It's Halloween, and the sun is shining here. Looks like Connecticut got pretty slammed with a big snowstorm last night, which is unfortunate. I hope that this didn't cut too much into anyone's celebrations! But on the other hand, better to be safe. Samhain (I can't get out of the habit of thinking in terms of the old pagan name for it, and thinking of it in terms of a sabbat) seems to remind me that I'm not in New England any more, strange as it may seem. Why today, of all days, when I've been here for a couple months already? I tend to think it's because of the cultural emphasis put on this particular day- not that there's anything wrong with that- it's fun, and most people are looking for an excuse to have a good time anyway! But I do feel kind of detached from everything I know out here- perhaps this is why the dirt from the grave of an ancestor is said to be more potent than just regular graveyard dirt in spells. Perhaps also, when you live all your life in one particular area, you become kind of in tune with the place, and learn to draw on the power of that place. But at any rate, I'll be back home in good old high-cost-of-living Connecticut before too long, and will be done here in good time. It has, however, made me realize how fortunate I am to find myself in the situation I'm in, and realize that no matter what happens, I'll still be standing when the storm has passed, whatever that storm may be.
But at any rate, enjoy this Samhain, remember those who have gone before us- this life is but the tip of the iceberg, it seems. Not that there's such a better life beyond death, I don't know, not being dead, but more often than not there's a great deal more going on than meets our everyday eyes! And we, the people, are also much more than we seem- perhaps even to ourselves! In the oracle deck The Hidden Path is a card named "Cthonic Roots", showing a picture of a tree with roots extending deep into the ground. This is a very good analogy for our own position in this world- we too have deep roots, and a good deal more to us than we see, show other people, or in some cases, are even aware of. The further down you go, the more you find you're connected to everything else in the world. So enjoy today, and hold onto hope for tomorrow, and remember, we're all in it together! Happy Samhain, everyone!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Beds Are Burning
It's that time of year again, Samhain, Halloween, All Saint's Eve, whatever you call it. Looks like I won't be too much able to do any major celebrating here in country, but that's okay- you all go and have a good time for me! Things are settling into routine here, though I've finally managed to shake off some illness I can only describe as malaise- my schedule allows me to sleep for perhaps 12 hours before I need to report in, which I actually did a couple days ago. Perhaps it was a virus, getting passed around like a peace pipe in our tent- this is certainly not unknown, we had some nasty bug make the rounds in basic training, too. But I'm now back to normal, going to the gym just about every day- I'm not gaining or losing weight, which is good, because neither is my intention, just to build up strength. Actually, there's not a lot else going on around here, to be honest. Some people play computer games, some others work out, with the same intention of killing time between duty shifts. This seems to be a pretty good way to handle the everyday life of being deployed. It somehow got out that I read Tarot cards, so I spent a good chunk of the day doing readings, not that I mind. I would have liked an environment a little more conducive to concentration, but hey, what can you do? Make do is the name of the art out here, much like the rest of life. Which, it seems, marches on without me.
At some point, I should probably make some comment on the whole Occupy Wall Street movement- is it because people can't find jobs? I'm really still of two minds on this- one has the Horatio Alger mentality of you can work your tail off, and eventually enjoy the rewards of hard work- the other half is not so sure. I don't like the concentration of wealth in the country- assuming that wealth is unearned. But yet another facet of this question is, does wealth exist in a vacuum? Well, wealth and money are two completely different things, as experience teaches me. But money is defined by its ends- money in and of itself is potential, not actuality. Say I have several thousand dollars- while it's sitting in the bank, it's not doing me any good, save earning interest. When I put that money to work, say in a business, it then has the potential to generate more money. Now here it gets interesting. How does it generate money? By people purchasing whatever goods or services it is my business deals in. Now, it's all well and good to, let's say, produce furniture. I can then sell this furniture. But now consider the conditions necessary for me to sell furniture- I need a market, people willing and able to buy this furniture. Say the average disposable income is $10 for furniture, in the average budget. Yet I'm charging an average of $500 per piece. It's unlikely I'll stay in business very long- I need people to be able to afford my furniture. But wait, say I can hire people to work in my factory, pay them a salary that allows them to be able to afford my furniture- well, there you go! The point I'm trying to get at here is that those who hold the reins of business need the common people. They, the business people of the world, do not live in an ivory tower, from which they can exploit the working people. A capitalist system has some merits- in theory it allows for infinite human creativity, development and potential. Wherein new innovations and inventions can be turned to profit, they can be turned to profit in such a way that they increase the standard of living, and thus create more disposable income, which in turn can be used to fuel further and further creative developments and research. In other words, what Ayn Rand described as rational self-interest comes into play. Why neither this nor Marxism, its polar opposite, works, remains kind of a mystery to me. But history indicates pretty clearly that people en masse rarely if ever actually act in their own best interest.
