To Whom It May Concern

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

Transition is a difficult thing sometimes and this is no exception. I traveled back to the United States on about a 24 hour plane ride, then stayed for 2 weeks, then back over to Iraq after another 24 hour plane ride. I am back running the night operations crew out at our unit's operations center. My body seems to be punishing me now because I cannot get any substantial amount of sleep to speak of. Yesterday was the best I did, with about 6 hours perhaps? Today I'm working on 3 hours of sleep. I really don't think it has anything to do with working at night either, it just seems like I can't seem to get into any rhythm. But that's what happened when we arrived here the first time so I expect things to get back to normal.

I have yet to play a new game that belly bought me. The Godfather for Playstation II, some of the other guys here say they have heard it's a kick ass game, so I'll have to take my playstation out to the ops center some night to play it. I drew a couple more mazes out there in the last couple of days. Needless to say, at 0300 in the morning it can be very quiet and also boring as hell. It's hard to stay awake out there too. Oh well, I have 5 hours yet till I have to be out there tonite, I may try and get a couple more hours of sleep before I go.

Running has really sucked lately, I never thought it would get to this point. I'm tempted to start running sets, quarter and half miles, but I think it's my chest that is making it hard on me, it's like I can't get my breath, and it hurts to try to breath deeply. I need to figure out what this is, an infection or virus or whatever I've had for 2 and a half years, but there are no specialists here in Iraq and as most people know, I dropped probably 10,000 dollars on civilian doctors and didn't find out shit. Seems it's worse when I'm tired, stressed, or sick, in fact, worst of all when I'm sick, even a light cold now just seems like death. My chest burns like hot lava when I get a cold. I will see a specialist when I'm back home, I have 90 days following deployment to take care of medical issues.

Let's see, other than that, I'm next in line in Nebraska to get an E-7 Sergeant First Class slot. Let's hope one comes up, I think it would be wonderful to get my E-7 rank while over here, the only problem I can foresee is trying to find a decent slot in California to take when I move out there.

Well, time to take a nap. Dreams about belly coming up :) IF I can get to sleep that is!!

Current Lyrical Ramblings

Now your pictures that you left behind
Are just memories of a different life
Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry
One that made you have to say goodbye

Always - Bon Jovi