Chronicling the Year of 2008
Chronicling the Year of 2008
A lot has happened this year. Some good and some bad. It has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride for me but as the economy has started to melt down I am thankful to say that I have landed on my feet in that regard.
The year started off with finding me in Tarwin Kowt Afganistan, the birth place of the Taliban. I was there for a couple of months. That included getting at least a foot of snow which let us enjoy the snow as I was able to make snowmen, a snow wall, and also go sledding down a hill on plastic stretchers that are normally used for transporting wounded soldiers.
On my birthday I was told that because I am Mormon that I am not a Christian because Mormons don't follow the second council of Nicene (or something like that). It happened because I was going to the non-denominational church service that they held and the person leading it read some scripture and made it a point to point out that Mormons don't believe in what he thought it meant. He did not know I was Mormon, so I brought it to his attention after the group let out so as to be discrete. The day ended better because I was able to go to the firing range and shoot a M-16. I still hate the half-moon sites of a M-16.
I was then transfered to Bagram where I stayed until the end of my contract in Afghanistan. During the rest of my stay in Afghanistan was pretty much uneventful.
I was able to go on a vacation of a life time. I spent three weeks in Europe. It started off in Germany and then went to Switzerland, back to Germany then to Eastern Germany, back through Germany to Paris France, then under the Englich Channel to London, up to Scotland, back down to Wales, and then back to Afghanistan.
Germany was beautiful and my stay would have been a lot better if I understood more German then the basics. Switzerland was just as beautiful albeit a bit colder. Paris was okay. I think Paris is one of those places that is just better when you are with someone else instead of backpacking through Europe. I would have stayed longer in mainland Europe but found that not being able to communicate well with people after a week was starting to get on my nerves so I headed north to merry old England.
While in London I visited a lot of the sights. The highlights were the Les Miserable, Westminster Abbey, and watching King Lear at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre.
Headed north to Scotland. The Highlands are very beautiful and if I could I would go live there. Tried Haggis and liked it. Also I was able to fulfill a life long dream of mine. Going to the Inverary Castle which is the current home of the 13th Duke of the Campbells of Argyl and entering my name on the rolls that they have there for the entirety of the Campbells from anywhere to sign. I was not able to see the traditional Campbell Castle also called the Castle of Gloom. The Inveraray Castle was absolutely beautiful.
On an interesting side story. While touring the Edinburg Castle, I was there reading some interesting history. Suddenly from somewhere behind my there is a loud explosion and a bunch of tourists reacted startled including some half-screams. My first reaction was wondering what the had set off the tourists and giving the loud explosion no thought. It is a tradition at the Edinburg castle to fire a cannon at 1PM every day except for Sunday. I guess being on military bases inculding at one location hearing Dutch firing artillery on a semi-daily basis...well the small bang from the Howitzer at the castle didn't phase me.
After touring Scotland I headed down south to Wales to go to the "Doctor Who Experience" in Cardiff. The experience was a bit underwhelming but being the geek that I am I still have some fun and when watching certain episodes of both Dr. Who and their spin off Torchwood I still get a thrill as I see areas that I have visited.
Before coming back to the states I started looking for a job and was fortunate to find one in California. I was going to lead a small team for the Alameda County Fire Dept. The pay was decent for the area and I would be moving to Pleasanton.
A week before I was to leave from Afghanistan and start out processing I received news that my father was in the hospital with unlikely prospects of recovering. My dad has struggled with heart problems for nearly two decades including multiple open heart surgeries so a part of my was very concerned a part also thought he would pull through. Less then 12 hours later, he was declared brain dead.
I literally threw all my stuff in boxes to be shipped home to me and took the first flight I could to get home as soon as I could. Three days later I was in Scottsdale Arizona where we buried my father in sight of one of his favorite places...McDonalds. My father taught me much in life but he also taught me much in death with the people who showed up to show the condolences and the things he had done for them during his life time.
After that I got home to Saint Louis in late May in time for my daughter's 12th birthday and also to start getting my house ready to either be sold or rented as I started to prepare for the job in California.
After my daughter got out of school I took her first to New Mexico to see my mother and then to Arizone to see some of her cousins. Then we went and spent two days in Disneyland. We then drove up north to the Pleasanton area to start looking for an apartment for me and also so I could meet my new boss. At that point in time I learned due to the California budget problems at that time that the contract that had included my job was put on hold meaning that I, in essence, did not quite have a job and was unknown when I would be able to start. This kinda threw me for a loop.
I started looking for a job back here in St. Louis. Mean while I was unemployed from June to mid-August. I saw my decent size savings dwindle. I started contemplating on going back to Afghanistan as it seemed like nothing was going anywhere here. Right before I was about to commit to go back I had a job offer. The pay was decent, but the down side was that it was an hour commute one way. I took it.
Fortunately about two months I started that job I got another call in someone that saw my resume. I went through the job process and got that job. It paid a significant amount more and it is also about 8 minutes from my house. I now work at the Army Human Resource Center doing IT stuff.
A significant amount of stuff that was in boxes while I was in Afghanistan is still in boxes. I have had one date so far and it was the same day that I had a job interview (for the job I currently have) and I had more fun on the job interview then I did the date. I am not sure what that says about me or the date.
On another side note, my ex and I are really good friends now. It's kind of weird in ways. I am a lot more use to it then I was, but it seems like to me we have a much healthier relationship then we did when we were married. Then again we also don't live with each other.
