How I missed Thee

I haven't blogged in a while, for which I sincerely apologize - both to my two readers and myself, because I told myself that I would keep up a blog to record things as they pass. There are really two primary reasons why I've not been blogging a lot lately.

The first reason is that I've finally been talked into setting up a Facebook account, and I've actually been having a lot of fun with it. Facebook is not set up to do a whole lot of things well - for example, it's a horrible platform for blogging, and if you're interested in making your page pretty, it probably isn't a good place to be, either - but what it does do is provide an easy way to keep in touch with people, post photos, and post brief updates and bookmarks. And those things, Facebook does well.

As a result, I've been wasting a whole heck of a lot of time on Facebook. I post random thoughts and brief notes, links to websites I find interesting, and comment on my friends' posts. When I find a funny picture or something else I want to share, I put it on Facebook. I've found some old friends, added my coworkers at the museum, and helped build a Facebook page for the museum, too. It's been fun.

The other reason has been my schedule. Now that I am gone most of the day, everyday, it's a lot harder to find the time to blog, draw, and do a lot of other things I used to do when my schedule was a lot more open.

My current schedule has me getting up just after five in the morning, so that Trueman and I can both be on base by seven. He needs to be there for formation, and I need to be there because we share a ride (and because we only own one car).

I head straight to the gym, which is across the street from his offices, and usually play volleyball between seven and eight. I've found two groups of people who come in for PT every morning and play volleyball, and I've consistently played decently enough not to be chosen last for any games. I'm getting a lot better, too, since starting out. The first two weeks, my arms were all bruised from digging the ball, and I sprained my thumb setting it, but I'm getting used to it now. I make a fair receiver and an okay setter, but I'm pretty useless at the net, being only 5'5", as I can barely even touch the top of the net with my hand when jumping.

After volleyball, I tend to hang out at the front desk for a bit, helping them fold towels, before I head into the weight room for some lifting. I do most of the machines or free weights, depending on how busy it is, and what I feel like concentrating on. The really annoying part is that I've been going for two months now, every weekday morning (save a few), and I've not lost any weight at all.

Around nine-ish, I go shower, change, and then walk over to the museum, which is two streets from the gym and easy to get to. At first, I always ended up sitting outside, waiting for either the curator or one of the WTU soldiers who are assigned to work at the museum to show up with the keys, but now that I have the keys to both the building and the museum, as well as the card for the security system, I can go straight in. Some days I go in early so I can check my email and surf the web a bit - which I probably could during work as well, if it's a slow day (nobody would mind) - but it's hard to type when you've got people talking to you or stuff going on.

Three days a week, I am one of two people in the museum who were background checked to be the mentor to a girl who is participating in the base's "Hired" program, which pairs high school kids with a job that they are interested in. Our high schooler is actually home schooled and while she's a very nice girl, she tends to be a bit annoying as she both talks and sings to herself while working, and likes to take time out of her project to look over my shoulder while I am working on mine.

Around five, I get off work, lock up the museum since I am usually the last one there, and head over to Trueman's office from where we head home. I tend to be in bed by about nine, or I won't get enough sleep to be fully functional the next day.

I will be applying for a different job in the very near future at the recommendation of the museum curator, who wants me to get the other job. Not because he doesn't like me where I am at, but because it will be mutually beneficial to him if I get it. The job I am after is for a graphic designer, and I would be doing things such as creating signs, posters, and the like, for the base. I like to think I'm qualified for it, and they've seen some of my work that I've done for the museum, but it is a job I have no real training or education in, and that I've only ever worked freelance. Hopefully, my references will gush about my work sufficiently to get me hired.

...

Speaking of graphic design, I will be showing either my artwork or my photography (or a little of both) at the Arts and Crafts Center on base in the month of December. I'm very much looking forward to it, because it may give me a chance to sell some of my work after I am done showing it, but I have to put out a fair amount of money to mat and frame my work for it to be hung in the gallery. I guess I will see how that goes.

...


Little Ratchet turned 1 year old on 31 October - he's a Halloween kitty and was originally named "Pumpkin" since he's orange and born around Halloween - and he's getting to be a big snuggle bug. He loves to bother me when I'm on the computer, and he also loves keeping Trueman and I awake at night by chasing after his big brother Finn. Those two have turned out to be a very good match and are always up to no good.

