29 July 05

Oh Man. I can't believe that one month from today is when I start classes again. I am so burned out right now. I haven't have a GOOD full night/day of sleep in a long time. I fell asleep with my laptop on my chest last night when I was trying to do research. I am getting sick. Not good. I was planning on writing the bulk of my paper the last 2 days, but of course nothing ever goes my way...I got told that I had to go on a mission off post. It pretty much TOTALLY wasted 2 full days for me, but I do have some pretty cool stories. Andrew should tell his story, but I'll do it anyway. We had to return some lightsets to a place off post, and they were all secured on nice and good and properly. Well, he was the last truck, and as he was driving, 2 of them came loose from the Ratchet Strap that held them down and went tumbling down the freeway. May I remind you that they cost $30,000 dollars a piece. Nobody was hurt thank goodness, and the bus that happened to be traveling behind them was able to stop in time. They got the road all cleaned up and were back on the road following us. Then I was told that I would get to go swimming in the Persian Gulf, but that didn't happen, but I did get to touch the water. It was really really warm and so salty. I have a couple pictures of it, so I'll be posting them sometime. How many of YOU can say that you've touched the Persian Gulf. That's pretty much the only reason that I wanted to see it...well, that and the fact that it was so darn hot out yesterday, and I wasn't in airconditioning all day. Air in the truck was having the windows down and the windshield open....MISERABLE! Oh, but one really cool thing was that I got to see a hover craft! Yeah, I know, I thought they only existed on BACK TO THE FUTURE, too! It was HUGE and it came across the water and hovered over the land and then lowered itself! Pretty pimp! I got a picture of it too. Not very good though. Tonight is supposed to be a party for finishing up our mission that we were working on, but I don't think I am going to go. My paper STILL isn't done, and I need to take a nap desparately. Mom and Kim's mom, good job on getting the accronym right! First try! The next one is: (We need to stop by "KNB" to see if "KBR" has any "TCNs" to help us with the mission.) This one shouldn't be too difficult. I miss you all. See you soon.
-Mere

26 July 05

Hello Hello. It's been a few days since I've blogged. Keep those guesses a comin' for my date of arrival home! Good job to Kimmy for "copy paste, copy paste," the answers from mom and Ames. The answer is correct. That took a bit longer. Last night we got done with all of our connexes. We did have a finish date of 31 August, but they needed us to finish faster, so they told us 31 July, and that wasn't good enough, so we had to be done by 27 July, and we managed to beat it by a day. At least night shift (me) don't have to go out and clean up all the sandbags around the generator. Have fun day shift (Andrew and Jen). We are supposed to be getting things all packed away shortly. Hopefully, everything moves along nicely. So I was told that I will be Home-Home by 1 Sept. So change your guesses, and Michelle, get on that betting board. I can only say that because of security reasons. No need to get attacked this late in the game, if you know what I'm saying. Oh so here is a funny story. So, I am taking online courses this fall from DSU which is connected to all online schools in SD, one of them being USD. When I went to get signed up for them here, they told me that I was the first soldier in ALL OF EUROPE to take a class from there EVER! Can you believe that?!? I didn't know whether I should be proud or ashamed. Whatever, it's free money. That's all I care about. I am hoping that I don't have to work until I leave. That would be sweet. I have a week and a half left of class which is going to kick my butt. I haven't started my 6 page paper due Friday, and I have another 8 page paper due next friday. Pretty much I am going to be really crabby. What's new? I made some Velveeta Shells and Cheese last night for supper at 10:45pm. It was pretty good. I brought my left overs (Em, Rae- I know you are surprised that I had any.) down to Andrew. I think he liked it. Enough procrastinating. I need to start the homework. Accronym: (Call out to the "CP" and get the "POC" from the "MPs" for this convoy coming in.) This statement would never actually happen, but it works. Have a great day!
-Mere