So back to Wall Street. It seems to me that simply protesting the crappy economy doesn't quite cover everything that needs to be done. This is not to discount the value of individual action, I'm a firm believer in the adage "Better to light one candle than curse the darkness". But this particular candle flame should come in terms of living within your means, or finding a way for your means to cover your living. This may require a radical thinking of what we consider important, and consider as priorities. I'd like to think I'm a pretty spiritual type of guy (generally I'd say run screaming from anyone who says they are 'spiritual', but bear with me here), and that there are more important, perhaps less tangible things in this life that bear examination. Happiness comes from within, not without. Does this explain why people are often buried under in debt? In some cases, yes. In others, no. The system definitely needs an overhaul, and a part of this is doing away with the credit system. Credit is all well and good, for those things that you can actually afford, and can be translated into tangible value- say, a car or house. These types of credit have actual backing. Yet credit also translates as speculation- with this, we have quite a house of cards indeed, banking on the speculation rather than anything actual. This is like investing in the promise of a return, not the actuality of a return. When the investors call in their IOUs and there's no money, what then? Unfortunately, this is exactly what has been going on for quite a while, and explains the drop in the Federal government's credit rating. When the very government meant to oversee the lending and distribution of money is no longer trusted by the institutions that same government has created, then there's something rotten in Denmark indeed!
So to sum this long rambling entry up- this may well be the intestinal product flying rapidly towards the air circulation device, or just a flash in the pan. It will depend, to a large extent, on what the next step is going to be- for better or worse. As for me, I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing, like, it seems, most of the nation is doing. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and most importantly of all, live every day in the moment- you don't get another one quite like it! Every day is, indeed, a gift.
At some point, I should probably make some comment on the whole Occupy Wall Street movement- is it because people can't find jobs? I'm really still of two minds on this- one has the Horatio Alger mentality of you can work your tail off, and eventually enjoy the rewards of hard work- the other half is not so sure. I don't like the concentration of wealth in the country- assuming that wealth is unearned. But yet another facet of this question is, does wealth exist in a vacuum? Well, wealth and money are two completely different things, as experience teaches me. But money is defined by its ends- money in and of itself is potential, not actuality. Say I have several thousand dollars- while it's sitting in the bank, it's not doing me any good, save earning interest. When I put that money to work, say in a business, it then has the potential to generate more money. Now here it gets interesting. How does it generate money? By people purchasing whatever goods or services it is my business deals in. Now, it's all well and good to, let's say, produce furniture. I can then sell this furniture. But now consider the conditions necessary for me to sell furniture- I need a market, people willing and able to buy this furniture. Say the average disposable income is $10 for furniture, in the average budget. Yet I'm charging an average of $500 per piece. It's unlikely I'll stay in business very long- I need people to be able to afford my furniture. But wait, say I can hire people to work in my factory, pay them a salary that allows them to be able to afford my furniture- well, there you go! The point I'm trying to get at here is that those who hold the reins of business need the common people. They, the business people of the world, do not live in an ivory tower, from which they can exploit the working people. A capitalist system has some merits- in theory it allows for infinite human creativity, development and potential. Wherein new innovations and inventions can be turned to profit, they can be turned to profit in such a way that they increase the standard of living, and thus create more disposable income, which in turn can be used to fuel further and further creative developments and research. In other words, what Ayn Rand described as rational self-interest comes into play. Why neither this nor Marxism, its polar opposite, works, remains kind of a mystery to me. But history indicates pretty clearly that people en masse rarely if ever actually act in their own best interest.
So back to Wall Street. It seems to me that simply protesting the crappy economy doesn't quite cover everything that needs to be done. This is not to discount the value of individual action, I'm a firm believer in the adage "Better to light one candle than curse the darkness". But this particular candle flame should come in terms of living within your means, or finding a way for your means to cover your living. This may require a radical thinking of what we consider important, and consider as priorities. I'd like to think I'm a pretty spiritual type of guy (generally I'd say run screaming from anyone who says they are 'spiritual', but bear with me here), and that there are more important, perhaps less tangible things in this life that bear examination. Happiness comes from within, not without. Does this explain why people are often buried under in debt? In some cases, yes. In others, no. The system definitely needs an overhaul, and a part of this is doing away with the credit system. Credit is all well and good, for those things that you can actually afford, and can be translated into tangible value- say, a car or house. These types of credit have actual backing. Yet credit also translates as speculation- with this, we have quite a house of cards indeed, banking on the speculation rather than anything actual. This is like investing in the promise of a return, not the actuality of a return. When the investors call in their IOUs and there's no money, what then? Unfortunately, this is exactly what has been going on for quite a while, and explains the drop in the Federal government's credit rating. When the very government meant to oversee the lending and distribution of money is no longer trusted by the institutions that same government has created, then there's something rotten in Denmark indeed!