...

On Halloween, we spent most the day getting our shopping done. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to get dressed up, I wore both my dog ears and tail, which got a lot of looks at the different stores we went to, and equally as many smiles. I did make one little kid burst into tears, and another hide behind her mom, yelling, "Oh no, it's a wolf!" As I normally make little kids burst into tears (if I'm within 30 feet of a child, it will throw a tantrum!) I figured that was actually less of a tantrum than I normally provoke.

That night, we headed to one of the local restaurant-bars, Mullin's (that is not a misplaced hyphen - the family's last name is Mullin, not Mullins), for the costume party. Trueman wore one of his vintage Cold War uniforms, and I dug through my closet and wore a mixture of traditional Eastern European and German clothing. To be exact, I wore an embroidered Russian blouse and wool shawl with a German dirndl and apron. It looked pretty nice, actually, authenticity aside.

We had a good time at Mullin's. The owner, Tina, didn't recognize us at first, but once she did, congratulated us on our front-page article in the local newspaper (they did a story on our two Therapy Dogs that Friday) and asked us why we didn't bring the dogs along with us, as they are always welcome at her place.

Shortly thereafter, my Primary Care Provider showed up at the bar, very much in search of a date since he has been "divorced and without a woman for eight months", and asked me to introduce him to any of my female friends (which I don't have...). You'd think it wouldn't be that hard for a doctor to find someone to date. Of course, being a small-town doctor, his pickup line would need to be, "Aren't you one of my patients?" Thing is, he's not nearly as smooth with the ladies as he thinks he is ...

Figuring he would pay me a nice compliment, he told me that I "look so much better with my head covered." (I was wearing a scarf, since my short hair looked odd with the traditional folk costume. I tried to make it look like I had long hair, hidden under a scarf.) Oy. But then again, he is Lebanese and Muslim ... maybe that is a compliment to him.

...

On Sunday, I headed out into the pasture to see the ponies and was greeted by this. Ugh. It takes about three hours just to get those thistles out of their manes and tails, and it requires two people to do it. And the next day, they look just like that again. I ended up leaving them that way. Dirty rotten ponies!


...

We've finally received the settlement letter for our moving claim, which was adjusted through CAT (Claims Adjustment Technology) in California.

I'm not entirely happy with our CAT experience, as their online claims form asks for some information you first have to go hunt down by a series of phone calls, and then does not give you the option to submit a lot of information about the items that were lost or damaged. They did send a fellow out to inspect the damage, and they did ask for a letter of appraisal for what was missed, but really did not want or care for too much information, which was a bit annoying from my point of view, since I wanted them to understand the rarity and difficulty of replacing the items that were lost, as well as the differences in value when it comes to replacing collectible uniforms.

In the end, they settled with the moving company for just under $5,000. I am not sure how they arrived at this number, and some of the items they gave full value for just made me raise an eyebrow. For example, they are giving full value for my desk chair, the legs of which were scratched up, but they are only giving a $160 repair value for the mattress which has four torn corners and a big rip. They're giving nothing for the mirror they lost because it wasn't specifically itemized on the inventory list, although most items were not specifically itemized. So it's anyone's guess how they figured what they would reimburse for and what not.

At any rate, the check is in the mail and we should have it this week.

Coincidence

Ever-so-quietly, the United States have gotten overflight permission from Russia, which will, in the long run, save us so many millions of dollars transporting military equipment to and from Afghanistan without having to make a very large beeline around those evil, mean Russians.

Incidentally, and equally quietly, the overflight permission has come around the same time as this administration's decision to abandon our Allies in Eastern Europe who have stood by us in Iraq and Afghanistan (even if you don't hear a lot about troops from Poland or the Czech Republic being deployed in the War against Terrorism) by pulling the proposed missile defense system right out from under their feet.

Coincidence?

Craig's List Ad

This is probably one of the best ads I've seen in the "pets" section of our local Craig's List in a long time.

