Happy New Year!

Hello! I haven't had much Internet connectivity here lately. Something about being in a war zone really limits what one can do. So many things have happened lately. I've moved, I may be changing my work schedule and work has been crazy busy. So where I moved to doesn't have Internet connectivity...but they plan on having it by January 20th and I'm #143rd on the list to get it! So....I have some Internet connectivity at work and I will post from there. However, I can't post pics from work. You'll all just have to wait.

Hope everyone is doing well and I wish everyone the best New Year's ever!


p.s. Here is the video that supposedly shows Saddam getting hanged.

Seasons Greetings!!

So I finally have Internet again. Internet was out for us here since yesterday. I start getting the shakes when I go without Internet for too long. I want to wish you all a Happy Holidays! Hope you all have good things planned. As for me, the chow hall here is planning a big dinner. I'll be sure to get my fill. Also, the Australian military will be putting on some kind of performance for us. That ought to be interesting.

Did you all see that my man Alan Faneca got voted to be in the Pro Bowl again this year? Oh yes, my man is loved by all.

Have a Great Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or whatever you celebrate!

I Got My First Care Package!!!!

My Internet stalking boyfriend Baron Ectar was sweet enough to send me a box full of goodies!

He also sent me his shirt with his cologne on it. Seeing how he can only stalk me via Internet, I feel safe enough to tease him with this:


















So see...troops aren't the only ones who love receiving care packages.

Oh, and keep up the good stalking Baron!

About the Troops...

My friend Rat posted on his blog about writing to the injured troops at Walter Reed Medical Hospital. That is a good idea if you really want to support the troops instead of just drive around with that yellow ribbon on your car. Now, I don't suggest you come all the way over to Iraq to support them like I did, but sending a card would be nice.

Let me tell you how much the troops like your cards and gift packages: THEY LOVE THEM!!! If you send a card, the troops do read them and pass them around for all to see. Some of them even write back. The troops really love it when little kids at some elementary school send them cards. They hang those up. The troops really love to hear that you think they are doing a good job and that they are not forgotten. That kind of feedback means the world to them.

They love the gift packages too! The shampoos, toothpaste, razors, etc. you put in those they love because some troops in the remote areas don't always get time to shop at the PX for personal stuff. Sometimes, when they do get the chance, the PX is sold out of everything. Let me tell you what NOT to put in a gift package: your homemade baked goods. Now, it isn't that the troops don't like them, it's just that the gift boxes get pretty man-handled that the baked goods come out of the wrapping and break all over the box. You're better off sending a whole bag of Oreos or Chips Ahoy because those are packaged better. Besides, you are not going to be able to compete with what their Mom or Grandma is already sending them. Pretty much don't send anything that is not in it's original container...like toothbrushes and lotions etc. Some boxes have toothbrushes just laying around loose in no packaging. This scares the troops as they don't know what someone did with that toothbrush before it got put in the box. For lotions, shampoos, etc, send the it in it's original container and not a genaric you-filled-yourself container. Again, they don't know what you did to it. Now it's not they are looking for name brand stuff, just stuff in it's original container.

These are just helpful little hints coming from this civilian's interactions working with the troops.

I've Been Tagged.

Eccentric Recluse tagged me. He said it was a Christmas tag, but I don't see anything Christmasy about it.

Here are the rules:

1. Grab the book closest to you.
2. Open to page 123 and go down to the fifth sentence.
3. Post the text of next 3 sentences on your blog.
4. Name the book and the author.
5. Tag some people.

I'm really going to be no fun at this, because I brought no books over with me and the only book I got is Webster's Dictionary. So here we go......

On page 123, the fifth sentence down is the word Champion. Here is the definition: N. A holder of first place or winner of first prize in a contest. Right next to the word, was a picture of this:



















I was surprised too. But I can't blame Webster's for showing what a Champion looks like.

The book I got this from is Webster's II Dictionary, Third Edition. I'm suppose to tag 5 people, but I feel you should do it if you want to. Let me know if you do.

BTW, I still have trouble seeing people's blogs. It almost seems like Blogger rotates who I get to see or not see. Is anyone else having this trouble?

I Work In A Palace

Literally.

This is Al Faw Palace here in Baghdad.















Saddam built it to celebrate his victory over Iran during all their fighting in 1980's.















As you can see, it is really beautiful with all the marble.




















































If I got the story right, this chair was a gift from Yasser Arafat to Saddam.















Oh yeah, I sat in it. How pissed do you think Saddam is having all us Americans sit on his gift?

Here are the toilets I use.















They are gold-lined. How many people do you know can say they tinkled on a gold-lined toilet?

So that is where I work. I'm sorry to say I don't live there as well.

I've Got Problems

Okay, I am having problems seeing some of your blogs out there. I guess the network system here has determined who the trouble-makers are and have censored those blogs. Here is who made the list:

Blogs I can see, but not leave a comment on (in alphabetical order):
Captain Corky, Lady K, Photogguy & Pug

Blogs I cannot see at all (in alphabetical order):
Betchacantguesswho, Bostick, Buccotom, CP, Limpy & Nonny. What are you guys doing on your blogs that this network had to ban it?

So, it is not that I'm not showing my love for you, it's I'm having problems seeing you or I'm not able to leave a comment. But I am still able to see the comments you leave here.

Anyone have any solutions?

HNT

I don't have much privacy ritht now as I am in a temporary living situation, so I may not be participating in HNT in the near future. Here is a pic that was taken of me in a hottub before I left. Enjoy!















BTW, I'm having trouble reading some of your blogs. I'll give a list later of which ones.

Happy HNT!

Flying The Friendly Skies of Military Air

So, if you fly into a war zone, you HAVE to fly in a military aircraft. You're a civilian and not in the military you say? It matters not. Do not pass go, do not collect $200 and don't even bother asking because you HAVE to fly that way. Let me tell you, I will stop bitching about Southwest Airlines from now on! I'll just say that you won't get a comfy seat or any peanuts on a military flight.

So I put on my body armor and load up to fly in. We take off and things are going fine until our female Air Force pilot gets on the radio. She announces that she wants everyone in the aircraft to do the wave. She counts to three and a half-ass wave goes on. Well, she wasn't having any of that! She told us we needed to do the wave again and that if it wasn't a good wave, bad things would happen to us. So we all do it again. A much better effort by everyone. This still wasn't good enough for her.

So sense we didn't do a good enough wave to her standards, she proceeded to do bad things to us. She started by making a sharp right turn. Then she kept dipping the aircraft up and down. My stomach was in and out of my throat, but I was tough!But not everyone on board was as tough as me. Many people started puking. Others started screaming "Please stop, we'll keep doing the wave if you want!" I think I was only as tough as I was because I was busy hanging on for dear life!

Here is a picture of me on the aircraft before we took off.


















I didn't feel like taking a pic after we landed.

I now appreciate commercial airlines more than you all can imagine now.

I Arrived!!!

Hey everyone!

I finally landed in Iraq. It only took 17 hours of being a on a plane to get here. I am suffering from a good bout of jet lag right now. It is going to take me a couple of days to get settled in, then I will be back to share with you all.

I miss you all already, and I just got here!