3.31.2005

The Drama Ends

Well, the roommate situation has finally resolved itself. I am now out of the room and moved into the room next door. Once the one roommate moved out, that left me and the other roommate, where most people were bunked up to 4, it wasn't fair for there to only be 2 in the room.

So next door apparently they were having some issues, so I moved out and two of them moved in, and now we're at 3 and 3. I really like my new room a lot better, it's like a giant load has been lifted off my shoulder and now I can relax at night.

Once more, I even have something to talk about with my new roommates. We seem to get along alright, they are pretty easy going, they have a few basic rules that I'm more then content to follow because me having the same rules caused the initial problem with my roommates in the first place.

And we even enjoy the same types of things. SSG C is an original Twilight Zone Fan and so we can get together and start watching them as I slowly collect the series. She also doesn't laugh at me when I watch Ninja Turtles, because she watched them when they were a thing too.

So anyway, that chapter in my life has come to a close to a happy ending, as far as I'm concerned. I don't think there will be much more drama in that department.

Meanwhile, went to Kamenica this week and took lots of pictures on the way over there. I swear I shall post these, I got some good ones and you can really see the lay of the land once the snow melts. It really feels like I'm in another country when we head outside the wire.

Meanwhile, I got a movie night with Elektra at 2100. Can't pass up a free movie, though going through the Greece Trip classes on the Apostle Paul proved to be entertaining at best. They have a religious retreat sponsored by the chaplain where we sit and watch a 8 part series on the life of the Apostle Paul, and at the end we are eligable to go to Phillipi Greece on a retreat and see different places and museums of interest in dealing with Paul. They usually have it at the South Chapel, but they are doing something in there and they moved the class, which forced me to try and find it so I took my new Bike and rode it to the North Chapel, which is uphill and encorporates a pretty decent workout. But it wasn't at the North Chapel, it was at the South DFAC, so after going through all the trouble of trying to find it, I had to ride back down to the other part of the Camp to see the film.

Anyway, my little workout tuckered me out. I ended up crashing in my bunk soon after for a quick nap. Hopefully, I'll be awake enough for Movie Night.

3.28.2005

Accusations (in prime Rant form)

I am staring at my inbox, looking at those emails that I vow to return and it doesn't look good.

Well, aside from the 80+ emails from MySpace from people that wanted to be my friend. I deleted them all, they shall lie in wait in the MySpace inbox. And they will continue to lie in wait. I think I'm going to let MySpace die because it doesn't fit my personality at all.

Looking at MySpace, I don't know if I get it. Especially since it looks like the majority of the people can't spend an extra split second to type 'yo' on to 'u'. I know I have a few typo problems and grammatical errors that abound from time to time but come on people!

I also directed them to this blog from the MySpace Blog, so they will likely read this and get the picture.

Meanwhile, one of my roommates are moving out. I was ordered not to talk to her, not even to say a word in greeting. Long story. But she doesn't like me. Probably a good reason for that. And apparently she thinks I have a personal grudge against her because something of hers is missing and she thinks I took it.

News to Roommate: if you are gone for three weeks and you don't want anything to go missing, secure it or it might walk. In fact, as soon as I heard that she was back, I roommate proofed my room by securing anything of value to me, just so I wouldn't even give her the opportunity to retaliate. In case the thought crossed her mind, you never know.

Besides, I have no reason to steal from her. For one, I hate thieves and have more integrity then that and two, I would lose out on stealing from her more then she would. It's not worth it to me. Especially if what is missing is what I think it is, and if it is, I'll laugh in her face is she accuses me of stealing one of her Care Bears. Yeah, that's right, one of her care bears is apparently missing, she's obsessed with those things. But I can't gig her for that, I have something for the Ninja Turtles so we're even. I hear her talking in the middle of the night, something tells me she thinks I'm either deaf or stupid, fortunately the other roommate is smart enough to shut her up before she says something stupid. But she could be the type to try and frame me. She seems pretty pissed. I guess I'll watch my back.

I wonder if she reads my blog? Maybe she'll get a hint?

3.26.2005

Shopping for Health

Today was a beautiful day. Almost to beautiful. I almost slept in.

Ah, who am I kidding, I did sleep in. I got up in time to throw a uniform on and get to the office to meet my sergeant tapping his foot and looking at his watch.

I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping at night. Being a night owl, I am most active in the evening, at least, my brain is. All this week I've been having trouble falling asleep at night, just thinking about different things.