22 July 05

Hello Everyone. Sorry about my lack of writing lately. Life has been pretty busy between work, my online English Composition II class, and homework (well, and maybe a little Andrew time, usually over lunch and 15 between our shifts at midnight.) Plus, I have to sleep. It has been the thing I've been sacrificing lately. Oh well. Dad does it, and I AM his daughter. Let's see...what's been going on in my life...oh, I got registered for my 12 online credits that I'm taking this fall. That should be a good time. Hopefully, it gives me a little time to breathe. Hopefully, any missions we have won't hurt my school work too bad. Also, I unofficially found out when we are coming home. I think you guys should make some money off of me. I won't tell you when it is until the dates have been filled or I am about to come home. I'll give you a range...It's between 2 weeks from now and Oct. 4th. Good luck to you all. Oh yeah, and my leave got cancelled (officially). I knew I wouldn't get it. Good job on the newest accronym QRF. Rachel, you were right once again, but I do believe the cheating has GOT to STOP! Mom, thank you for bringing that to my attention. If she does it again, she will be disqualified from the game. Sorry, RaeJ. The next one is going to be a little different. It is going to be a bunch of them. I'll use them in a sentence. (Talk to your "COC" to get "POL's" training schedule by "COB".) Good luck with that one. Well, I best be going. I'll chat with you all later.
-Mere (the one who's coming home.)

18 July 05

Oh my Goodness, it is humid outside! I can't believe it. It was getting muggy this morning at work, but I was inside all day, and when I went out to brush my teeth and wash my face, it was HORRIBLE. I sure feel sorry for that day shift! Don't forget to drink water! I decided to be ultra productive today, so I hit up the gym. (not a favorite place of mine. I don't see the point is sweating like crazy when I'm outside and then inflict it upon myself in the gym, but that's just me). So anyway, I decided that since I actually got myself there, I was going to make it hurt, and I did. I ran 4 miles in less than 36 minutes, and then walked 2 more. I know to some (Andrew) this isn't much, but it is to me. Pretty much I thought I was going to pass out as I walked back to the barracks in the deadly heat. Good times. I drank my fluids, and I'm as good as new now. So I can't recall whether I wrote this on my last blog or not, but we have 19 days to finish the rest of our connexes. That means between the day and night shift, we have to get 3.5 connexes done a night. I think we can do it. Plus, the other group of people working at a different site are going to come help us when they are done. I'm not saying we are coming home right away or anything, but I was talking to 1SG today, and I could see his answer behind his eyes. They know when we are going home, but this unit prides itself on keeping its troops in the absolute dark on everything, so we'll probably be on a plane for some odd reason, and they'll tell us we are headed home...who would have thought!?! I've attempted to sign up for 12 credits this fall. We'll see if I get into them all. I just found a bite on my arm...I think it's from a sand flea. I don't know what else it could be. They go away in no time at all. Good job to the IED (Improvised Explosive Device) winner, Rachel, and thank you Michelle for the low down on the definition. The next accronym is QRF. Have a great day!
-Mere

15 July 05

My past day has been bittersweet. More bitter than sweet, but the perks of the day were nice. It started off with work not being so great. Everyone was really slow and not in the mood to be there. (I like when it is not ONLY me feeling that way EVERY SINGLE DAY!) Then I came back and laid down for a little bit, only sleeping for an hour. Then I went to the computer lab to check my e-mail where I received an e-mail from my best friend at Basic Training and AIT, Brandon, who told me that his mother passed away, and he had to take emergency leave to go home to bury her. My heart absolutely broke. Please pray for him and his family. He's an only child and doesn't have a father...he's now an orphan. He is a wonderful guy and a true definition of a soldier in the Army, one of the strongest I know. He'll get through this. He kept me sane while I was away at my training. So anyway, my day was truly ruined after that, and I cried for the majority of the afternoon thinking about him and how he must feel, as well as putting myself in his shoes and thinking about how I would feel...Horrible. Laying in bed and knowing I was no where near sleep, I got up and edited a girl's paper from my peer editing group in class. I finally fell asleep for about 3 hours from 8:30pm-11:30pm. When I awoke, it was like x-mas had arrived! I had a package from my family with all my goodies in it. Thanks for the shoes...I have them on right now. The purchases were exactly what I wanted. I also had a package from Chad! Thank you so much for the AVEDA products! They looks so fun. I just got out of the shower. I used the moss shampoo and the big bottle of conditioner lotion stuff. My hair smells so good. I am trying to figure out what it is I want to share with others...nothing...but I will. Thank you again for sending that. I love it! If you ever have anymore testers that you don't want to use, feel free to send them my way. Sorry I never had uncolored hair for you when you asked. It's noon and I haven't gone to bed yet. I still need to edit another person's paper from my group. Hopefully, they will get mine done soon too. (Not like there is any editing to be done!) j/k man! Good job on the CENTCOM (central communications). The new one is "IED". Try that one on for size.
-Mere