So to sum this long rambling entry up- this may well be the intestinal product flying rapidly towards the air circulation device, or just a flash in the pan. It will depend, to a large extent, on what the next step is going to be- for better or worse. As for me, I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing, like, it seems, most of the nation is doing. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and most importantly of all, live every day in the moment- you don't get another one quite like it! Every day is, indeed, a gift.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The King Of Cups- Sanity Not Included
Super Happy Fun Gore! I couldn't pass this one up, as it's kind of a double meaning, seeing as my wife's name is Kitty. Well, that's not what it says on her birth certificate, but that's what everyone calls her, and what she calls herself, so there you go! If she was to wear armor like that, I have no doubt it would be purple.At any rate, I've been thinking a good deal out here in the wilds of Afghanistan- like most deployments, you do have some down time, and I've been doing a lot of thinking. It seems things are not the same as when I left Oklahoma, and this is not a bad thing. How so? I know I've changed, and things are indeed different now. Perhaps the main difference is one of perspective, yet does not perspective fuel action, and action in turn heralds change? True, I could sit here and tell you, dear readers, that I can turn the sky purple and make it rain chocolate sauce, but without a practical demonstration, it's just talk. Now there's a catch-22 for you, I know perfectly well that things have changed here, but can't put that into practical application until I get back to the States.
So what has changed? Well, I know I've developed a great deal of confidence, and plan to run my own life, rather than being a result of circumstance and fate. I have a family to take care of, and no sacrifice is too great for them. I don't want to lose all the gains I've made in this life, wherever the road leads to next. It's good not to have alcohol around, although this is becoming less and less of an issue. I still don't really subscribe to the AA model of 'this is a disease, you don't have a choice in the matter', rather, it seems defined by your own perspective and what you choose to do or choose not to do. So in the present, though we're not immune from karma, we can act to determine our future. I'm not looking forward to going back to Lawton, as it's kind of a slum, in the worst sense of the word- not a low-income area, which does not a slum make- rather, it's a money sponge that seems to willfully refuse to improve. Without Fort Sill, there would be no town here, just the Goodyear tire plant sitting in the middle of nowhere- it's on the outskirts of the town, meaning most all of the plant employees don't live in town. This negativity does tend to wear on me, though I'd like to think out here in the wilds, dealing with 2-4's command nonsense (I could use a few other terms here, but I'll let that euphemism stand for now), I've become a good deal more resilient, being thrown on my own resources to a very great extent. In some ways it's like basic training- sink or swim, you determine that yourself. Remember what you're fighting for, I often tell myself. And the fight doesn't end when I get back to Connecticut, or back to Fort Sill, for that matter. It may sound like a huge chore to remain vigilant all the time, constantly watching yourself- but not actually. I find that the more I use of whatever fuel is in me and around me, the more there is. Standing on the shoulders of giants? Perhaps. Rather it's like coasting after your massive engine has driven you to incredible speeds and over incredible distances- you know that power is there when you need it, but don't use it to go charging into the wall- even if the wall will lose.
I hope this all makes sense, I'm often finding myself searching for just the right word. If it all boiled down to one thing, that one thing would be, things are getting better. They have not always been roses, but come the day, come the hour. Life will ultimately get better, provided that you make it so. Hope springs eternal, after all. And hope is one thing I have in spades.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Roam, If You Want To
When I get back to the States, and get settled back in to New England, I was thinking about going into business, reading the Tarot. It seems like there's a hundred different things to do between now and then- the only clothes I have ready access to are uniforms- all my 'civvies' are in storage- kind of a strange feeling, when you think about it. Well, I'm in a combat zone, so it's kind of a world unto itself.
At any rate- how to approach this? Hang a sign on the front door, saying 'hey, come get your fortune told?' Well, that's one way. I honed my skills putting out an ad on Craigslist- email me your questions, I'll email you back an answer. Good, but I think I can do more. I've done a couple here down range, which is rather like that Milky Way commercial, where people attempt to swim in a pool full of caramel. It's perhaps being in a different country, somehow the 'energy' (there's no doubt some proper term for whatever it is we tap into, but I don't know what it is). It just requires a bit more concentration here and there, a little closer examination to pick up the thread. Again, trying to find the right words- I deny being 'psychic', or any such thing. I'm not in it for the money, though I do recognize that a good reader can make money. I'm hoping that this is possible without compromising anything. I don't see why not!