Last night was particularly bad. I actually got in bed about 10:30, after finally finishing Freaks and Geeks, the entire season (why oh why did they cancel this series? I don't watch TV for the very reason that anything good like this gets canceled and they leave on crap like Friends for 9 seasons) and actually fell to sleep within a few minutes.

Then around 2 in the morning, I woke up and found myself thinking for the next two hours. About a whole lot of nothing. Just thinking, about stories, perhaps what I was going to do today, what I did this week, how I should have handled something else differently, so on and so forth. I can't win.

When I finally do get back to sleep, I can't get up when I'm supposed to. Or my alarm will go off, I'll glance over at it and say, "i'm tired, I don't have to be anywhere for 2 hours' and roll back over and the Z monster takes hold once more.

I usually wake up about 15 minutes before I have to be anywhere.

Um, today was particularly bad, because I didn't have to be anywhere until 9. They let me come in at nine. And I was still late? What the heck is wrong with me? Gaaaahhhh!!!

Yeah, I've never been compatible with the military in this manner. I hate to sleep, but unfortunately my body rather loves it. Especially in the morning.

So I'm going to work on getting myself into some kind of routine. Even if I have to force myself to do it, I will do it. I actually did it for a couple of days before, getting up at 5 to work out in the morning and I was where I had to be and feeling great.

So I've decided to take part in some recreational activities. They've got a bunch of programs planned out through MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) like Softball and Volleyball and I'm thinking 'count me in!' That, and the weather has vastly improved over the last few weeks. Bicycles came into the PX. I went ahead and made a purchase. I also took it for a quick ride around South Town and found myself out of shape. A bike was a good investment, I think I shall start using it on those hills. My body will thank me in a couple months. Anything to get out of the barracks and doing something.

And then I cringed when I noted that they got PS2s in. Finally. After I already bought one online and went through all that trouble. *grumbles*

Oh well, you live and learn.

And then somebody points out a typo on one of your most famous blog posts that you made 4 months earlier. ***GAAARRR!!!***

The Chronicles of MySpace

A couple months ago my brother in law sent me an invite to join MySpace, and in clearing out my inbox, I saw this email and thought to myself "hmm, what exactly is this?"

Not really thinking about it, I set up a profile really quick and downloaded one of the pictures I had on my thumbdrive, just to get it started.

Now I have a bunch of people messaging me and requesting to be added to my friends list and saying things like 'U are purty' and 'where do u live?'

Maybe I should reply "golly gees thanx! i live in army billets in teh mittle of nowhare."

What have you gotten me into, Merv? I don't even know how this thing works!

I guess I'll start putting up a profilewith a picture that's five years old.

Being out of the Loop can Hurt Sometimes

Why am I just finding out the sequal to this now?

Battle of the Babes, over 2 months ago

This means I need to follow this website closer.

3.24.2005

One Mission is Done. . .

And so, thus ends my air sampling mission. Today was the last day for air sampling and now it is over. Unless I am ordered to continue it again, which I might, but it is over for now.

It was one of those things that was mine, my job, my mission, whatever. But it was mine and though the first time I did it on my own was a complete and miserable failure, since then I got pretty good at it and it was kind of my way to get out of the office and take one of the Humm-V's out and do my own thing. It was also a chance to talk to a new face, I got to know quite a few of the Force Protection guys guarding the wire.

Anyway, it is now over. And it kind of makes me sad. I'm hoping we get handed that mission again soon. And there is no way I'm going to let them take it away from me. Air sampling is mine I tell you. MINE MINE MINE!

See, I'm a bit angst ridden because other tasks will be keeping me from actually finishing the mission. I have training that conflicts and so my two battle buddies are going to pick up the slack and my mission will go out with a small blurp on the radar, because I'm not the one who will be finishing it.

I got to like Air Sampling. I guess I'll post pictures in the Milblog about it.

Meanwhile, tomorrow I get to talk to a JAG officer about my blog. He's the defense lawyer here on post, basically if somebody does something stupid, or gets accused of something, then he's there to protect them. As long as they don't crash and burn before he gets that chance. He'll be able to give me some advice on what I can post and what I shouldn't. Becuase truthfully, I can post whatever I want. Its the consequences I have to live with.

Oh, and Mom? The Peeps are getting a lot of attention. I've got the beanbag Peep sitting on my monitor waiting to wish in the Easter season. It is soft and furry and makes me smile.

I think I'll take a picture.


It has attained its rightful place and shall not be moved henceforth from this spot. Kind of like the christmas tree left over from the previous task force.

