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.

Still in Indiana

ice world too, originally uploaded by Dave in Austin.

So were still here. We've had some astoundingly bad training, and some pretty good training. But its all kind of refresher stuff for most of us. Only a few more weeks til we roll now.

So I have a few plans for when I come back that I'm working over. I was talking with one of the other guys here the other night and we're thinking of putting together a modest trip to Daytona the March we return from Afghanistan. Probably about 8 of us going over there, trailering the bikes into the local area, and then just taking in the scene for a few days. That one still needs some fleshing out.

As soon as I get back, like maybe before Christmas if we get back that early, we're taking a family trip out to West Texas, for 8 to 10 days. I want to camp out in the snow with the kids, and also stay at Ft Davis a few nights. That one is planned out pretty well.

In the Spring, like right after school gets out, I'm taking TL for a 10 day motorcycle trip up through Colorado, maybe Wyoming, etc. That one is planned out pretty well, except that the route keeps changing as we talk more about it.

My free time is winding down this morning...more tonight maybe.

Well..here we are...

Im at Camp Atterbury Indiana, and its cold. Damn COLD. Why would people live here? There arent any wonderful scenic mountains, or anything like that, its just rolling farmland. Nice, but lord, the winters...

The people seem nice enough, and the stations we've gone through here have been well organized. Were really looking forward to getting through this part, and on to Afghanistan. Our title 10 clock is ticking so to speek, but really, we all want to get on with it.

Christmas is over

And we're in the inevitable after Christmas lull. The kids got some chinese four wheelers, and they are loving them. Tori took to it like she was born on one, and was chasing me around the yard in no time. I was riding the XR, which of course is still not at 100% but she was hanging no problems, woohooing the whole time. Good stuff.

I'm looking forward to getting going so that I can get my focus sorted. Right now, it feels like everything back here is on hold, since I dont want to start anything new, only to leave in two weeks. So its like just sitting around is the only thing to do.

I have many big plans for when I get back, and Im looking forward to those...