The first step was to come up with a name- why this is, and if it's the way most businesses are run, I don't know, but it seemed like a good jumping-off point. So I decided to scrap the technically-borrowed name and come up with a different one- the result was Wind Horse Tarot. The Wind Horse is a Tibetan mythological figure, who goes flying around bearing the jewel of the Dharma on its back. The connection between this symbol and Tarot reading is tenuous at best, but then again, it's a personal one, because my sign in the Chinese zodiac is a horse, and horses have seemed to play a significant role in my life. Also, my element is Air, a component of wind. It seemed to fit, it sounds cool, and though this may be kind of a reach, what the heck, it works. There is an important step too, when reading for other people, that is either explicit or implicit- have a code of ethics. Most people write their own, and after reviewing several, here's what I came up with; basically, be truthful, don't exploit people, and remember that people have free will. And if you're going to do this for others, prepare to spend a lot of time answering questions about romance, relationships and love. Sometimes people know the answer, and they just need some reassurance. If the multiverse is pushing you in a particular direction, no one says you can't stop and read the road signs!
So here's what I came up with:
1. I will serve the best interests of the client, and will not by action or inaction knowingly cause harm in my professional capacity.
2. I will treat all clients equally, with fairness, integrity, honesty and freedom from bias.
3. I will be truthful in representing my qualifications and abilities.
4. I will maintain strict confidentiality of my clients and the subjects discussed, except where I am required by law to disclose information, or at the client's request.
5. I will not offer advice or provide answers I am not qualified to give, such as medical or psychiatric advice, and will refer such questions to qualified sources.
6. The client at all times has the right to terminate, refuse or cancel a reading at any time, regardless of prior consent.
7. I will respect and show professional courtesy to other readers.
8. I will not, for personal gain or other reasons, deliberately instill fear, worry or unease in a client, and will instead offer advice and insight.
9. The client is entitled to the best guidance I can give and the best, most accurate and thorough insight and analysis I can provide.
10. I will respect the free will of the client, and their freedom to make decisions; I will not make the client's decisions for them.
11. I will give my full attention to each client, and will use all my skill and all resources at my disposal to provide an in-depth, accurate and thorough assessment of the situation, and will do everything in my power to provide insight and understanding.
I don't expect the world to beat a path to the door, but hey- if I can make a few people rest a little easier, why in the worlds not? There are a number of other factors to take into consideration, too- what kind of structure should it have? Given the small scale, probably a sole proprietorship would be a good start- the registration process is a little easier for most states, which will allow you to register yourself as a business. I don't intend to become a 'rock star' of the fortune-telling world (I suppose I can say fortune telling with a relative degree of accuracy- a good Tarot reader provides insight, advice and perspective, not simply telling you the future- you can tell yourself the future, then go make it happen.)
There's also the question of certification- there is an organization that can certify you as a professional Tarot reader, and will administer exams, along with an exam fee. Interesting, I thought. Actually, I've done all the work the description of these exams entail, though I just thought I was being thorough. I didn't know at that point that such a thing as certification existed! It's a feather in your cap, so to speak- not necessary, some people do it and some don't. But the main factor is experience and competence- with this you can pass this type of certification exam, whether or not you do. At any rate, this will hopefully be the start of a great adventure, and one that will provide benefit to others! And besides, I'm interested to see how this whole thing plays out too- what's in the cards, if I can get away with a terrible pun.
At any rate- how to approach this? Hang a sign on the front door, saying 'hey, come get your fortune told?' Well, that's one way. I honed my skills putting out an ad on Craigslist- email me your questions, I'll email you back an answer. Good, but I think I can do more. I've done a couple here down range, which is rather like that Milky Way commercial, where people attempt to swim in a pool full of caramel. It's perhaps being in a different country, somehow the 'energy' (there's no doubt some proper term for whatever it is we tap into, but I don't know what it is). It just requires a bit more concentration here and there, a little closer examination to pick up the thread. Again, trying to find the right words- I deny being 'psychic', or any such thing. I'm not in it for the money, though I do recognize that a good reader can make money. I'm hoping that this is possible without compromising anything. I don't see why not!
