We're moving into our permanent barracks this afternoon which happens to be the same building I lived in on my first deployment 2 years ago. Wonder how much it's changed since then? We've been living in tents, waiting for the prior unit to leave. The tents were actually nice, 3 heating/cooling units per tent, real mattresses, porcelain toilets and hot showers. The barracks we're going into has fewer showers and we have to use port-a-johns but it is more secure from things that could fall out of the sky and go boom.
There isn't much to update here, my medical team is getting in the swing of things and we're rearranging our office with our own creature comforts.
Speaking of which, for my prior two deployments, I've dreamed of having a hammock out here. While on our honeymoon in Thailand, I was able to pick up a nice tactical green silk hammock which I have strung up in our office between two 4X4's with a D ring for a quick disconnect.
The overall feeling of this trip is different; I don't feel the loneliness or worry that I felt on my prior trips. For the first time in years my emotions feel balanced and I think I can thank my wife for that. After spending years and years searching, trying to fill a gap in my psyche, I now feel like a whole person. One day I woke up and suddenly I noticed that the itch was gone. You know the one that guys have where they look at girls and wonder how it would be to hook up with her. One day it wasn't there and thinking on it, it had not been there for a while. You know what? I don't miss it either. There was a point in my life where I would have but that time is long gone.
Could be part of why I haven't been writing as much, like the kid from the movie Orange County, the angst isn't there. I'm sure it will come up with stuff over the course of the deployment and I'll have interesting things to talk about but life has been alright. Don't like having to move into the old barracks with more people then we had in it last time but it's something I'll get used to. I work with a great bunch of people that seem to be genuinely happy most of the time and our Marines like us.
I'm counting my blessings. Let's see, I have a speedy new laptop with many electronic gadgets to attach to it, a hammock, a bed with a real mattress, get 3 squares a day that are usually hot, an MP3 player filled with good tunes, friends both here and back in the states and great communication with a lovely wife who's very in love with me, not to mention people who are still interested in my blog and in supporting me. What more can you ask for from the middle of a war zone?
Update,
New A/C's installed in the barracks and a large hotwater tank, was supposed to be rooming with the guy with the Xbox 360 but there was a switch-a-roo at the last minute but my new room mates are cool they just own a 360, sigh! Other then the lack of that wishful time eating entertainment, life is still smooth sailing. Take care everyone!
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