(no subject)

 
10:00PM Central Afghan Time

Another day, another 2,000 words on “Glass Ceiling”. I’ve done two dozen other stories; this one is already longer than all but six of them, and I’m not sure how much more it will grow. The length is immaterial, really, except as a mark of how consistently I can turn out copy, what matters is whether or not the story is properly told. After which, of course, I will promptly begin thinking of which project I want to tackle next.

This was also Veterans’ Day, and the people here take note of things like that. I got my Special Forces combat patch in a morning ceremony, and was happy to have it. (Theoretically I’ve earned it just by being here with these guys; I’ll still feel better when I’ve done something that allows me to believe I’ve held up my end of things.) We may or may not go out on a mission in the next few days, which will be a definite change of pace, I’ve been stuck inside the wire for close to a month.

Other things are changing. Where we are is a compound within the larger base at Kandahar Air Field; because of the organization of things, I’ve dealt on a regular basis with French SF and Australian SAS. Just in the past few days, we got in a contingent of Norwegian SEALs, and NATO is supposed to take on a larger role sometime in the immediate coming months. And, not very long from now, there will be the matter of snow. (High today was 75ºF. Not bad for November, but cold weather is coming.)

Some of our guys are going to Qatar for a quick pass. I saw Qatar during my Iraq deployment; nice, relaxing time, but not much excitement. Then, I was with six or eight other people from my unit, but we’re being spread out a lot more carefully this time through; so, when my time comes to make the trip, I might be out there without anybody else I know. I’m less comfortable in social situations than when I’m riding on a gun truck; there, at least, I know what I’m supposed to do.

I’m a little reluctant to start in on my Veronica Mars boxed set; remembering how Firefly took hold of me, I’m afraid I’ll get caught up in it to the detriment of writing progress. I do decent work, but forever have to guard against sloth. But I do like Veronica.

I don’t have a drinking problem. I’m quite good at it. Just haven’t gotten very much practice lately.