Just A Few More Observations

My first observation is that I cannot get my brain to have one coherent thought for more than a minute or two, which is why I have defaulted to these short, random ramblings. 

It's funny how I log on to this blog over and over to check the statistics to see that a very small handful of people actually read this (yes!  three hits today)!  Weird how I had six hits from the Ukraine this week...not sure what keyword they honed in on or if it was just the same person looking at it six times. 

There is an Afghan gentleman who works on the base.  His job is to watch two pipes and alert someone if they overflow.  This is true.  So he leans against a wall and stares at the two pipes.  That's it.  The creepy thing is one of the pipes is right outside my door, so every time I step outside, there he is, leaning against the wall, staring right at me.  We have established a silent but amiable relationship in which I make sure to wave to him at least once a day.  He always waves back.  I figure I want to stay on his good side...

To the west of the base on the farthest mountain there is a massive rock near the top.  Our Sergeant Major dubbed it the Virgin Mary, and from where we stand it actually does look like a statue of the Virgin Mary.  We decided that she is there looking over us and making sure no harm comes to the team. 

One of the true frustrations with the Afghan culture is their sense of time.  It is accepted that if a meeting is suppose to start at a particular hour, it will not start for thirty to sixty minutes after the published time.  At each meeting the Americans are always the first ones there because, of course, we are taught to be early so when the time comes the meeting starts as scheduled.  Today the meeting I attended started over an hour late. When I first arrived I used to ask my governance advisor why the meeting was not starting.  He would smile and say "It is Afghan time so, it will not start on time."  By the way, very rarely do they apologize for being late...they just start the meeting as if they were starting on time.

With so many problems in the past with pain in the knees, ankles, feet, back, head, etc...I find myself taking the time these days to really take notice when I am feeling no pain.  Those moments when you do a quick scan and realize, knees-good, ankles-good, headache-nope, irritated-nope, tired-nope, wow, so this what it feels like.  We take it for granted when nothing hurts and we actually feel good.  I have started to take notice and savor the feeling where there are no pain signals going to the brain, I'm not tired and I'm not irritated.  I find I appreciate those moments and it drives me to have more of them by taking care of myself.  It certainly never lasts all day and sometimes it is mere moments, but I capture that feeling and make sure I don't take those moments for granted. 

Ensign James Whitman is my MVP today, not only because he accepted an extremely annoying assignment today, but also because he is one of the few who occasionally reads the blog so...this shoutout is for you Mr. Whitman.

The stars here are incredible.  Almost every night is clear and because there is not much stable power in Afghanistan there are not many lights on at night allowing for some spectacular views including the Milky Way that we often see smudged across the sky.  When I go to dinner I can usually look up and see Orion's Belt, and then later at night when I am heading to the restroom around midnight or two, Orion has moved across the sky hanging just above the mountains.  The only thing I have seen that compares to the stars here is out at sea.  There have been some great nights at sea but the stars here just seem closer as if the blanket thrown over the world at night has been drawn much closer allowing us to practically reach out and touch them.   

Enough ramblings.....for now.

Random Observations

Just some observations and thoughts as we continue this journey:

  -I am thoroughly impressed that my Mom turned 83 years old yesterday.  I was glad we were able to Skype for awhile.  Her tenacity and strength are inspiring.

 -The more thin-skinned and sensitive you are the more lonely command can be. 

 -One day when we were out at Marawara Bridge checking on the construction progress I spoke with a couple of young men who were busy with a pile of green stuff that was rolled up into little balls.  They were putting each green ball into little baggies.  Evidently these budding entrepreneurs were bagging them up to sell them as a type of dip that men put in their lip just like Copenhagen.  They told me they buy tobacco at the bazaar and then mix it with lime and ash and then sell the balls for five Afghanis (about ten cents).  People who buy it pinch a little off and put it in their lip.  Not sure what else goes into it besides lime and ash but I have a feeling there may be more to it then that.  One of the Afghan police who was with us bought a bag for himself.  One ball usually lasts a whole day.  The young men said even kids do it, sometimes starting at eight years old...crazy.

-Nine pounds so far on the New Year's Resolution....long way to go.

-The Afghan Jungle Cats that started out as cute kittens have somehow taken over the base.  They must be part rabbit because they seemed to be multiplying at a rapid pace.  Either that or they called all their jungle cat buddies around Afghanistan and said "Hey, come on out to Camp Wright, we'll have a great time!"  We received a second opinion on their heritage and may be able to remove them from the base or euthanize them.  I know, I know but if they scratch someone it means rabies shots and we don't have enough vaccine for everyone.  Unfortunately the Feline Liberation Front is in full force around the base, so we have seen various cat dishes with food and even a little cat house for them to sleep in...gotta take care of this.

