My First Post of the New Year

Here it is. The New Year. I started to post and realized that my time stamp indicated it was still New Years Eve. So I had to go in and change the format. I can't believe that I had not done that yet. So now it is set for the Baghdad time zone which is GMT + 3 .

I woke up this morning and was reading the Seattle Times and came across an article that inspired a new New Years Resolution. I think that this one will be fun, attainable and that the family will really enjoy it also.

Due to the financial situation in Washington State there may have to be budget cuts. One way would be to close some of the state parks. It was not that long ago that there was a parking fee at the state parks but they did away with that after a few short years (I think it lasted a couple years or so, if I recall). Anyway, it appears that some of them may get the ax. Out of the ones that are on the list, we visited the Bogacheil State Park last summer before I deployed for our family vacation. We still had to pay for campping and it seemed like the price to do that had increased just to pitch a tent for a few nights but it was perfectly located on the Olympic Penninsula and it is quite possible that we would have gone back.

I would like to point out that these parks MAY be closed and they are doing other things to trim the budget. You can read about it in the news releases on the Washigtoon State Parks web site. This is NOT a post about politics, that debate has long passed.

So anyways, back to my rambling. Upon my arrival back to the Evergreen State I RESOLVE THAT I will make an effort to take my family to each of these state parks before they close. That may be difficult since they may already be closed but the attempt will be made.

I am considering writing a letter and proposing that Bogachiel not be one of them because it seems that it has some stratigic value on the penninsula. There are other places to stay but really that is a perfect location for a State Park.

One a side note it looks like they have temperarily halted the hiring of park rangers. As I prepare to finish college that was one of the things I was going to persue along with a whole bunch of other stuff. The plan was to apply for jobs, grad schools, active duty Army positions and anything else with the hopes that soemthing would pan out.

Last Post of the Year

In a few hours the year will be over. I will have made my new years resolutions, the ones that will fall by the waysie soon enough. Despite that 2009 will be eone of the BEST years ever! Why you might ask? Because sometime towards the end of the year I will get to go home and once again be with my family. That alone will make it a year to remember.

Tonight there was a concert at the outdoor stage by the Green Beans coffee shop. There were three bands that played. All of tghe band members for the bands were soldiers so that was kind of neat. The Ravens kicked it off. They have only been playing for about 5 weeks or so but their lead singer (also my Company Commander) had auditioned for American Idol.

The second band is from Oklahoma and is called House of Black. They had been together before deploying and have a Myspace page. Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/houseofblack2. The final act was a band called Undiscovered. Their lead singer had also tried out for American Idol. So there was some real talent all throughout tonight.

I have wanted to post lately but have been pretty busy. Infact, most nights I don't get to the gym until about 9:30 PM or so. One night I had a meeting after dinner and din't make it to the gym until about 11:30 PM. So there just hasn't been a whole lot of time to post.

I am working on a school schedule for when I get back. I only need 25 credits but I am considering taking 5 of them here by distance learning. I think that could be a total disaster but it is a general ed class and I should not have any problem with the subject matter it will just be the logistics of getting the materials here and actually doing it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

One Third

Today is the 18th. It might be the 17 where you are depending on when you read this. We were mobilized for active federal service on the 18th of August. Four months ago. That means we are one third of the way done (33.3333333% if you prefer). It's been tougher than I would have thought in different ways. My wife has done a wonderful job keeping things together and a really good job keeping 3 different blogs updated. It is great to be able to hop online and see pictures of the kids that she has posted.

It's been a long time since I have lived in the desert. I have been reminded that it is a desert not because of the heat but because of the lack of precipitaion. So yes, it has been chilly here. Supposed to drop below freezing here the next couple of nights.

Oh, and a side note. If I am at the gym I would prefer to hear something that would motivate me to work out harder. Sorry AFN, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer does not get the job done. Or any other Christmas song or easy listening. Just turn the radio off and let us work out. I guess now I know why so many people bring thier iPODs to the gym. Might have to try it one of these days.

Oh, by the way. Plugging a 110V drill into a 240V socket is not something you should do. Trust me on this one.......

I had to go see an eye doctor the other day. The only way to get me there was to medevac me. I felt silly being medevac'd for a routine eye appointment but oh well I guess. The result? Two healthy normal eyes. But yet I still have this new little blind spot in my left eye that comes and goes. Hmmmm. The Dr. said it is not uncommon and my brain will compensate for it. Oh, and for the first time ever one of my eyes has less than 20/20 vision.

The family is going to my parents house for Christmas. I am glad that they will be surrounded by people that love and care for them since I will not be there. My sister and her family are flying in. So just about everyone will be there. It should be fun. I know that things have been tough at home so maybe this will get everyones mind off the fact that I am not there. I truely hope so.

I am not even going to attempt to say that I am going to post more. Obvioously I have said that in the past and have failed miserably. However I have managed to get a post in every single month now and its been almost 3 years. So I guess it's something, right?