3.23.2005

Latest ramblings, continued

Lately, my blog has had a lot to do with updates on my life, or lack there of. *sighs*

Anyway, the issue with my blog is resolved, for now. And FYI, I was not ordered to remove the blog, I did it on my own until I was comfortable with what I could or could not post.

So, the Milblog is back up and functional once again. Offending posts have been removed. And a guideline to OPSEC issues that I have tentively titled "The Ten Commandments of Milblogging". At least, they are my commandments. And I shall obey.

Meanwhile, I think I'm going to start looking around for a new webserver. My current one, or so I've discovered, can be insanely slow at times. I know some people have been more then kind about allowing me to host my website on their servers, but being the insanely independent person that I am, I want to retain my freedom of being entirely independent and supporting my server myself. So I'm just asking if anybody knows a good Hosting Service that I can use that is relatively quick. Or at least, quicker then my current (which is Yahoo Webhosting, only because I've been with them for nearly six years)

Oh, and one of my battle buddies just convinced me that I should look into a new hobby that is expensive at first, but gets cheaper the more often you do it. SkyDiving. Yeah, I've always wanted to go, so now I think when I get home, I might buy a car, take a roadtrip to Arizona, Skydiving capital of America I think, and

And I'll be in country longer then 12 months boots on ground. Hey, I don't mind, more money and less opportunity to spend it!

Next item to knock off on my list of things to do, Empty out that Inbox. I'm giving myself until Sunday to get this taken care of. So if you emailed me recently, expect a blurp.

3.22.2005

Global Personality Test

Advanced Global Personality Test Results
Extraversion |||||||||||||||| 63%
Stability |||||||||| 33%
Orderliness |||||||||||||| 53%
Empathy |||||||||| 36%
Interdependence |||||||||||| 50%
Intellectual |||||||||||||||| 63%
Mystical |||||||||| 36%
Artistic |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Religious |||||||||||||| 56%
Hedonism || 10%
Materialism |||||||||| 36%
Narcissism |||||||||||| 43%
Adventurousness |||||||||||||||| 70%
Work ethic |||||||||||| 50%
Self absorbed |||||||||| 36%
Conflict seeking |||||||||||| 50%
Need to dominate |||||||||||||||| 63%
Romantic |||| 16%
Avoidant |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Anti-authority |||||||||||| 50%
Wealth |||||| 30%
Dependency |||||| 23%
Change averse |||||||||||| 50%
Cautiousness |||||||||||||| 56%
Individuality |||||||||||||||| 63%
Sexuality |||| 16%
Peter pan complex |||||||||||||||| 70%
Physical security |||||||||||||||||||| 83%
Food indulgent |||||||||||| 43%
Histrionic |||||| 23%
Paranoia |||||||||||||||| 63%
Vanity |||||||||||| 43%
Hypersensitivity |||||||||||||||| 63%
Female cliche |||||| 30%
Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Stability results were moderately low which suggests you are worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious.

Orderliness results were medium which suggests you are moderately organized, hard working, and reliable while still remaining flexible, efficient, and fun.

Extraversion results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity.


trait snapshot:

open, tough, irritable, worrying, does not like to be alone, craves attention, low self control, emotionally sensitive, interacting, sad, very social, aggressive, prefer organized to unpredictable, dependent, social chameleon, suspicious, values the heart over the mind, likes large parties, outgoing, likes to make fun, likes to fit in, mildly phobic, vain, makes friends easily, enjoys leadership, clingy, rash



These are things I usually reserve for things like LJ, but I decided to post it here for once.

For one, maybe I should take it again. Half of the trait snapshots don't sound anything like me (for example, does not like to be alone, can something be further from the truth then that?) And dependent? If anything, I'm very independent.

But still, kind of fun. I think I'll wait a few days and take it again, see what kind of things come out of it next time, maybe then that will more accurately reflect my true 'type'.

3.21.2005

Mil-Blog Down

Well, I took both of my blogs offline briefly, and now I've been getting the go ahead to put it back up, however I'm under censorship mode. Can't say to much about my mission here or things I do, or talk about guard duty or anything like that. Details are to be vague. Chain of command is off limits.

My problem is my writing style gets me into a tendency to post things online in a personal manner. Usually I look at the irony of some situations and post about those, when I shouldn't be posting them at all.

The company commander called me into her office and didn't necessarily chew me out, but told me to censor my site a bit better. Until I find out exactly what I can and cannot post, and direct my guidelines a little better, I won't be using the Milblog for a while. The last thing I want is a JAG incident. I've already heard the horror stories involving those.

