Georgia Soil
And when you stop
To let 'em know you've got it down...
It's just another town
Along the road.
--Browne
Being home does strange things to me. I have never been so relaxed. Suddenly when I stepped onto that plane in Kuwait, there were no responsibilities. Nobody bitching at me, and nobody at whom to bitch. For the first time in two years, I don't have fifty people directly under my control, and over three hundred depending on me. It is bliss. I haven't slept this well since summer break back at A&M.
I vaguely remember talking about distinctive smells in a very early post on this weblog. Whatever the hell I said, it is true--smells are all around me, and very strong. As soon as the doors of the 130 opened in Kuwait, I could smell the oil. It permeates everything there. And now that I'm home, my wife and I go for walks around our neighborhood. And I can smell...what is it? I don't know. Something about the soil and vegetation here in Tennessee. I didn't even know I'd missed it until I smelled it again. It makes you want to cry, knowing that soon, you'll be back to smelling motor oil, and burning feces and trash, and on the very bad days, froot loops.
To wrap up a very long-lived saga, I have now received my Arabic language software from Rosetta Stone. I even did the first lesson. I know how to say "boy under airplane" and "woman on top of table." Both, very useful phrases. It reminds me of when I was learning Spanish, and I'd always ask how to say "I've been kidnapped, please help me," but my teachers would always decline and insist on teaching me how to say "The fish of my brother, Raoul, is on top of the dresser of my sister, Anita."
Concluding other issues I've talked about since I left: My wife does indeed notice my enhanced physique, thanks to the workouts and the tanning, and likes it. Along the same vein, I do indeed notice HER changed figure, thanks to the workouts and the tanning. I think we may be, at this moment, the most attractive we've ever been.
My parents visited, and we spent some time doing touristy things that I've never gotten to do because my job, let's face it, sometimes just sucks. Saw some historic sites and houses and whatnot, and took a very enjoyable trip to a Civil War battlefield. Actually, it was just a Confederate hospital and graveyard, but I got some very good looks at the battlefield itself, and got a pretty good idea of how the battle was played out.
I am so far having a great time on leave. I will attempt to post again before I leave, but I make no promises.
An editorial note: the last four or five posts appear to all be posted on the same day, which, I guess, they were. My wife posted them when I sent them, and I even saw them up the first day or two I was home; but the Blogger server underwent some kind of maintenance or accident or something, and they were lost. So they have been reposted. I did not actually make four or five posts today. I merely reposted the ones that were cut off. Thanks and Gig 'Em.
To let 'em know you've got it down...
It's just another town
Along the road.
--Browne
Being home does strange things to me. I have never been so relaxed. Suddenly when I stepped onto that plane in Kuwait, there were no responsibilities. Nobody bitching at me, and nobody at whom to bitch. For the first time in two years, I don't have fifty people directly under my control, and over three hundred depending on me. It is bliss. I haven't slept this well since summer break back at A&M.
I vaguely remember talking about distinctive smells in a very early post on this weblog. Whatever the hell I said, it is true--smells are all around me, and very strong. As soon as the doors of the 130 opened in Kuwait, I could smell the oil. It permeates everything there. And now that I'm home, my wife and I go for walks around our neighborhood. And I can smell...what is it? I don't know. Something about the soil and vegetation here in Tennessee. I didn't even know I'd missed it until I smelled it again. It makes you want to cry, knowing that soon, you'll be back to smelling motor oil, and burning feces and trash, and on the very bad days, froot loops.
To wrap up a very long-lived saga, I have now received my Arabic language software from Rosetta Stone. I even did the first lesson. I know how to say "boy under airplane" and "woman on top of table." Both, very useful phrases. It reminds me of when I was learning Spanish, and I'd always ask how to say "I've been kidnapped, please help me," but my teachers would always decline and insist on teaching me how to say "The fish of my brother, Raoul, is on top of the dresser of my sister, Anita."
Concluding other issues I've talked about since I left: My wife does indeed notice my enhanced physique, thanks to the workouts and the tanning, and likes it. Along the same vein, I do indeed notice HER changed figure, thanks to the workouts and the tanning. I think we may be, at this moment, the most attractive we've ever been.
My parents visited, and we spent some time doing touristy things that I've never gotten to do because my job, let's face it, sometimes just sucks. Saw some historic sites and houses and whatnot, and took a very enjoyable trip to a Civil War battlefield. Actually, it was just a Confederate hospital and graveyard, but I got some very good looks at the battlefield itself, and got a pretty good idea of how the battle was played out.
I am so far having a great time on leave. I will attempt to post again before I leave, but I make no promises.
An editorial note: the last four or five posts appear to all be posted on the same day, which, I guess, they were. My wife posted them when I sent them, and I even saw them up the first day or two I was home; but the Blogger server underwent some kind of maintenance or accident or something, and they were lost. So they have been reposted. I did not actually make four or five posts today. I merely reposted the ones that were cut off. Thanks and Gig 'Em.
posted by Battler03 at 11:23 PM
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