The first step was to come up with a name- why this is, and if it's the way most businesses are run, I don't know, but it seemed like a good jumping-off point. So I decided to scrap the technically-borrowed name and come up with a different one- the result was Wind Horse Tarot. The Wind Horse is a Tibetan mythological figure, who goes flying around bearing the jewel of the Dharma on its back. The connection between this symbol and Tarot reading is tenuous at best, but then again, it's a personal one, because my sign in the Chinese zodiac is a horse, and horses have seemed to play a significant role in my life. Also, my element is Air, a component of wind. It seemed to fit, it sounds cool, and though this may be kind of a reach, what the heck, it works. There is an important step too, when reading for other people, that is either explicit or implicit- have a code of ethics. Most people write their own, and after reviewing several, here's what I came up with; basically, be truthful, don't exploit people, and remember that people have free will. And if you're going to do this for others, prepare to spend a lot of time answering questions about romance, relationships and love. Sometimes people know the answer, and they just need some reassurance. If the multiverse is pushing you in a particular direction, no one says you can't stop and read the road signs!
So here's what I came up with:
1. I will serve the best interests of the client, and will not by action or inaction knowingly cause harm in my professional capacity.
2. I will treat all clients equally, with fairness, integrity, honesty and freedom from bias.
3. I will be truthful in representing my qualifications and abilities.
4. I will maintain strict confidentiality of my clients and the subjects discussed, except where I am required by law to disclose information, or at the client's request.
5. I will not offer advice or provide answers I am not qualified to give, such as medical or psychiatric advice, and will refer such questions to qualified sources.
6. The client at all times has the right to terminate, refuse or cancel a reading at any time, regardless of prior consent.
7. I will respect and show professional courtesy to other readers.
8. I will not, for personal gain or other reasons, deliberately instill fear, worry or unease in a client, and will instead offer advice and insight.
9. The client is entitled to the best guidance I can give and the best, most accurate and thorough insight and analysis I can provide.
10. I will respect the free will of the client, and their freedom to make decisions; I will not make the client's decisions for them.
11. I will give my full attention to each client, and will use all my skill and all resources at my disposal to provide an in-depth, accurate and thorough assessment of the situation, and will do everything in my power to provide insight and understanding.
I don't expect the world to beat a path to the door, but hey- if I can make a few people rest a little easier, why in the worlds not? There are a number of other factors to take into consideration, too- what kind of structure should it have? Given the small scale, probably a sole proprietorship would be a good start- the registration process is a little easier for most states, which will allow you to register yourself as a business. I don't intend to become a 'rock star' of the fortune-telling world (I suppose I can say fortune telling with a relative degree of accuracy- a good Tarot reader provides insight, advice and perspective, not simply telling you the future- you can tell yourself the future, then go make it happen.)
There's also the question of certification- there is an organization that can certify you as a professional Tarot reader, and will administer exams, along with an exam fee. Interesting, I thought. Actually, I've done all the work the description of these exams entail, though I just thought I was being thorough. I didn't know at that point that such a thing as certification existed! It's a feather in your cap, so to speak- not necessary, some people do it and some don't. But the main factor is experience and competence- with this you can pass this type of certification exam, whether or not you do. At any rate, this will hopefully be the start of a great adventure, and one that will provide benefit to others! And besides, I'm interested to see how this whole thing plays out too- what's in the cards, if I can get away with a terrible pun.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Red Right Hand of Rocket City
Once again, I had to look at a calendar to figure out what day of the week it was- we don't get days off, rather blocks of time in every 24-hour period off, which is not too bad. Besides, the work is both demanding and not demanding. We are currently working internal security on this base, meaning we have to confirm that people who are coming in and going out are in fact allowed to do so. We've been pretty fortunate that there has been little trouble with this, but given the odd nature of this position, it doesn't pay to get complacent. But hey, it pays the bills- at least, I hope it does! It's strange how you learn to adapt to changing demands and schedules. I usually roll in around 1130 or midnight local time, then am up at around 8 to hit the gym, maybe eat breakfast (coffee is generally an acceptable substitute) and get on with whatever the day may present, then on to duty from 2 PM to 10 PM every day. Lather, rinse, repeat. It's been a little bit of a strain, not working for the Army, I'm pretty well used to that by now, but rather being this far apart from the people I love. Tabatha, my dearest wife, is back in Connecticut- in some ways, things aren't that different, me being stationed in Oklahoma, and yet the distance between us is much greater. Some days you just put your head down and get on with the business of just getting through the day- other days, you realize, it's not that long- like almost everything in life, this too, will pass.