Since this site is non-specific, I'll continue to post here, but I won't be discussing army matters for now. More like day to day things and maybe talk about the region more. Basically what I've been writing about before now. I tried to make the Milblog more for military matters, but I guess I'll find out more before I continue.

That is all.

3.19.2005

hmmmmmmmm. . .

Alright, Nix that Audio Blogger. Don't know what's going on with that.

And, um, I have about 18 hours to write a talk for church tomorrow. Yeah, I haven't even started. Today was going to be designated the 'sit in the room and work on something intelligent to say at church tomorrow' day on account of me being busy with other things all week, but that got scrapped when my boss told me to come in and work when he had originally told me to take the day off. I ended up working my 8 or so hours anyway.

And here's a shocker. You know that Roommate I was telling you about? Yeah, the one who I had absolutely nothing in common with and was mad as hell at, or at least, she was mad as hell at me? Well, we're doing great now. In fact, she's starting to become one of my best friends here. Sort of. one of my best 'girl' friends at least. I've got a few guys that I'm clicking with friendship wise as well, but, well, when I'm usually holed up in the room after work due to complete exhaustion, or peace and quiet, I tend to kind of steer clear of other people and their desire to go see movies or go to the gym. Or whatever else.

I've always been self sufficient with the entertainment segment anyway. Finding things to do after work has never been a problem.

Also, went outside the wire again today. You know, this region would be really pretty if they would pick up their trash. But I guess when you live in a war zone, that's the last thing on you're mind.

3.18.2005

Audio Blogger is Set Up

Yeah, I have an audio blog now. However, I'm not sure if I will use it (often) on several accounts. One, you'll see when it finally posts on my blog as I am not as clairvoyant in my speach patterns as I am when I'm jotting things down on type. And two, it costs me money because I have to use a calling card to post to it.

I'll use it on special occaisions. When my voice can clarify things a lot better then typing can.

Oh, and I updated my sidebar, mainly because one, I am no longer a retail slave, or at least I won't be until I get back from Kosovo, and two, John Kerry is irrelevant, and I loathe Michael Moore so much more.

Somebody approached me about blogging today. He has a blog (I don't know what it is), but he approached me as another blogger and recognized me. It was kind of cool and freaky at the same time.

I think I'll try to google his name and see if it comes up. When I get his blog, I'll let you know.

I think I'll make a Bondsteel Blogroll. Any other Bloggers in Kosovo out there?

PS - I bought a PS2 without any power cords or cables, or even a controller. Just a console. My bad.

Good thing theres this website called eBay. Situation rectified with limited costs.

3.17.2005

Boredom Hazards

Hearing Conservation thing-a-ma-jig continues. I have pretty darn good hearing apparently, though I feel like I'm hearing things when I'm not supposed to. Like that little whistle in the hearing booth. Was that a Beep? I think so. Wait, it wasn't? Hold on a second. Are you sure? Oh wait, that's my pulse pounding in my head.

I thought I had terrible hearing. I just concentrate on things to much and zone everything else out I guess, because I say 'What?' a lot.

Meanwhile, SGT S keeps asking for my stories. He's read my comic before and he found out that I wrote stories when I let slip that I have one that has amassed a length of over 1000 pages. With a font size of 10. Yes, I like to write.

I promptly told him no and he got mad at me. So he gave me his thumb drive and told me he didn't want it back until it had a story on it. I gave him Chance. He then demanded another one, because this one had no closure. And it was short.

Well, um, none of them do. None of them are finished! Gah!

So I sat down and started reading them, looking for one that might be at a shareable level, because the thousand page one most assuredly is not. Besides, I get self conscious with my writing. I either have to much detail or to much dialog.

And I usually wince at my own stories anyway. Heck, I wince at Blog Entries sometimes. I get pretty open with my blog, you should see me with my 'novels'. I've got about six of them I'm working on at any given time, I just go from one to teh next. No wonder I never get anything done!

Meanwhile, now I have to do research on this PS2 I bought. I could have sworn it came with cables. Or at least something to plug it in. All I got was a console! No wires, no cables, not even a controller. Just a console. I could have sworn I bought it with all the wires. I guess that's what I get for buying it used.

Meanwhile, surfed through my pictures, when i converted SGT S to miniondom (he got a riot out of 'not sorry') and laughed at a few of them that I was joking around with. I particularly liked this one I took just goofing around.

Yeah, back when I had hair. *sob* SSG E just informed me that he was angry with me for cutting my hair. I told him it would grow back.

Just an observation

It's easy to celebrate St Patrick's day in the army.

My AK's tougher then your sister's M4!

