I am in Kuwait right now.  Either tonight or tomorrow we'll catch a ride on a C-130 and fly to Baghdad, so soon this trip will be over and I'll have a place to put my stuff (hopefully).  It is unbelievably hot here.  I'm sure everyone has said that before, so I'm just reassuring you it's that hot.  Somewhere between standing in front of a hair dryer and getting blasted by an F-16 engine.  Our flight from El Paso was very long.  When we landed in Frankfurt at Rhein Main AB, the terminal was closed for repairs.  We just stood out there on the tarmac for an hour or so.  At first they had us walk up to an area surrounded by barbed wire.  It was for the smokers, although they didn't say that to us non-smokers.  To give you a better idea of what it look liked, think "POW camp."  To top it all off, an AF MSgt (I named her Helga) was pretty much stripping us of our liberties by the minute.  For instance, because it was 52 degrees outside (it was 0600), I wanted to stand in the sunlight, as did most people.  She didn't want us too near the lane of traffic (if you can call the 1-truck-per-ten-minutes traffic), so she pushed us back from it by about 30 feet, into the shade.  She also confiscated a football some of the soldiers were throwing around.  (The yelled after it, "Wilson!")  Then, because so many people were complaining about not having a restroom, or phones, or anything at all out there, she called the German police to keep us from getting rowdy.  One of the Captains called her a traitor. 

After flying to Kuwait, we spent the rest of the evening getting more gear.  We got body armor (the bullet-proof kind) -- yes the troops are getting them now, so be relieved.  We also got another duffel-bag full of gear, like two pairs of boots (very nice ones), underarmor shirts, goggles, and polar fleece outerwear for when it gets cold.  I actually pulled on the fleece at night because it was so cold in the bay.  Getting all of my bags (4 duffel bags at that point, a backpack, armor, and a laptop) to my cot was quite a struggle, and my back is still paying for it, but I made it.  I walked with a Navy Chief to the PX and got some KFC (there's also Starbucks, Hardee's, Pizza Inn, Baskin Robbins, and Subway) because we hadn't eaten in 12 hours and were starved.  Then I went back, took a much-needed shower, and went to sleep.  Until 3 am.  The soldier next to me said, "Ma'am, we have formation at 0700 if you're going to Iraq," after I stirred slightly in my sleep.  I guess he thought I was awake.  I told him, "I think I have enough time..."  I got up, did some laundry, and then slept some more, until 0500.  Most of today I have spent searching down an ice-pack for my back and sleeping.  It hasn't been too bad.  Don't know yet when we'll leave for Baghdad, but it should be soon.

I leave in three days, so I've been running around doing lots of errands. I've had to go to medical, dental, and legal... had to get inserts for my gas mask ... of course, they said, "which gas mask do you use?" Never having used one before, and not having seen which one I'll be issued, I replied with a blank stare. Fortunately, there is a generic set of inserts. They must be so attractive.

Sunday I fly to Ft. Bliss, which is near El Paso -- "car theft capital of the States." I was incredibly motivated and excited to leave for the Gulf two or three weeks ago, but not that the time has actually come, I've suddenly realized what being away for at least 6 months will mean. I'm going to miss a lot here in San Diego. To top it all off, Chewbacc won't understand why I'm not at home. Really, how do you communicate with a dog? Anyway, I am interested in what's going to be my life for the rest of the year. I want to record it all, every instance, every detail. Not only what it looks like there, or what my job is, but how I feel the whole time, and what's on my mind. I will also be working on my writing while I'm there (most of that won't get put on here, so feel relieved). Hopefully, we'll fly there via Germany and have a layover. Maybe it will be longer than the last layover I had in Germany.

Soon lunch will come, and then we'll all get together and have a meeting on the deployment. Then I'll finish up my errands and pack my bags so I can try to enjoy the last few days at home.

~Ciao~ ambotchka@Yahoo.com

It's been years and years since I've written on this site. So much has happened.

Let's not revisit it.

Today I left work around noon to come home and rest. (I have mono, again.) I haven't really done much except tool around online and chat with an old friend. My dog, Chewbacca, has decided (against my many "no"s) that the best place to nap is on my bed, next to me. I don't mind so much, but Jessica, the cat, will when she returns through the window (that's how she goes in and out). I'm debating whether I should nap or not. I have to go out in an hour...

I really wish I had something insightful or artful to stay, but I don't. I'm working on a short story again, a different one. I'm trying out children's lit now. Hopefully I will do well as a writer and will get out of the military in a few years.
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Well this was it for my first post in a year and a half. I'll try to do better next time.

To-night China found
his delicious will wouldn't break
the amber stars chortled in jest,
'you'll never touch it, hon.'

in frenzy feast
hordes of fish flesh
slide down
they hide like demons

i'm working on a short story now, which is so-far titled "Waffle House" -- once it's polished up a bit more i'll send it off. hopefully i'll make something out of it and begin my dreams of professional writer-hood.

i bought Jewel's book of poetry today. i'd always avoided it because, well, she is a celebrity, and probably only got herself published because of it. after glancing through it a bit i discovered she writes well, and i like it. it's naked.

i've been immersing myself in verbs the past month or so. verbs, gerunds, participles -- tenses, gender, numerals. it's all exotic to me, somehow. particularly in Russian. today we began the Russian Noun. i think perhaps i'll finally begin to understand the cases -- nominative, accusative, dative, etc. the highlight of the morning was purchasing a new text on Russian grammar. it's the best one i've seen, and just flipping through the pages makes me happy, as i read and understand more than i did before. the verbs of motion, so nicely listed. i'm absolutely in love with my major.

i also purchased a correspondence kit. writing is fabulous, and writing to people even better. particularly if they know how to wield a pen.

on friday i am driving down to Pensacola again. second time. i'm dropping off a truck, staying around for pure enjoyment, and flying back on monday. i will leave on flight #1270 to Charlotte, NC, then arrive in St. Louis on flight #311. i haven't been in a plane since August. i haven't been in a commercial plane since June.