denouement

[hankinbaghdad]

Yesterday, at around 1 AM, I was awakened by gunfire.  It came from the side of the house opposite the gate, and it didn't sound terribly close.  Still, I spent an hour or two of wakefulness - first wondering "Am I going to get shot tonight?", then just trying to unwind.  It's not the first time I've heard gunfire here, not the closest I've heard

Comments

[imsobad]

well i think it was great of you to go there and experience the things you did....but its also great that youre making the descision to come back to the US if it makes you happy you know...hope everything works out for you

[gorillashaman]

Clearly a "Hank's alive!" party is in order.

[_phaedrus_]

Hell yeah! Is it a B.Y.O.G.S. (Bring Your Own Glow Sticks) event? =)

Job=bs

[webcowgirl]

There is no way they are paying you enough for you to risk getting killed. When I read about the "civilian contractors" in Iraq, I think, just what in the hell do they think they're doing going over there in the first place? ("This ain't like dustin' crops, boy.") There should be NO American civilians over there at all, period. If the US government isn't paying your salary directly, get yer damn ass back here (and even if they were, I'd say quit).

Re: Job=bs

[hankinbaghdad]

I think that's a bit much.

I don't think the problem is that I'm a civilian contractor in Iraq, I think the problem is that I'm just not enjoying my job here. I will admit that the "not being paid enough to risk my life" was a factor in my quitting, but I think that's as almost as much an issue with job satisfaction as it is with pay. I'd be willing to risk my life for no money if I felt I was working for the good of mankind or something. But while I'm a firm believer in the power of the internet to better people's lives (making a few assumptions about their dedication and willingness to learn), I wouldn't delude myself into believing that what I'm doing over here is humanitarian aid or anything.

As far as I can tell, giantlaser really enjoys the work he does here, and I wouldn't think to suggest that he should leave unless he wanted to or active civil war broke out. Yes, it's dangerous, but if it had the fatality rate of say, smoking cigarettes, I don't think any of us would be over here.

Re: Job=bs

[arielmnop]

HORRAY! oh hankilitious! i am so excited to hear you are comming back! and i just told the evil gamers rieght before they left to go to dennys (they game at xanadu now since joels house is no longer) and they were happy too. and adam is right, a "hanks alive!" party will definatly be in order!

oh, and one more thing,hank. i will have a cigarette waiting here for you when you return, just to be extra sarcastic!;)

Re: Job=bs

[hankinbaghdad]

Heh, thanks. I'm looking forward to getting back, although I'm hoping the "Hank's Alive!" party will be postponed until I'm a bit over the 11-hour jet lag. Otherwise it'll probably be a "Hank's Asleep!" party. :)

I'll probably take you up on that cigarette, too. :)

BTW, if I've never mentioned it, I love that user icon. It's a good picture of you. Not that I've ever seen a BAD picture of you, Miss Photogenic, but I like it even more than most.

[morleyroarly]

Just one thought: regarding "shooting yourself in the foot" by leaving..

I think that you can spin any job in a positive light, if you set your mind to it. You've been there for a while, you've done some really awesome stuff, and now you are leaving. Potential future employers don't need to know you left before you were originally scheduled to. And if it somehow comes up, I think "I was fearing for my life" is a perfectly legit explanation.

Congratulations on making such a tough decision, and travel home safe :)

[hankinbaghdad]

I don't know that I've done that much awesome stuff, but I'm hoping to finish the Mosul project before I leave so at least I don't have to write that experience off as a complete loss. I know, I know, "every experience is a lesson in disguise" and whatnot, but I'd prefer this to be a lesson about how you can make something work in the worst circumstances rather than a lesson about how you should always bring long underwear with you when you go to a foreign country because it might be ass cold even though you expect it to be hotter than the fires of Hades.

Now, if I can just have an experience that teaches me about run-on sentences...

In any case, thanks for the advice and the vote of confidence. :)

[rainstiin]

HANK!

which home are you coming home to? will you be in the Ashland area? we miss you greatly here... i am sure we could also set up a welcome home/hanks alive party... hmmm... let me know and i will try to get a hold of people.

[rainstiin]

btw... i mentioned as much to Jenneke.. she agreed, and then checked her e-mail in which you had sent her an e-mail... she was excited to say the least.

though she did not like the "hanks alive" title... too morbid or something... i dunno.