I got an email a couple of days ago, challenging my badassedness. Now don't get me wrong, he's are a supporter of the blog and everything, but he just wanted to challenge me, saying that his sister is tougher then I am.

And here is his reasoning, quoted directly out of the email.

1. She goes in to battle dressed stylishly, rather than in drab
camoflage patterns.

2. She has bigger hair than you do.

3. Her weapon appears to be loaded, whereas yours always seem to be empty.

4. Her minions are ex-SAS blokes and Afghanis, rather than geeks.

5. Er... that's all.


Then there was a picture.



Here is my refute. Point One.

Well, anybody can say that their sense of style is better then mine. I have no sense of style, my sense of style tends to fall under the seattle term 'grunge', sort of. I like baggy pants and t-shirts. I'm all for comfort, sweetheart. But if you really want to see style, did your sister ever play laserquest in a prom dress?


I didn't think so.

Point Two

No comment. Besides, right now I'm missing most of it. But eventually it will grow back!

But i had pretty big hair at my prom!

Point Three

When you're in a military environment carrying 210 rounds between all seven of your magazines, if you are caught with a magazine locked and loaded and you aren't on a range or outside the wire, your head would get chewed off quicker then you can say Article 15. So usually, when I'm with my little M16, I don't have it locked and loaded. But that doesn't mean I don't get pictures from time to time.

Besides, Chuck, my AK, clearly has a magazine larger then an M4's. As is demonstrated to the right. YEAH, look at that bad boy! And that sucker NEVER jams!

Anyway, not all weapons have a magazine. Like this rifle.


Point Four

You need to take that up with my Minions. Some of which are in the army. Hehe. Including non-geeks in my unit who have since seen my website and said "I want to be a minion!"

No, seriously, somebody said this to me. And he's pretty hoorah.

Point Five

WEAK! WEAK ALL THE WAY!

I win!

3.15.2005

Black Hawk Down = Greatest War Movie Ever (or pretty high up there)

Between Hearing Conservation, my quest to have perfectly shined boots, and the task of cleaning out my inbox, things have been kind of going slow for me here on the KFOR front.

Oh, and Black Hawk Down is one of the greatest war movies Ever. Yes, I've seen it before, but I just saw it again, for class, to reiterate the importance of perserving your hearing. Can I just mention that this movie is great? Why can't hollywood make more honest pictures about war like this?

And the actors are pretty hot too. But I didn't say that.

Meanwhile, I have been instructed to give a talk in church this sunday. Um, actually, I made a note of asking who was giving a talk this sunday which basically is the same as volunteering myself. I have no idea what I'm supposed to talk about. I was given a lot freedom in that regard, I guess as long as its appropriate, I should be fine. (I belong to a religion that doesn't use the standard chaplin, we run our own meetings basically)

Now what in the world should I talk about for thirty minutes?

Um, I'll get back to you on that.

Its strange, you go to church in a combat zone, everyone's sunday best happens to be BDUs and a weapon. Or PTs and a weapon. Your at the pulpit, armed. You pray, armed. Everyone around you is armed.

That means don't talk to long and make the congregation fidgety!

3.12.2005

Only Crazy People Interview Each Other This Way

Um, don't ask. This is what I do when I get bored and it is late at night. I've done this before, just never posted it in a public place. If you think this is weird, you should read the others.

Or better yet, maybe you shouldn't. They either get really funny or really deep. Or just plain Stupid.

Enjoy.