It looks like the war in Iraq is soon to be officially over- did we ever declare war in the first place? Remember, the power to declare war on another country does not lie with the President- rather, Congress has the final decision to vote on a declaration of war. In President Obama's last speech, he claimed there is a 'renewal' in US leadership, and that the fact that we are now withdrawing from Iraq proves this. Well, yes and no- granted, we are able to do this, and didn't miss the deadline, though this deadline was set before Obama took office, so credit where credit is due on this one. It is, however, somewhat reassuring to know that this deadline will actually be met. The 'green machine', as a certain member of my chain of command puts it, grinds on. Usually said machine is referenced when we need to perform the time-honored Army tradition of CYCA- Cover Your Commander's Ass. But at any rate, such is the way of things- one does not get to be the best squad in the division by slacking off.
Here in Afghanistan, it's pretty much business as usual. The country really is quite beautiful, apart from all the civil unrest, and the people, though with some cultural idioms we westerners find odd, are decent folks in their way- one must avoid that condescension so common during the time of the British empire, secure in our civilized superiority. The Afghanistan people have been living in their country a lot longer than we have, and seem to be doing ok there. There are also dust storms, though lately the rainfall has pretty much taken care of those. Though I have to say, I've experienced a thousand times worse in New Mexico.
Though I have to admit, I miss my home in the northeast of the US. I've been a lot of places, seen a lot of incredible things, but the only sight I really want to see is my own dear wife, my own dear home state, and the knowledge that at least I've made it this far. After this, I know the fight isn't over, but it's a small victory in a long war. And besides, I wouldn't trade this life for anything- everything happens for a reason- it falls to us to determine what the lesson in this is, and, as Marcus Aurelius put it, as of each particular thing, what is it in itself. Soon enough we'll be returning if not home for all of us, at least back to our home country- I'll be glad to be back on native soil again! At some point too, I'll need to trade in my old car, and find a place to stay, though not really in that order. I'm hoping to invest in a decent and large vehicle, one capable of driving around our two large dogs, and one also capable of crossing the distance between Oklahoma and Connecticut, when I get out of the Army, or, failing that, reenlist for a duty station closer to home. But regardless, the next step is becoming clear- to be permitted a small melodrama, sometimes the way forwards is the way back. Hello to everyone in the US, and I hope you're doing well! Time waits for no man, and this is both a positive and negative. This is far from the end of this spin of the wheel, and I'll see you all again! And of course, make an effort to keep writing, so you can track the thrilling details of my non-adventures. Stay well, and don't drink the Tenafly Viper!
It looks like the war in Iraq is soon to be officially over- did we ever declare war in the first place? Remember, the power to declare war on another country does not lie with the President- rather, Congress has the final decision to vote on a declaration of war. In President Obama's last speech, he claimed there is a 'renewal' in US leadership, and that the fact that we are now withdrawing from Iraq proves this. Well, yes and no- granted, we are able to do this, and didn't miss the deadline, though this deadline was set before Obama took office, so credit where credit is due on this one. It is, however, somewhat reassuring to know that this deadline will actually be met. The 'green machine', as a certain member of my chain of command puts it, grinds on. Usually said machine is referenced when we need to perform the time-honored Army tradition of CYCA- Cover Your Commander's Ass. But at any rate, such is the way of things- one does not get to be the best squad in the division by slacking off.
Here in Afghanistan, it's pretty much business as usual. The country really is quite beautiful, apart from all the civil unrest, and the people, though with some cultural idioms we westerners find odd, are decent folks in their way- one must avoid that condescension so common during the time of the British empire, secure in our civilized superiority. The Afghanistan people have been living in their country a lot longer than we have, and seem to be doing ok there. There are also dust storms, though lately the rainfall has pretty much taken care of those. Though I have to say, I've experienced a thousand times worse in New Mexico.
Though I have to admit, I miss my home in the northeast of the US. I've been a lot of places, seen a lot of incredible things, but the only sight I really want to see is my own dear wife, my own dear home state, and the knowledge that at least I've made it this far. After this, I know the fight isn't over, but it's a small victory in a long war. And besides, I wouldn't trade this life for anything- everything happens for a reason- it falls to us to determine what the lesson in this is, and, as Marcus Aurelius put it, as of each particular thing, what is it in itself. Soon enough we'll be returning if not home for all of us, at least back to our home country- I'll be glad to be back on native soil again! At some point too, I'll need to trade in my old car, and find a place to stay, though not really in that order. I'm hoping to invest in a decent and large vehicle, one capable of driving around our two large dogs, and one also capable of crossing the distance between Oklahoma and Connecticut, when I get out of the Army, or, failing that, reenlist for a duty station closer to home. But regardless, the next step is becoming clear- to be permitted a small melodrama, sometimes the way forwards is the way back. Hello to everyone in the US, and I hope you're doing well! Time waits for no man, and this is both a positive and negative. This is far from the end of this spin of the wheel, and I'll see you all again! And of course, make an effort to keep writing, so you can track the thrilling details of my non-adventures. Stay well, and don't drink the Tenafly Viper!