Free husband to good home!!! (Fort Drum)

Date: 2009-10-16, 3:03PM EDT
Reply to: comm-q3kqk-1424415897@craigslist.org

I am looking to rehome my 37y/o husband who is obviously in the Army. He does NOT do chores, so please dont respond if you are looking for someone to take out the trash. Also, he is a very good couch warmer, since that is where he is at all times. Golfing is a must, and you need to be able to put up with belching and obnoxious smelly farting =X. He doesn't like to spoil or give attention, but will definately accept any you give. Deploying soon, so you will only have a VERY short time with him.

I do NOT want to see your home, you can keep him tied up if you'd like. He does NOT require any sexual attention, he does just fine on his own. UTD on all shots, and needs some work on potty training, he still makes a mess on/around the toilet (Might want to add some cherios(?) or a plastic boat in the toilet and instruct him to try and sink these objects).

Smokes and drinks at any chance he gets, so you must keep your keys hidden when he drinks. He doesnt like to drive and would rather ride shot-gun, he may even hang his head out the window.

There is NO re-homing fee, nor do I need any ref. You must be able to pick him up, I will not deliver!

New Trends

I predict that this year's fall and winter fashion trend will be fur stoles.

Since killing an animal for its fur is wasteful - not to mention done in a cruel fashion in most countries that produce fur products for the mass market - Live Fur Stoles will be all the rage from now on. There are plenty of models to choose from - ones with short legs ("Munchkins"), ones with flat faces ("Persian"), ones with long hair, ones with short hair - as well as plenty of different color choices, from solid white to solid black and everything in between.

Mine is a domestic orange tabby.


Fur stoles are quite popular for gentlemen this fall and winter as well.


Please note, however, that not all models are self-balancing, such as the one shown above. Most attach by means of hooks ("claws") to whatever garment you're wearing. Or your skin, depending on how recently you've trimmed said hooks.

Hope you're proud

For those of you who've voted for Obama - few and far between you are, if you read my blog - I sure hope you're proud of yourselves and the administration you've voted in for this country.

Not only will people on Social Security not see an increase to keep up with the rising costs of living in 2010 - the first year since 1974 that they've not seen an increase - but our Armed Forces will not see a pay increase in 2010, either. To top it off, now they're diverting funds from the Armed Forces to assorted other crap. What a stupid thing to do in the middle of a war!

U.S. troop funds diverted to pet projects
By Shaun Waterman
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Senators diverted $2.6 billion in funds in a defense spending bill to pet projects largely at the expense of accounts that pay for fuel, ammunition and training for U.S. troops, including those fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an analysis.

Among the 778 such projects, known as earmarks, packed into the bill: $25 million for a new World War II museum at the University of New Orleans and $20 million to launch an educational institute named after the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat.

While earmarks are hardly new in Washington, "in 30 years on Capitol Hill, I never saw Congress mangle the defense budget as badly as this year," said Winslow Wheeler, a former Senate staffer who worked on defense funding and oversight for both Republicans and Democrats. He is now a senior fellow at the Center for Defense Information, an independent research organization.

Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, called the transfer of funds from Pentagon operations and maintenance "a disgrace."

"The Senate is putting favorable headlines back home above our men and women fighting on the front lines," he said in a statement.

Mr. Wheeler, who conducted the study, compared the Obama administration's requests for funds with the $636 billion spending bill that the Senate passed. He discovered that senators added $2.6 billion in pet projects while spending $4 billion less than the administration requested for fiscal 2010, which began Oct. 1.

Mr. Wheeler said that senators took most of the cash for the projects from the "operations and maintenance" or O&M accounts.

"These are the accounts that pay for troop training, repairs, spares and supplies for vehicles, weapons, ships and planes, food and fuel," Mr. Wheeler said.

Raiding those accounts to fund big-ticket projects the military does not want, but that benefit senators' home states or campaign contributors, amounts to "rancid gluttony," he said.

The administration's budget requested $156 billion for the regular O&M account and $81 billion for O&M for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill passed by the Senate cut $2.4 billion from the regular account and $655 million from the war O&M fund.

Senate appropriators insisted that the O&M accounts, despite the cuts, do not shortchange the troops.