Risawn - Good evening, thanks for taking some time out of your hectic schedule to conduct this interview.
Kami - No problem. I'm starved!
R - Forget Dinner?
K - No, just felt like cleaning my inbox more. Dinner can wait. Besides, they have the 24 hour sandwich shop.
R - Sure you can trust that?
K - Eh, why not? It's just meat!
R - Bad Preventive Medicine.
K - Hey, if I had a real problem with it, I would fail them on my next inspection.
R - I know you far to well.
K - Yeah, that's because you're me.
R - Moving on, how are you taking to Kosovo life now that you've been here for 7 weeks?
K - Hmm, can't complain. Actually, the first few weeks I felt like I was going to go crazy because I had absolutely no time to wind down at night. Then I actually went crazy when during the course of a week Murphy's Law took over and nothing went right. Now I'm seeing a psychiatrist and taking Zoloft. All is well with the world again.
R - Um, that's good to hear. I think.
K - Today went by very well. It was a full day that started with Air Sampling and ended with, well, Air Sampling. I had to drive to the Airport to pick up some people. It was a really busy day but I was in a good mood the entire time and I was thinking to myself "gees, I need to have this kind of attitude every day." It's not like I didn't want to come here or something.
R - You volunteered.
K - I had to do something. The army having my life on hold was not cutting it for me. I'm willing to serve, I was ready to go where ever they needed me to go. Whether it be to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Balkans. It's pretty quiet here in Kosovo, we aren't getting the press that other high profile areas are getting. But it can still be stressful at times. Our freedoms are limited and we still carry a rifle everywhere we go. It's my battle buddy.
R - So, can you say you're glad that you came?
K - I think two weeks ago, I couldn't say that. Just because of a lot of confusion and stress in my life, unwarranted at that. But right now, today, I can honestly say that I'm glad to be here. And right now, this very minute, there's nowhere I'd rather be.
R - Yeah, right.
K - Ok, you got me. Of course, there are other places that I would rather be then sitting here on my bunk typing away on my laptop in my SEAHut interviewing myself. But I'm glad I'm here, I'm grateful for this opportunity. I won't get another chance to do this again for a long time, if ever again. And there are some great opportunities here, whether it's to go to Sofia Bulgaria or Philippi Greece, or heck, even fly up to Bosnia or Germany. I'm in Europe, for crying out loud! I'll be here for the next year, why not take full advantage of these opportunities, take pictures, write a blog. . .
R - You do keep a blog.
K - Yeah, well I need to keep up on it better. I try to write down my experiences regularly and the Blog is a good way to do that. I probably should keep a paper journal too. I tried to keep a journal on my computer, but it lasted two days. I tend to go into to much detail. Not that it is a bad thing or anything, when looking back I'm grateful to the times I keep a detailed journal. But it takes forever to write. And I type like 80 words a minute so truthfully it's quicker for me to type away.
R - What made you start an Online Journal anyway?
K - I'm not exactly sure. One of my friends had one where she posted all sorts of stuff on it and I thought to myself "that's pretty cool, how hard would it be for me to get one of those?" and I looked into it and before long I had set myself up with a Blog. It was more for me then anything, I just posted little things about my day, my thoughts, whatever. I had a few regular readers, some would come and go, but it was never anything big. Sometimes I would try to kill it, stop posting to it for a time, or sometimes I would post thoughts to it that had no business being online. I even renamed it for a short time, just to get it through my head that I was going to kill this thing for good. It never died, as is evident by the fact that it is still here and in fact has a pretty decent readership. Now.
R - What brought the change, since your blog is 3 years old?
K - Politics. I don't consider myself a political person, normally, but I am. I usually avoid discussing politics except for election years. I started noticing political blogs this last year and started reading them more. Some of these political blogs even linked to me and we had some cross linkage. Strange, though it took Bush getting elected for me to really make it big.
R - you became famous for toting an M203.
K - Actually, YOU did. Most people on the Internet know me as Risawn.
R - Oh, point taken. Should we swap then?
K - Yes, let's. So, how did you handle it?
R - Very carefully. Well, at first, I found myself sitting in front of the computer monitor following links trying to figure out when this thing would quit. It just kept getting bigger and bigger. I'm grateful to the little reference link I have at the bottom of the blog, it showed me everybody that sent me a hit. I followed quite a few of them back. Most of the people were a bit shocked that I personally was responding to them when they were just talking about me. But I couldn't help it, nothing like this had ever happened to me before. I call it my fifteen minutes of fame. Fortunately, it died down a bit. I was wondering if it would ever let up.
K - Sounds a bit hair-raising.
R - After the 2 dozen marriage proposals, I was beginning to worry if I would acquire stalkers. Fortunately for me, I became known as an advocate of the 2nd amendment. So hopefully, nobody would be stupid enough to stalk me. Besides, right now I'm in the middle of Kosovo. I would like to see somebody try to stalk me here.
K - Fellow soldiers?
R - Right, I'm the one showing them the link. Everyone's curious after the Any Soldier package producing the Phone Cards. When I tell people the story, it always lands back on Not Sorry.
K - Your picture.
R - Right, my picture. I'm a gun-toting t-shirt babe you know!
K - No, Sarahk still holds that honor.
R - Oh, right. But still, I won the match!
K - After you got hit on the head with a chair.
R - Oh shut up, that was just a stupid GIF!
K - I thought it was pretty damn funny.
R - Eh, who am I kidding? So did I.
K - So, what now?
R - Wait to check up on RedvsBlue for a new cartoon.
K - That's pathetic.
R - What can I say? I'm addicted. We all have to have our own little addictions. Whether it be Blogging, Webcomics, or RedvsBlue.
K - Or Ninja Turtles.
R - How about Politics?
K - *gag!* Ok, so I'm addicted to Politics.
R - And Michael Moore Bashing!
K - Yay!
R - and chocolate milk!
K - And Barq's Root Beer!
R - Ok, enough already.
K - You started it.
R - Touche

In the News

Currently, in the Province of Kosovo. . .