Monday, October 17, 2011
As Long As Love Endures
I'm writing this post from Afghanistan, of all places. Yes, we made it over here, now are pretty much settled in and counting down till we go back to the homeland once again. Well, our homeland, at any rate. How to describe my experiences over the past couple of months? This may turn out to be a long post indeed! First, we left Fort Sill. This was not a bad thing, getting out of the rut I'd been in. There was the last-minute scrambling to get everything disposed of, stored or otherwise taken care of before leaving for what we initially thought was a dangerous and year-long run in this fascinating country. As it turns out, alas, it was not to be. Our mission got dropped, despite the fact that the unit we left desperately needed more personnel (not because of any high mortality rate, I'm glad to note, they were just short-staffed). So our deployment got cut to six months, and here we are! I'm currently pulling duty guarding access to this little corner of Bagram Air Field, which while not exactly thrilling and glamorous, keeps me more or less safe and out of harm's way. This too comes with mixed feelings, but the most important thing is to get home safely to my wife and family. Why, you may be wondering, is this deployment six months? That I don't have an answer for, only that higher-ranking if not necessarily sharper minds than my own have made that call. Ours is not to wonder why, ours is just to smile and say yassuh, massah.
The country itself is pretty amazing- we're tucked away in the foothills of a massive range of mountains, which we can see on three sides of our camp. We're currently staying in tents, which are a bit more permanent in structure than the term might imply- not much, but utilitarian enough. There are occasional dust storms, and rain, but apart from that, the weather is surprisingly moderate, though tending towards cold. We were originally slated for a different mission, but wound up here at Bagram. I for one would take my own home country and home coast any day of the week! Transportation is the main business going on here, as Bagram is a jumping-off point for bases throughout Afghanistan, so there are usually flights of one type or another coming in or out. One of the more memorable points of being here was the Chinook ride from here to Salerno base, where we were originally assigned. Chinooks tend to fly comparatively low, and the flight crews will only raise the large rear hatch when taking off or landing- the rest of the time, it can be brought down flat to provide a convenient place to sit and watch the countryside go by from the comfort of a machine gun mount. The view is pretty amazing, and to my Western eyes, surprising how little of the country is developed. Farms, roads and buildings exist, so I suppose development is a highly relative term in this case. At any rate, this is Afghanistan. Once in a while something illicit goes down, but it seems that by and large, the people are moving towards autonomy, and the Taliban is losing its hold. The goal of my own unit, and by extension much of the work being done here, is to allow the country self-governance. In a more cynical frame of mind, I might make some note on US imperialism, but I'd like to think that the country would do best on its own. China is kind of peeking around the corner, so to speak, and would love to get their political and economic hands on Afghanistan. Why, you may wonder, is the world so concerned about this backwater country, with mountains, jihadists, sheep and mountains in more or less equal proportions? There are several answers of this- trade routes is a part, as is apparently a good deal of minerals in them thar hills, and whoever controls the mining rights controls a substantial chunk of change. So then, if perhaps this country can establish a central, autonomous government, they can invest in mining technology (the extent of which now is a few donkeys, a shovel and a cart) and develop an economy. Or hopefully, favorable trade relations with the West. To editorialize a bit more, perhaps Washington should fix a few domestic problems before turning our 'helping' influences to the rest of the globe, but hey, don't ask me, I'm just a grunt like the rest of us.
At any rate, I'm doing okay here, getting by, though I think the first thing I'm going to do when I get to the States is eat a decent cheeseburger. But at any rate, I'm still planning on going home to Connecticut in April, which will be a couple months or so after I'm due back at Fort Sill. What we'll be doing for the rest of the time there, I don't know. The word is that the artillery batteries are getting re-structured, which doesn't really have much to do with me anyway. I'm not an artilleryman, I'm a truck driver, so will likely get kicked back over to my old unit, where I will continue to drive trucks and haul various and sundry supplies to the four points of the base. It's a living. My dear wife doesn't want to move to Oklahoma, and given the fact that I don't plan on staying in Oklahoma much longer than the term of my enlistment anyway, I agree with her. It'll probably be easier for her to stay where she is, especially in light of the fact that she has the dogs with her. I'm looking forwards to getting settled up there, possibly in a larger apartment, or even a house. Beyond the next year, I don't know, I'm trying to come up with some brilliant plan for the rest of my life, and am not quite sure how to proceed. I've come to believe that to a large extent you make your own life- there are unknowns, true- such is the nature of our lives, but the decisions you make today and actions you take today mean repercussions, for better or worse, tomorrow. But I know whatever comes, we'll endure. When I married my dear wife, our vows were 'as long as love endures'. There was a time I didn't know this gal existed; now I can't picture my life without her in it. That either says a good deal about me, or the fact that what we have is something special. I'm fairly certain it's the latter. Whatever comes next, wherever the next chapter of this long story takes us, I know we'll make it, somehow. Life is not always easy, sometimes painful, but these painful experiences can provide insight- avoid making the mistakes we've made in the past.