This year has been an interesting one. Let's see what the next one brings.
A lot has happened this year. Some good and some bad. It has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride for me but as the economy has started to melt down I am thankful to say that I have landed on my feet in that regard.
The year started off with finding me in Tarwin Kowt Afganistan, the birth place of the Taliban. I was there for a couple of months. That included getting at least a foot of snow which let us enjoy the snow as I was able to make snowmen, a snow wall, and also go sledding down a hill on plastic stretchers that are normally used for transporting wounded soldiers.
On my birthday I was told that because I am Mormon that I am not a Christian because Mormons don't follow the second council of Nicene (or something like that). It happened because I was going to the non-denominational church service that they held and the person leading it read some scripture and made it a point to point out that Mormons don't believe in what he thought it meant. He did not know I was Mormon, so I brought it to his attention after the group let out so as to be discrete. The day ended better because I was able to go to the firing range and shoot a M-16. I still hate the half-moon sites of a M-16.
I was then transfered to Bagram where I stayed until the end of my contract in Afghanistan. During the rest of my stay in Afghanistan was pretty much uneventful.
I was able to go on a vacation of a life time. I spent three weeks in Europe. It started off in Germany and then went to Switzerland, back to Germany then to Eastern Germany, back through Germany to Paris France, then under the Englich Channel to London, up to Scotland, back down to Wales, and then back to Afghanistan.
Germany was beautiful and my stay would have been a lot better if I understood more German then the basics. Switzerland was just as beautiful albeit a bit colder. Paris was okay. I think Paris is one of those places that is just better when you are with someone else instead of backpacking through Europe. I would have stayed longer in mainland Europe but found that not being able to communicate well with people after a week was starting to get on my nerves so I headed north to merry old England.
While in London I visited a lot of the sights. The highlights were the Les Miserable, Westminster Abbey, and watching King Lear at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre.
Headed north to Scotland. The Highlands are very beautiful and if I could I would go live there. Tried Haggis and liked it. Also I was able to fulfill a life long dream of mine. Going to the Inverary Castle which is the current home of the 13th Duke of the Campbells of Argyl and entering my name on the rolls that they have there for the entirety of the Campbells from anywhere to sign. I was not able to see the traditional Campbell Castle also called the Castle of Gloom. The Inveraray Castle was absolutely beautiful.
On an interesting side story. While touring the Edinburg Castle, I was there reading some interesting history. Suddenly from somewhere behind my there is a loud explosion and a bunch of tourists reacted startled including some half-screams. My first reaction was wondering what the had set off the tourists and giving the loud explosion no thought. It is a tradition at the Edinburg castle to fire a cannon at 1PM every day except for Sunday. I guess being on military bases inculding at one location hearing Dutch firing artillery on a semi-daily basis...well the small bang from the Howitzer at the castle didn't phase me.
After touring Scotland I headed down south to Wales to go to the "Doctor Who Experience" in Cardiff. The experience was a bit underwhelming but being the geek that I am I still have some fun and when watching certain episodes of both Dr. Who and their spin off Torchwood I still get a thrill as I see areas that I have visited.
Before coming back to the states I started looking for a job and was fortunate to find one in California. I was going to lead a small team for the Alameda County Fire Dept. The pay was decent for the area and I would be moving to Pleasanton.
A week before I was to leave from Afghanistan and start out processing I received news that my father was in the hospital with unlikely prospects of recovering. My dad has struggled with heart problems for nearly two decades including multiple open heart surgeries so a part of my was very concerned a part also thought he would pull through. Less then 12 hours later, he was declared brain dead.
I literally threw all my stuff in boxes to be shipped home to me and took the first flight I could to get home as soon as I could. Three days later I was in Scottsdale Arizona where we buried my father in sight of one of his favorite places...McDonalds. My father taught me much in life but he also taught me much in death with the people who showed up to show the condolences and the things he had done for them during his life time.
After that I got home to Saint Louis in late May in time for my daughter's 12th birthday and also to start getting my house ready to either be sold or rented as I started to prepare for the job in California.
After my daughter got out of school I took her first to New Mexico to see my mother and then to Arizone to see some of her cousins. Then we went and spent two days in Disneyland. We then drove up north to the Pleasanton area to start looking for an apartment for me and also so I could meet my new boss. At that point in time I learned due to the California budget problems at that time that the contract that had included my job was put on hold meaning that I, in essence, did not quite have a job and was unknown when I would be able to start. This kinda threw me for a loop.
I started looking for a job back here in St. Louis. Mean while I was unemployed from June to mid-August. I saw my decent size savings dwindle. I started contemplating on going back to Afghanistan as it seemed like nothing was going anywhere here. Right before I was about to commit to go back I had a job offer. The pay was decent, but the down side was that it was an hour commute one way. I took it.
Fortunately about two months I started that job I got another call in someone that saw my resume. I went through the job process and got that job. It paid a significant amount more and it is also about 8 minutes from my house. I now work at the Army Human Resource Center doing IT stuff.
A significant amount of stuff that was in boxes while I was in Afghanistan is still in boxes. I have had one date so far and it was the same day that I had a job interview (for the job I currently have) and I had more fun on the job interview then I did the date. I am not sure what that says about me or the date.
On another side note, my ex and I are really good friends now. It's kind of weird in ways. I am a lot more use to it then I was, but it seems like to me we have a much healthier relationship then we did when we were married. Then again we also don't live with each other.
This year has been an interesting one. Let's see what the next one brings.