3.10.2005

Minor Updates

Ok, so I updated the side bar a bit. Including the Blogroll. Um, don't read to much into it, I'm working on it. Currently, there is no method to that madness.

I just know I got a big honkin' blog roll!

I, um, also added more to the donation log, though I kind of feel bad putting that up. You people have been far to kind, but if you're asking for it, there it is.

I do ask people to use the Any Soldier Link.

Meanwhile, my goals are many, and they include a lot. I've got a lot of books on my 'To Read' list now.

Heck, because I'm notorious for things like this, here is my current 'list'.

Book: Halo; the Flood (bit of Sci Fi reading)
Next up: Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Just finished: Michael Moore is a big fat stupid white guy and Am I a Mutant or What? A Foxtrot Collection

Video: Pirated Copy of Million Dollar Baby (fortunately for Hollywood, I think its a bad copy however
Next up: Boondock Saints
Last Watched: Celsius 41.11 and RedvsBlue Season 2

Video Game: Halo2, and a bit on again off again with Fable.
Next up: the wireless network adapter so I can square up a big fat Halo2 match with the guys one building down. I vow to at least get two kills in next time.

Project: Creature wants to live again, I just know it. I vow to get that thing online on a regular basis again.
I think I'm going to start drawing more too. I got some sketch books, I should draw some birds. Or something.

Latest Website: Human Descent, hehe, too funny!

Latest Blog: Llama Butchers; ok, not a latest one, but one I'm reading again :) I need to break myself back into the Blogosphere slowly. I really got into it pretty good last October! Which was back when I was a no-name blog.

Eh, that's enough for now. I think I need to get on that Inbox. I got a lot of emails that are asking for a reply!

3.09.2005

The Current 'Goods'

Well, actually that kind of calmed down sooner then I suspected.

Ok, there is a couple of things about myself that I know very well. One is my anger. I can get angry at people, and that is not a light thing either. I have a temper. I'm usually good at subduing it, but it surfaces now and then. And when it surfaces, it ain't pretty.

I can get really mad at people. But there is a plus side to this. I don't hold grudges. I don't like to hold contempt for other people, I don't like to loathe other people. It doesn't suit myself and it is outside of my best interest. My best interest is to get along.

I'm not saying that I'm not still mad at my roommate, but if we're supposed to live together and if she isn't going to let me talk to her without raising a fit, then I need to just take the initiative to take that extra step to be civil. I mean, this is in my best interest, and it is in her best interest to return the favor. We are not that incredibly different that we can't tolerate each other's presence, are we?

So I took the first step. And we ended up helping each other out, and suddenly, I think we have taken a step forward instead of one back for once, and maybe we can come out of this whole experience being friends. Maybe we don't see eye to eye on things, and we don't handle problems the same way, but we can work on that.

Meanwhile, my collection of books has swollen quite a bit, as well as my collection of books and care packages and all sorts of goods, whether it is Beef Jerky and Girl Scout Cookies, a bunch of Ninja Turtle toys from Subway (that water gun will come in handy this summer!), or Herbal Teas. And of course, the continuous flow of Any Soldier letters. I accidentally opened one today instead of giving it out and had a kick reading it, where we thereby passed it around the section.

I did mention my readers rocked, right? Well, let me repeat, you rock.

I got a lot of letters to return!

3.08.2005

The Internet, Bare Naked Ladies, and the Cheesiest Video of All Time

So anyway, the whole Roommate Spiel will hopefully eventually settle down, but I'm not counting on it.

But the Good News! I finally have internet in my room! Wireless, right to my Laptop! The wonders of technology will never cease to amaze me!

The bad news? It's. . .insanely. . .sloooooooowwwww. . .

Which brings me to my next point. The cheesiest video of all time.

It was made about a week ago, on my computer.

I guess I better start at the beginning.

I was having a particularly ho-hum day (meaning not great) when PFC W comes and says hi. See, he's got this video camera he just bought and I open the door to him video taping me. So what continues is this rather candid discussion, where I'm being kind of melancholy (my puddy I just got froze in the mail and it made me sad). Then he went and started video taping my roommate spawned from hell and she chewed him out. So we ended up taping over that part too. But not before he could get a frozen picture of the chair in her part of the room (which makes a candid appearance in the CVOAT, several times). See, most of this video is of W playing with his camera trying to figure it out, switching to the light, night vision and whatever.

