roni, instant latte mix, caramel and chocolate coffee flavoring and a few packages of tuna. But the best surprise of all was in the third box. A brand new 4 gig ipod nano, to include accessories and 2 carrying cases. Also a stack of blank DVD's and a really nice leather bound journal. Not a bad haul for a few days of chatting with some really kick ass people down at the Post Office. I guess this makes up for any postal problems I’ve had in the past.

Barracks Room Remodel

Ok, Here is the new "living Room" down stairs portion to include walk thru closet.

This is my new staircase which I found on a pallet in the materials yard late one night, better than Home Depot I tell ya.

And finally I have an upstairs "bed room" with a bed I built hight enough to store all my moving boxes under. As a result, I have to almost jump to get into bed now.

The materials involved in this renovation were actually reclaimed from the local military landfill and as a result diden't cost me anything. I used 4 bed frames, (7) 4x4 posts, some 2" angle iron and a butt load of 1/4" plywood which I procured from shipping crates. One circular saw, one cordless drill and about 18 hours of total time. Some how I think my good friend Guam would be really proud and a little scared of my project. I'm thinking about moving my computer and desk to the up stairs but it all depends on how motivated I am after working 18 hours today.

The Neighborhood

This the view out of the front gate of the compund. It almost liiks like a small town, in a way it is.

This is how close I am to a Kurdish neighborhood.

Something always seems to be burning here. I think it's the oil field this time.

My New Home

So, after finally escaping the camp from hell, I managed to get out an snap a few photos of my new work site. Here is the compound I live and work in. All the personal rooms on one side and the offices are on the other side.

I finally have a room to myself in a real building with a real door. We call our rooms jail cells because they are 6.5' wide, 15' long and 13' high. My plan is to split the room in half and make a loft to double my floor space. The really nice thing about the room is the 2' thick concrete walls, much better than a tent during mortat attacks.

THIEVING BASTRDS!!!

So, I finally got all moved to my new work location in Kirkuk, photos to follow. I’m starting to get the rundown on my job and responsibilities. As part of my move I log onto my banking website to change my mailing address and check my current balance. I may be investing in a newly constructed hospital in the Philippines and was lining up my liquid funds for a possible funds transfer. I happened to glance at my current balance and thought it seemed lower than it should be, seeing as I have only purchased 2 things in the last 2 months, an airline ticket and one pair of shoes. That’s when I saw the statement below. Click on I to make it large enough to read.

That’s right, some little A-Hole got a hold of my check card number and sent it to a relative in India. First off, I had to figure out where the local currency was the Rupee, then I had to figure out how my card number got there. I mean it’s not like I have ever been to India, although I hear the dysentery is to die for. I started digging deeper into my statement and low and behold, 7 days prior to the first illegal charge I had used my debt card at the AAFES PX/BX in Baghdad, which is chock a block full of Indian and Pakistani workers. Then I remembered a story of how the fuel point supervisor had used her debt card at the Burger King next to the AAFES, also part of the Indian and Pakistani work force and she found close to $300 in fast food charged to here card. After filing my claim with VISA check card fraud and theft department I will get the money back but now I don’t have a check card and still have hotel’s to book for my upcoming vacation to Bangkok. Of course they will not ship a new card to an APO address so I have to find someone in the US to send it to me ASAP so I can get everything finished. As you may have read from the photo above, the grand total for this pain in the ass was $2449.52. Now besides the French, I am forced to not like the Indians any more, Thank you sir, do you want another slushy!!

Cool Dive Art

I especially like the first five because they remind me of the nose art from WWII bombers

My Iraq Travel

I've had more than a few people ask where I was in Iraq at the time of the conversation or where I would be going next when I moved or changed addresses only to be met with a brief to long silence followed by "where's that?" Well, here is a nifty little reference I whiped up between rocket attacks near the U.S. Embassy. Ok, I started at #1, was there for about 1 monthe before being transfered to #2. I was in the Safety Department at the time and in the middle of nowhere. The camp was quiet and we never had an attack. After the military decided to close the place down I was transfered back to #1 for about a monthe where I got into the Operations Department. I then went to another site near #1, too close to put another mark on the map, for 2 weeks which turned into almost 3 months. I then returned to #1 for 4 months before I was exhiled to #3. This is the place I previously posted photos of, the dessert and tents and lizzards, I am currently sitting at a different location near #1 until I transfer to my new position at #4. I hope this clears up any questions that anyone who cares may have.

You can click on the map to see it better

DELIVERANCE

So, after my 4th phone interview I have finally been offerend a promotion and new location up north. I finlly get to leave the poop hole I'm in for a nicer camp with actual buildings to live in instead of a tent with 7 other guys. Now hopefull my regional managers woun't screw me over and keep me here. In other good news, one of the equipment operators killed a 4 foot sand viper with a backhoe. Now we're just tying to decide whose sleeping bag to put it in. Good times in the desert!!

Oh what a lovely smile!

Crap Crap Crap!!!

I received an email from an individual at this company interested in meeting with me to discuss employment options in administration and investment management. The good and bad thing about this is that they are located in Tokyo and I'm stuck in Iraq. If it were a solid job offer I'd go tomorrow but I cant just pop onto a 15 hour flight for maybe. It would be my dream to live and work in Japan for a while but I can't throw away a six figure job for maybe. I replied to the individual informing him of my situation and willingness to travel for a job possibility. Maybe I'll hear back from them.

CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!!!

Where water comes from

We have a few wells here in different stages of completion.
First stage: drill a big muddy hole

Second stage: put a generator, pump and well head next to the big muddy hole

Stage three fill in the big muddy hole and pump water to the filtering station.

Yeah!!! Now I can take a shower with water that actually smells like dirt!