Been too long

So we've settled into the routine here, things are pretty much as you'd expect for Afghanistan.

I've been spending alot of time on ADV Rider lately, and I've been inspired to travel west through Utah when I get back. I promised TL that I'd take her on a road trip when I get back, and she's really wanted to go to the Black Hills and the Grand Canyon. They are geographically very disparate and it would be hard to hit both, but if we go up through Colorado and then West into Utah, we can hit Moab, Zion, the GC, and then back into Texas in about 15 days, which is what I've budgeted for the trip. The big question right now is whether I take Jack and/or Aidan with us. They are both probably big enough to make and enjoy the trip, and I would certainly love to have them, though I promised Tori we would spend some time together when I get back. I still have plenty of time to figure it all out, its about a year away. Check out this forum thread if you need to get your head around the places Im talking about...

I figure while I'd love to buy a GS BMW when I get home, in reality, most of the touring I will do for the next few years will include the kids, so most likely I'm just gng to outfit a nice 4WD, 4DR Toyota for our expeditions, and maybe rig up the Rover too for the bigger ones. Roof rack, Lift, etc.

Big night tonight, so more to follow...

first hit from Afghanistan

We've been here in Ghazni for a few weeks now, and we're still living in tents, out of rucksacks. Our predecessors are having all sorts of problems getting out of the FOB due to the limited amount of air resources that come and go from here. So needless to say, noone is really happy with the situation, and the men are bitching pretty much constantly since we've been basically transient for 2 months. It gets old.

So Im sitting at breakfast this morning listening to some of the men talking about games, Halo, and some other online games, and Im amused that they are such willing killers who are discussing the merits of video games.

So in the middle of this, one of the other E4s comes up and announces to the bunch that his girlfriend has broken up with him. He plays it off that he doesnt care, calls her names and talks about how he took advantage of her, but I can tell by the look on his face that its bravado. He says, well, now, since I have no reason to go home, I can really do some crazy shit. Then he says in fact, I dont even have to go home on mid term, I can go to europe and nail some euro trash. The other guys all chime in, calling him "number 1" but its a dubious honor. It means hes the first to get dumped on this trip.

So another kid starts talking about how on his last deployment, his girlfriend dumped him after a few months, and it gave him freedom. Since he didnt care if he lived or died, he could do so much more. An NCO sitting next to me, also listening to all this, mutters under his breath "all women are whores..."

see ya in a bit America

I find myself looking down the barrel of my last night in America for the foreseeable future. At least the next 4 months. Many men have stood here with the same view, many of them far more adept at finding a way to help those without such experience have some inkling of what it tastes like.

Sad really...

When the high point of the week is a trip to the Greenwood Mall.

What has the Army come to when grown men can't be allowed to account for themselves.

ESCAPE!

We slipped the wire today, and stole away to Barnes and Nobles. Yes, we are intellectual cavemen here, and when given a few priceless moments of freedom, we spent them in a bookstore. I cant lie, we also swilled coffee, and engaged in rather fascinating conversation around what makes a great and compelling photograph, as well as whether Jimmy is truly as uptight as he appears from a distance. It was a really nice way to spend an afternoon, and of course, it was spent with the best people I know. At least the best ones Im not married to.

I plan to put together some thoughts on the photograph thing. Its been a question thats been nagging at me since I started to really embrace photography as a hobby and an artform, though not one I excel at.

Thats really the question isnt it? WHAT is a good photograph? What separates Ansel Adams from the many, many imitators? What does Schiller see before he presses the shutter? As we discussed tonight, its not always the image that you think that turns out to be the real winner.

In any case, I want to put together a more coherent diatribe on this, and I'll save that for another day, tomorrow perhaps.

Mario, quit being candy assed, and put your blog up. You might be surprised how many people are interested in what you have to say...

Creation

So I'm entertaining myself a little with Hank Moody lately. I dont really have much in common with 'ol Hank on the outside, but COMPLETELY understand the man. He's a bit like a washed up rock star, you know the guy, the David Lee Roth of the literary world. He still has it, he still gets the attention, but the "respectable" people out there kinda sneer at him, and wonder "what the fuck" while being ohhhh so secretly jealous.

I mean who doesnt want to punch out the asshole that disrespects the object of our affections at a high dollar fund raiser? But the rest of us are saddled with that little inner (or in some cases big outer) voice that keeps us from crossing that line. We have something to lose. Hank has real freedom. He has established that nothing he does is going to make his life worse than it is, so fuck it.

He is being vigorously pursued by a breathtaking 16 year old girl who he "accidently" slept with and oh by the way is also the daughter of the target of his unique disgust, (the man who is marrying his beloved ex girlfriend) and in some strange way, the way we dont want those upstanding people people I referred to earlier to know about, we ALL respect him for it.

He is a fantastic father to his own daughter, at least in the 21st Century book of rules kind of way, and in a strange sort of proxy that crosses the line to creepy even for me, he is doing a pretty damn good job of parenting the aforementioned 16 year old as well..

I share Hanks disdain for the man, for the system, for the decay of American Culture, and for the bulk of the people that comprise that culture. I share his desire to unset the smug and crass, and his taste for whiskey from Kentucky and cars from Stuttgart. So since I have about 7 episodes left to view from the 1st season of Californication, and a MONTH of time to waste here in Indiana, all I can say is THANK FUCKING GOD for Hank Moody.

So Im home on pass...

Im sitting here at my dining room table, IMMENSELY enjoying the time with the kids and family. I wish it was more.

IMG_9221, originally uploaded by Dave in Austin.

The Army never fails to confound me, though I've been dealing with it for 15 years, you'd think Id be used to it by now. So we arent leaving on the 15th, or even the 18th, its going to be some time in March most likely, so I have to fly back tomorrow to a three day weekend at Camp Atterbury. Most of the post is going to be closed due to the holiday, so there is ABSOLUTELY no reason to go back. But here we are.

These are the things that make want to just chuck it all and get the fuck out, but honestly, I think its worse out in the civilian world. They have no recourse to stupidity. At least here I can often pull rank, or influence someone who can. This situation just works out to suck. Were going tot ry to make the most of it, and get some training in, maybe some MWR days in Chicago and Indy, but all in all, its just stupid.

More later.