I thought it was mildly humorous after watching it and asked him if I could have the tape so I could transfer it onto my computer. He went ahead and gave me the tape.

Well, then I had to figure out how to transfer it onto my computer. I started playing with various bits of software, because that's how I learn best. Heck, that's how I learn everything with a computer, by playing with it until I figure it out.

I ran into a piece of software that happened to capture video and I'm like Cool! SO I used it.

It made the cheesiest video of all time. If you are watching this thing you're thinking that this should be a wedding video or something. I hadn't laughed so hard since I been here. All I could think is "what the heck is this?"

I thought I would share, but couldn't get it online through the government computers (besides, the government kind of looks down on that, even in the MWR (Morale Welfare and Recreation)

So I had to wait until I could get a connection on my computer. 2 hours later, and listening to the Bare Naked Ladies concert that I attended last summer (good times, these people are what actually got me hooked on RedvsBlue, which I have recently pegged out as full blown addicted, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, BNL!), it is now online.


How could this. . .



. .turn into this?

I mean, seriously? You would think me and PFC W were an item or something? (no, we're just friends, he was cheering me up, and he unintentionally succeeded)

My Rant

Well, I'm having a problem. Truthfully, its a problem that stems not from the fact of where I am, but who I'm with.

I guess you could say that sometimes my interpersonal skills are a little lacking. And the person I'm having the biggest issue right now happens to be my roommate.

The situation I cannot go into, on account of its sensitive nature (which immediately produces the 'red light') but it involves the fact that my roommates and I come from very diverse back grounds and we seem to be talking in different languages. But it doesn't change the fact that I am greatly annoyed by some of the things they do and their various arguments supporting their actions and condemning mine. Fine, whatever, but I don't think I can win when I finally tried to sit down and have a conversation with one of them trying to explain where I was coming from and why I did the things I did. I admit I was in the wrong on several issues, but it doesn't stop the other girl from continuingly stabbing me in the back while I'm sitting there in the room with her.

It makes for an uncomfortable environment. I'd offer to move out, but I've been ordered to stay there. I don't have permission to move out. I am told that I have to stay in this room and put up with this girl who I absolutely do not get along with and if I have problems with her, I should just ignore her.

I guess this would make more sense if I could tell you the whole story, but I can't. Besides, you have her version and mine. Two people on two very different wavelengths, seeing one issue from two points of view.

This is going to be a long year.

3.04.2005

A Place To Rant

About five and a half years ago, when I was feeling a little down and felt the need to kind of understand the thoughts I was having and figure myself out, I did a little free association writing. I took a piece of paper and just started writing my thoughts down on it. It wasn't entirely happy, I was mainly just trying to understand what I was going through, just writing things down on paper as it came. I think a little anger and frustration went into it, and I still have that piece of paper.

After I wrote it, I looked it over and read through it, and then I scrawled on the top "incoherent ramblings". It wasn't that the words didn't make sense, but the name seemed to fit what I was trying to say. The words going on in my head were just coming to fast to write them all down on that piece of paper.

I discovered Blogging about two and a half years later, and just because I could, I started a blog. I didn't know what to call it, I didn't know what it was going to be about, but I remembered that paper I wrote and I remembered what I had called it then. And I liked the title, it struck me in a way. As I signed up through Blogger and started my blog, I mispelled the word 'Incoherent' without really realizing it at the time.

But it just seemed to fit. After somebody mentioned to me that the way I spelled it superimposed the word 'rant', to which this blog was created for, I decided to leave it.

HOwever, one problem with this blog going as public as it has is I don't know how far I can go with a rant now. If I want to put thoughts and feelings onto my blog, I don't know who will read it and who won't. Especially when the entire hospital I'm working in just discovered that I had a blog and are learning the story of how I became 'famous'.

I've lost my place to rant. It kind of makes me sad. I just realized I don't write things here like I used to. But then again, I did used to go into bursts of writing periods where I would post a lot one week and not post anything for like a month or so.

And I need a place to rant.

What am I, a Tool?

My sister is profiting off of me again.

She wanted me to mention on my blog that she's selling my stuff online via Ebay. And what's more, it has my name written on it and therefore once belonged to Me! She's hoping that maybe one of my readers will then want to buy it even though it is a VHS tape and who watches VHS anymore anyway?

Indiana Jones and Planet of the Apes (ala Charlton Heston)

There, Julie, you Happy now? Don't forget, You still owe me money!