That about covers all the news from here- things are not as exciting as you may think on a deployment, no coming home to a chest full of medals (actually just a couple), but there are more important things in life- I for one will continue to look towards the future, and hope.
The country itself is pretty amazing- we're tucked away in the foothills of a massive range of mountains, which we can see on three sides of our camp. We're currently staying in tents, which are a bit more permanent in structure than the term might imply- not much, but utilitarian enough. There are occasional dust storms, and rain, but apart from that, the weather is surprisingly moderate, though tending towards cold. We were originally slated for a different mission, but wound up here at Bagram. I for one would take my own home country and home coast any day of the week! Transportation is the main business going on here, as Bagram is a jumping-off point for bases throughout Afghanistan, so there are usually flights of one type or another coming in or out. One of the more memorable points of being here was the Chinook ride from here to Salerno base, where we were originally assigned. Chinooks tend to fly comparatively low, and the flight crews will only raise the large rear hatch when taking off or landing- the rest of the time, it can be brought down flat to provide a convenient place to sit and watch the countryside go by from the comfort of a machine gun mount. The view is pretty amazing, and to my Western eyes, surprising how little of the country is developed. Farms, roads and buildings exist, so I suppose development is a highly relative term in this case. At any rate, this is Afghanistan. Once in a while something illicit goes down, but it seems that by and large, the people are moving towards autonomy, and the Taliban is losing its hold. The goal of my own unit, and by extension much of the work being done here, is to allow the country self-governance. In a more cynical frame of mind, I might make some note on US imperialism, but I'd like to think that the country would do best on its own. China is kind of peeking around the corner, so to speak, and would love to get their political and economic hands on Afghanistan. Why, you may wonder, is the world so concerned about this backwater country, with mountains, jihadists, sheep and mountains in more or less equal proportions? There are several answers of this- trade routes is a part, as is apparently a good deal of minerals in them thar hills, and whoever controls the mining rights controls a substantial chunk of change. So then, if perhaps this country can establish a central, autonomous government, they can invest in mining technology (the extent of which now is a few donkeys, a shovel and a cart) and develop an economy. Or hopefully, favorable trade relations with the West. To editorialize a bit more, perhaps Washington should fix a few domestic problems before turning our 'helping' influences to the rest of the globe, but hey, don't ask me, I'm just a grunt like the rest of us.
At any rate, I'm doing okay here, getting by, though I think the first thing I'm going to do when I get to the States is eat a decent cheeseburger. But at any rate, I'm still planning on going home to Connecticut in April, which will be a couple months or so after I'm due back at Fort Sill. What we'll be doing for the rest of the time there, I don't know. The word is that the artillery batteries are getting re-structured, which doesn't really have much to do with me anyway. I'm not an artilleryman, I'm a truck driver, so will likely get kicked back over to my old unit, where I will continue to drive trucks and haul various and sundry supplies to the four points of the base. It's a living. My dear wife doesn't want to move to Oklahoma, and given the fact that I don't plan on staying in Oklahoma much longer than the term of my enlistment anyway, I agree with her. It'll probably be easier for her to stay where she is, especially in light of the fact that she has the dogs with her. I'm looking forwards to getting settled up there, possibly in a larger apartment, or even a house. Beyond the next year, I don't know, I'm trying to come up with some brilliant plan for the rest of my life, and am not quite sure how to proceed. I've come to believe that to a large extent you make your own life- there are unknowns, true- such is the nature of our lives, but the decisions you make today and actions you take today mean repercussions, for better or worse, tomorrow. But I know whatever comes, we'll endure. When I married my dear wife, our vows were 'as long as love endures'. There was a time I didn't know this gal existed; now I can't picture my life without her in it. That either says a good deal about me, or the fact that what we have is something special. I'm fairly certain it's the latter. Whatever comes next, wherever the next chapter of this long story takes us, I know we'll make it, somehow. Life is not always easy, sometimes painful, but these painful experiences can provide insight- avoid making the mistakes we've made in the past.
That about covers all the news from here- things are not as exciting as you may think on a deployment, no coming home to a chest full of medals (actually just a couple), but there are more important things in life- I for one will continue to look towards the future, and hope.