Marking time

[aadler]

 
What I said about remembering Kuwait as being hotter?

I spoke too soon. The wind still helps — helps a lot, in fact — but it’s gotten HOT the last few days. I don’t have access to a thermometer, but when the wind that keeps sweat from collecting on me feels like it’s coming directly from a furnace, that tells me something.

(I’m not speaking figuratively. I did a summer job, thirty-some years ago, that had me working with actual furnaces. I know how it feels to have my face right next to the vent from one. This is very close to that. Very close.)

More than that, the power to our tent went out four or five times yesterday. I’m uncertain on the exact number because I didn’t hang around; I didn’t have any actual duty, our training seems to be pretty much done by now, so after the first hour in the dark with the tent getting steadily hotter, I went down to the MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) center to wait things out in decent cool. Repairs were slowed by the fact that yesterday was apparently the birthday of the prophet Mohammed, so many if not most of the foreign civilian workers had the day off. Eventually they replaced the entire generator.

For the past two days I’ve worn the PT uniform (physical fitness: gray t-shirt, black shorts, running shoes). It’s lighter.

I picked up a wireless access card for ’Net use, and do my browsing now from the Starbucks next to the dining hall. Only real problem is that everybody else goes there for the same purpose, so it’s usually crowded.

There’s really not a whole lot for us to be doing right now.

Did I mention it’s hot?

Comments

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you've got your own net access now... and no longer have to wait in line for a short 30 minute turn at the computers! Just hearing you talk about the temps has been making me sweat, though! Probably not helped by the fact that we're currently away from the Northwest and sweltering in the dry heat in Utah (which is nowhere near as bad as where you are).

BTW, is there any possibility of getting an address for you so we can send you goodies from time to time? I've tried to do that for everyone I know who's gone to Iraq, Kuwait or Afghanistan over the past few years...

[aadler]

I don’t actually have an address yet, because I’m not on-station yet. As far as getting goodies, I (and most soldiers) wind up leaving a lot of stuff behind at the end of a deployment, and most of have access to most of the stuff we need.

Know what really makes a difference? Letters. It’s funny; I can get three of four e-mails from my wife, but any time an actual letter from her shows up, it lifts my day. Funny how that works.

[trinfaneb.livejournal.com]

Glad you access to Wireless and I hope you have good access when you reach your duty station. I wish I could share my library's excess AC with you so I wouldn't have to wear a jacket at work most of the time :)

[aadler]

The access is about as good as I had before … which is to say, not great but probably adequate. The issue is free time. Working twelve-hour days, and dealing with other necessities in my ‘spare’ time, doesn’t leave me much leeway for Net stuff. I’ll get by, though. One way or another, I always do.