Finally, a break
We got back yesterday from a long and grueling five-day mission all over creation. It left me never wanting to drive in a humvee again. It's damn fine to be back at CF.
Today I started a week of duty, meaning I sit at a entry control point at our little battery headquarters and check IDs as people enter and exit. It's a welcome respite from the constant grind of long missions and annoyingly various working hours. I work two four-hour shifts a day, which leaves me eight hours for sleeping and eight hours for doing my own thing, which is much more than c0uld be said for my job the last time I had duty, in which I was constantly on call and hardly ever got reliable sleep. Plus, the platoon's out on a mission so I have the room and most of the rest of the barracks to myself. Peace and quiet is so nice, especially given all the reading I have been and will be doing.
Speaking of, I started reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I can barely put it down. It's very odd, at this point almost something like a collection of short stories fused together with even shorter blurbs, but it's spellbinding nonetheless. I finished...something else the other day, what was it? I can't remember. I'm blowing through books like mad, which I think is frustrating Karnolt because he keeps coming into my room to chew the fat but my attention is stuck in a book. Ah well, old Will's just going to have to learn to deal with it.
I think I already mentioned that I got a package from the dulcimer group ladies, which was much appreciated (I've been devouring those cookies ever since), and I got another one from Dee Hayen just yesterday. Plus, another package from Mom & Josh, and before we left I found out that my package from Dad had been sitting around the COC for several days and they had talked about just opening it and keeping the contents, even though nobody deemed to tell me it was there. So I was very happy to finally have my pipe, baseball glove, and those books I've been drooling over.
Gah, time's up, take care folks!
Today I started a week of duty, meaning I sit at a entry control point at our little battery headquarters and check IDs as people enter and exit. It's a welcome respite from the constant grind of long missions and annoyingly various working hours. I work two four-hour shifts a day, which leaves me eight hours for sleeping and eight hours for doing my own thing, which is much more than c0uld be said for my job the last time I had duty, in which I was constantly on call and hardly ever got reliable sleep. Plus, the platoon's out on a mission so I have the room and most of the rest of the barracks to myself. Peace and quiet is so nice, especially given all the reading I have been and will be doing.
Speaking of, I started reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I can barely put it down. It's very odd, at this point almost something like a collection of short stories fused together with even shorter blurbs, but it's spellbinding nonetheless. I finished...something else the other day, what was it? I can't remember. I'm blowing through books like mad, which I think is frustrating Karnolt because he keeps coming into my room to chew the fat but my attention is stuck in a book. Ah well, old Will's just going to have to learn to deal with it.
I think I already mentioned that I got a package from the dulcimer group ladies, which was much appreciated (I've been devouring those cookies ever since), and I got another one from Dee Hayen just yesterday. Plus, another package from Mom & Josh, and before we left I found out that my package from Dad had been sitting around the COC for several days and they had talked about just opening it and keeping the contents, even though nobody deemed to tell me it was there. So I was very happy to finally have my pipe, baseball glove, and those books I've been drooling over.
Gah, time's up, take care folks!
posted by Roger W. at 8:19 AM
16 Comments:
Hey dude, good to hear that you've got some time to chill finally. I had a question for you, for the home movies, do you want them in dvd format or all in one that you can only play on the pc? let me know I'll be sending you a package soon. Shoot me an email with any requests.
Roger,
I'm glad to hear you're getting a chance to catch your breath. It's about time that package finally got to you! Get yourself rested up, we don't want you getting sick over there! Did you hand out those American Rifleman magazines? Take care of yourself.
Love,
Dad
So Rog, how strange to have a real regular schedule in a war zone! It's amazing to me that you guys can keep functioning with so little sleep and such screwy hours, but I guess it isn't much different than medical school. I am glad that you are getting a chance to recoup, though. Sounds like you are really able to get a lot of reading done. Enjoy it while you can and take care of yourself! See you soon.
Roger
its bill gallentine.
good to hear from you. i enjoy reading these things and hearing you are ok.
its cool you get to read alot of books. i too have read slaughterhouse five and i loved it. infact i couldnt put it down.
maybe when you get back, we can talk about it.
be safe
Billy boy,
Darn good to hear from you. I hope things are well with you and Shannon and Angela. Indeed, we will have to get together upon my return and discuss stuff. As it is, I don't think I've seen you since the Formal. It's going to be strange seeing Angela when I get back, she'll have grown so much she'll be getting ready to go to college or something. I look forward to it. Take good care, bud!
Hi Roger,
Thanks for the update. I'm glad you are getting some rest and relaxation. Too bad you can't kick back with a cold one as well! I'll have to put some Budweiser on ice so it is ready for you when you get back.
You should be getting my package soon. Email me with anythign else you need and I'll put together another one to send over. Anyways, take care of yourself. Hope to hear from you more soon!
Alex
Alex,
"more soon"? Is that the result of 5 years of college?
Dad
Dad,
Alex's English is a little jumbled, possibly, but I believe that what he meant by saying "hear from you more soon" was that he would appreciate additional communication within a short time.
I'm supposed to know math and science.....forget the English crap. Although, it is a major pet peeve when people don't use proper English. I think I need to brush up on my grammar.
Thanks for backing me up Roger; that is exactly what I meant.
Roger,
I received your gift of the novel "Starship Troopers." You knew that I had the movie and thought it was kind of hoky, right? I got the novel, and couldn't put it down! This is one of best stories I've read in ages! But I figure you already knew I would like it. Thank you so much.
I looked up Robert Heinlein on the Net, and was not surprised to find he is an Annapolis graduate. I figured he had to have a military background to tell the story in the manner that he did. I've read some of his other works, but I would never have chosen this one on my own. Thanks again!
Love,
Dad
Dad,
I knew you would like the book. I read it in a single day, also coincidentally the day that I shipped for boot camp. I could easily understand your qualms with the book given the movie that was supposedly made from it, but the book had about ten times more depth than the movie.
I'm reading Atlas Shrugged now, and amazingly I had no problem getting into it and am actually having a hell of a time getting away from it. For some reason, it's got me hooked, as dry and long and redundant as it seems to be. I think I just have a general addiction to books, such that right now if I start reading it I would feel it to be a sin to put it down. At least I'm finally reading it, after owning it for about four years.
Also, I didn't write the anonymous comment clarifying Alex's message, but I will try now to better clarify. He did not mean "more soon" to mean "hope to hear from you sooner," but instead "hope to hear more from you soon". There, now it's sufficiently driven into the ground.
Hmmmm.....
Thanks Greg!
Although the circumstances were different, the time I spent as an exchange student in Germany was a time where I did an enormous amount of reading. It was a way to relieve mental stress and avoid having to constantly speak in German. It might be for you a way to escape day-to-day matters as well.
Whats up Rog? Hey, how bout you guys go over to Israel and teach those Isreali militants how to fire a weapon accurately. Maybe then Hezbollah will shut the hell up. Take care buddy and I'll cya in the fall.
Update...update...update...update
Eat it, Aldawg. I'm busy!
Tim,
Far be it for me to show the Israelis what to do. They seem to be capable of taking care of themselves. A bunch of us were sitting around today talking about how much the Israelis kick ass for not taking any crap, and how we wish it could be the same way with the U.S.
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