 -One of the annoying differences in cultures is that in Afghanistan the term thank you is not used much.  They have a word for it.  Manana means thank you.  But they either have a difficult time expressing appreciation because of a pride thing or it just isn't something they feel is necessary.  In fact, usually they will criticize the gift or gesture, and nine times out of ten they will ask for more.  I even gave one of our advisors sixty dollars because his paycheck had been drastically delayed.  I wanted to help him out so he could eat.  No acknowledgement, no thank you, nothing. 

 -Though I do not have and will not have Post Tramautic Stress Disorder, I now understand how and why people end up with it. 

 -I have become addicted to Frosted Mini-Wheats.  Every morning I knock on the door to the Admin  office.  My Yeoman opens the door and hands me Frosted Mini-Wheats, a single serving milk carton and a plastic spoon.  I go back to my office across the hall and enjoy my breakfast before going out on mission.  It has become a ritual that I actually look forward to each day.  I don't remember ever eating Frosted Mini-Wheats before this...ever.

 -I first came here last February to conduct a site survey.  While I was visiting I took a picture of a young boy outside a school we were building.  Throughout the year I have seen him a  few times and, in fact, took a picture of him yesterday.  I commented to him that he has grown quite a bit over the past year.  He replied, "That is God's will."  He also mentioned that we have been coming here over and over and we have never given them anything.  I reminded him that we built him a school and he returned "Oh, yes, thank you."  Reference my previous point and you see I had to shame him into appreciation.  Then he proceeded to ask me what I had in my pockets that I could give him (nothing), what about in the trucks (nothing), how about my gloves (no).

 -The thing I will remember the most about this place will be the children.  When most families are having seven to ten kids there are quite a few children running around.  Wherever we go they always seem to gather.  They are amazingly beautiful as children and most have that untarnished joy and innocence that shows in their eyes and in their smiles.  I have taken many pictures of the girls and boys sitting on the rock walls as we passed to reach a particular school project.  Yesterday as we walked the same path, we passed a couple of females wearing their blue burqas.  I wondered to myself if, perhaps, these were two of the girls I had taken pictures of previously.  Maybe they had reached that certain age, or had been married off at twelve or fourteen.  I could hope and pray all day but know that the joy and innocence will fade for most of them, sooner rather than later.  I fear both the boys and girls face many more years of war and strife. It breaks your heart.

 

 -Amazingly I have already read two books and working on a third in 2012.  Considering what little time I have and my track record over the past few years that is a pretty good start.

 - As far as I can remember, I have only been to a movie theatre two or three times in the past year (no movie theatres here).  That too is a record.  I look forward to being able to go to the movies with a big tub of popcorn and a giant Slurpee. 

 -My kids do not have any MVP trophies on their shelves.  They have never been the state champion of this or the winner of that.  But, wow, I am humbled at what wonderful human beings they have become.  They are all just hard working, respectful, moral, good people and they are beautiful inside and out.  They all truly have good and kind hearts.  It brings me to tears to think at how lucky I am while I give all the credit to Midori.  She raised them while I spent most of their childhoods at sea.  To say I am proud does not do justice to how I feel...truly, truly blessed.

 -Enough for now...sorry if it ran long.

Gotta Love Resolutions

Twenty-five pounds.

That is my major resolution for the year.  I have to lose 25 pounds.  So, even though I did not necessarily get started on New Years Day, I am starting now (I can do that).  Many people don't believe in resolutions and think they are a waste of time.  I like the idea. I like the fact that you can continue to maintain bad habits through December know that you are going to make a resolution on 1 January.   I like the thought of a clean start and the possibility of change. I have even successfully kept resolutions in the past.  Two years ago my resolution was to lose 50 pounds, and I did it.  Of course, I gained about thirty of that back, but that is beside the point.  I established a resolution, set goals, and followed the path that I had set for myself.  So, the problem was not achieving the resolution, it was letting my guard down once I achieved it.  

Now, even the year that I lost the weight I was only fifty percent since I failed dramatically at my second major resolution.  So, this year my resolutions are very similar to two years ago.  I am going to lose 25 pounds and clean the stinkin' garage.  Our garage is quite an adventure, and will take some time.  Evidently it is easier to lose 50 pounds than it is to clean a garage.  We will see this year.  The resolution will be put on hold for the first few months so I can get home and actually start it. 

So, 25 pounds, you are out of here.  I promise not to turn this into a weight loss log, but this is my way of putting myself out there and becoming accountable to the four or five people that might actually read this.  In 2010 I declared my resolutions in the Plan of the Week at the mighty Navy Recruiting District Seattle.  Letting the entire command know kept me motivated.  In fact I still get the occasional snide remark about the garage from some of my former teammates.  So, now it is out there...more to follow.