"The operation and maintenance title is fully funded," Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii Democrat, said during the debate on the bill. "There is no shortage. ... The committee is deeply concerned that the critical operational needs of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are met with the finest equipment available."

Money for the Kennedy Institute was inserted by Mr. Inouye and Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat. Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, and Sen. David Vitter, Louisiana Republican, sought the funding for the World War II museum.

Whitney Smith, a spokesman for Mr. Kerry, said the earmark was "a worthy investment."

"Sen. Kennedy served on the Armed Services Committee for 27 years, where he fought to deliver top-of-the-line body armor and armored Humvees to protect our troops and save lives. Educating Americans about these battles is a core mission for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, which showcases one senator's ability to make a difference," Mr. Smith wrote in an e-mail. "This funding will help the Edward M. Kennedy Institute become one the nation's pre-eminent civic educational institutions, and Sen. Kerry is proud to have worked with Chairman Inouye to make it possible."

Mrs. Landrieu said she was "proud to fight" for money for the World War II museum, which is not just a "monument to the brave men and women who served during World War II," but also "a constant reminder to future generations about the tremendous sacrifice of millions of Americans." She added that the earmarked funds "will help to increase tourism to New Orleans."

Beyond those two earmarks, the largest in the Senate bill are:

- $20 million for Humvee maintenance at an Army National Guard installation in Maine, sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe, Maine Republicans. The senators said cuts in the maintenance program proposed by the administration would result in the "layoff of 175 employees in a region already suffering" from the recession.

- $20 million for the Maui Space Surveillance System in Hawaii, requested by Mr. Inouye.

- $25 million inserted by Mr. Inouye for the Hawaii Federal Health Care Network. Mr. Inouye's Web site says the health care program "supports applied research, development and deployment of technology to improve access and the quality of care to service members, military families and impacted communities."

Laura Peterson, of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan spending watchdog, told The Washington Times, "Earmarks like these take money away from other defense programs that the Defense Department actually wants. While military health care is certainly a worthwhile venture, it's hard to see how a program located in Hawaii that openly favors Hawaii-based industries guarantees [the Department of Defense] the best value for such an exorbitant price tag."

Mr. Inouye had a total of 35 earmarks worth more than $206 million in the final bill, and the ranking Republican on the committee, Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, sponsored 48 worth $216 million.

Mr. Cochran defended earmarking as part of Congress' responsibility to direct government spending.

"I am not ready to cede the power of the purse to any administration," he told The Times in an e-mail. "It is vested by the Constitution in the Congress." He added that appropriators had "reviewed the budget request very carefully, conducted public hearings and reported the appropriation bills that the committee thinks will serve the public interest."

In addition to the $2.6 billion in earmarks, the bill includes $2.5 billion for 10 Boeing C-17 cargo planes that the military says it does not need, and $1.7 billion for an extra DDG-51 destroyer not requested in the Pentagon's budget proposal.

Mr. Coburn mounted a rear-guard action on the Senate floor to try to restore some of the money to its original purpose. One proposed amendment restored $100 million to the accounts by correcting the economic projections used in the bill to estimate future costs. That passed, but other amendments to prevent the use of O&M money to fund earmarks were soundly defeated.

Mr. Wheeler said senators had raided O&M accounts to pay for narrowly targeted projects in every budget since 2002, with dire results for troops on the front lines.

"Air Force and Navy combat pilots training to deploy are getting about half of the flying hours they got at the end of the Vietnam War," he wrote in his analysis. "Army tank crews get less in tank training today than they did during the low-readiness Clinton years."

Mr. Wheeler told The Times that the figures were drawn from the Pentagon's budget justification.

Mr. Coburn said in May that the Navy had been forced to curtail at-sea training and flying because of a shortfall in 2009 O&M funds.

The White House Office of Management and Budget has called on lawmakers to reverse the cuts.

"These reductions would hurt force readiness and increase stress on military people and equipment," the agency said.

The House approved its version of the bill in July. Ms. Peterson said that lawmakers still could restore the funding in the conference that reconciles the two versions of the bill.

The conference "presents a final opportunity for Congress to take their hands out of the cookie jar and put some dough where it's really needed - protecting our fighting men and women," she said.