11 July 05

Just another day in paradise...remember that Malzey? Sammy Kershaw. I don't know if that's how you spell it or not, but remember when I thought you liked him, so I bought you the CD for christmas or some holiday and you were pissed. Greedy, ungrateful little.... So great news, I slept for 8 consecutive hours yesterday and 10 the day before! I am finally catching up on the sleep that I've missed over the past two weeks of not being able to get myself on a schedule. Good job on the word of the day...you are all correct. The next one might be a bit more difficult. The next accroynm is CENTCOM. Work the last couple of nights has been pretty good. I took some pictures of the work site, so I'm hoping to get a couple of them posted on here soon. Also, I took a picture of clouds today. I know that is nothing for you, but here, they are hard to come by. It was pretty. I'm happy because I have the night off and so does Andrew. Too bad he likes to go to bed when I'm just getting up and starting to move around. I'll try to talk him into watching the last disc of Season 2 & 3 of NEWLYWEDS! Great times. No news on when we're coming home yet. Only 2 months and 1 day until our B-Day, Malzey, and 2 months and 6 days until I get to come home on leave! Chat later.
-Mere

7 July 05

Sorry that's it's been a few days since I have blogged. I'm such a working girl now that I don't seem to have time to sleep let alone check my e-mail and surf the net. I'm really excited because I have tonight off...ah, a wonderful 36 hours without having to deal with connexes, dirt, dust, canisters, JList, and crazy NCOICs...well, one anyway. I have finished my first online class completely except for filming my last speech. I'll probably do that sometime this weekend. I'll have to take an incomplete until my teacher receives it. Hey, I have some super awesome news...well, most of it is great! I finally got my days of my R&R Leave this morning. My days are 17 Sep to 4 Oct. This sucks a bit because I'll miss my 21st Birthday by 5 days, but Malzey, it is on a Monday, so I should be home by the weekend. We'll go out Saturday or sunday or something! The other crazy thing is that Andrew wasn't supposed to get his leave until the middle of Oct., but his is the same days as mine. Talk about a good 24 hour flight home! Only one girl out of my entire company has leave after us. Talk about the last pick. They moved everyone whose leave is supposed to be in Oct. to Sep., so my guess is they want us all to get it in the case that we get to leave early. CSM is Command Sergeant Major...nice job to all of you who did so well. The next one is "DFAC". Good luck. Mallory, don't answer right away because I know you know the answer. I want to see other people's answers first. I best be getting to bed. I've been up for 22 hours straight. Got to love the ARMY! Later.
-Mere
67 days until leave...I know it is sad.

2 July 05

Good Job, Emily on getting the correct answer for DoD (Department of Defense). Last night at work was crazy. Our paperwork was so screwed up because they made us change our entire system we had going on. Oh well. We still ended up getting like 6 connexes done while day shift only got 1 1/2. I think it is due to the lagging forklift operator, not sure though. I didn't get as much sleep as I had hoped today, only 3 hours. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a bit more tonight before I head back to work. The good news is we have the 4th of July off. They are going to play Independence Day at the pool, which we found out has Chicken Pox. Pretty fricken gross if you as me. They told us originally that it has Shingles. I am itching just thinking about it. I had intended to go, but that probably won't happen, and if I do, I certainly won't let my big toe enter that dirty water. Thank GOD I haven't been to the pool in over a month...Too Hot. There is also a Talent Show, Dodgeball Tournament, and other things like that. It should be a pretty good time. I hope you all have a great weekend. The new one is "CSM". Let's see the dictionary for this one Em.
-Mere