Just Another Day

I had just started my run this morning when I fell…again. What the hell?! This time I tripped over rebar that was stuck in the ground. Luckily, I didn’t hit the ground as hard as last time but I still scraped up my one knee really well. At the rate I’m going, I will end up with some nasty staph infection before this tour is over.

So in all the years I’ve been running, I’ve never fallen until I’ve been in Iraq. Biking, on the other hand, is another story. When I was 11 years old, I was using my dad’s 10-speed which was a little big for me. Our three-legged dog, Nanook, ran in front of me and I hit her square on the butt. Over I went and scraped my knee which still holds the scar except it’s sporting my new wound on top of it. The next biking incident, I was 16 years old taking a month long bicycle tour in France. My friends and I were heading back to the hotel in the pouring rain when I hit a railroad track hidden by a puddle. Over I went and scarred my other knee. It too, holds a new scar from Iraq. I know there are worse injuries I could sustain here and I shouldn’t complain but, I just wish I wasn’t scraping myself up with the nasty dirt of Iraq.

It’s been cooler than when I left, however, the wind shifted last Sunday and it was incredibly humid. It reminded me of spending the summer in San Antonio, Texas, at Fort Sam Houston. Just like Texas, after I showered and the second I stepped outside, I was sticky. Luckily, the wind shifted again and it’s back to that “dry” heat. Really, what is “dry” heat? I’ve never been so hot in my life until I came here. It’s quite the experience and until you are in it, you can’t even imagine it. There are some leaders who insist we wear our long sleeve shirts at all times since it will keep us cooler or so they say. I don’t buy it. On days that I’m wearing my short sleeve physical training shirt, I don’t sweat nearly as bad as when I’m wearing a T-shirt AND my long sleeve shirt. If I ever make general, I’ll change that rule….I certainly can’t do it as a captain. I’m like a private here with all the other officers running around. I guess that is what happens when you deploy with a division headquarters.

I forgot to mention in my post about leave, I learned to play chess while I was traveling home. What a great game. I liked thinking about my own strategy and my opponents. Sergeant Stacey Brown was a great instructor even though she didn’t let me win. I can see I’ll have to find someone who plays worse than me just so I can get a morale boost from winning once and a while.

By the way, I need to clarify; we don’t drink alcoholic beverages here! My pictures of our Friday at Five (Happy Hour) are with non-alcoholic beer. Please don’t think there are a bunch of Soldiers having wild parties here in Iraq. I will say our Friday at Five has gained in popularity and lots of Soldiers stop by for the hour. It really makes for something to look forward to in the week. Every time a new Soldier stops by, they get to wear the First Sergeant’s tiara. At least Fridays aren’t just another day….. it’s fun to see who will be the next princess!