Tuesday, April 15
TWI(B)S
It should be "This Week in Baseball" but we play softball out here. I know! I'm in a combat zone and I'm writing home to my wife to send me my softball gear. What's that all about? Anyway, we had three games over the weekend and we went 1-1-1. Huh? A tie in softball? Yes. The league organizers declared a time limit for each game, which is fine, but they called the game for time right in the middle of our comeback. Seriously. We had just tied the game. I was on third base as the go-ahead run and the whistle sounded. Just like that. How dumb is that? Anyway, that's how we got a tie over the weekend. I may try to post a picture but based on how long it took me to post the other one about the Easter decorations, I probably won't worry too much about it.
Monday, April 7
Another... sand storm?!
Holy Smokes! Well, I'd call it smoke, but it's dust. And tons of it, too. I was walking back to the office from dinner and I was walking into a wall of dirt. It came from somewhere and steadily covered the horizon. My mind instantly came to two conclusions:
1) Oh, crap, there's going to be dust all over EVERYTHING!
2) You know, if that were rain it would look a lot like that rain storm I got caught in when I was in Okinawa in 1993.
Then a third conclusion worked its way forward: You'd better move it or you're going to end up breathing this stuff.
So I ran. I made it to the building just about a minute before the storm did. It was Cruise-azy I tell you. As I type this some 4 hours later, it's still howling outside. Of course now it's really dark and wouldn't you know it... I left my flashlight back in my can. Ugh!
On a positive note, I got to play some softball this past weekend. Unfortunately, since I left my glove at home (honestly, who thinks to pack softball gear when deploying to a combat zone?) I had to use a brand new one given to me by MWR. Well, when you're playing firstbase you need to have a glove that's nicely broken in so the ball doesn't pop right out and cause you to lose at least two outs. Trust me on that one. Still, it was fun to play and we actually have a league here on base and we play every weekend (weather permitting).
So this week's off to an interesting start. How's yours?
1) Oh, crap, there's going to be dust all over EVERYTHING!
2) You know, if that were rain it would look a lot like that rain storm I got caught in when I was in Okinawa in 1993.
Then a third conclusion worked its way forward: You'd better move it or you're going to end up breathing this stuff.
So I ran. I made it to the building just about a minute before the storm did. It was Cruise-azy I tell you. As I type this some 4 hours later, it's still howling outside. Of course now it's really dark and wouldn't you know it... I left my flashlight back in my can. Ugh!
On a positive note, I got to play some softball this past weekend. Unfortunately, since I left my glove at home (honestly, who thinks to pack softball gear when deploying to a combat zone?) I had to use a brand new one given to me by MWR. Well, when you're playing firstbase you need to have a glove that's nicely broken in so the ball doesn't pop right out and cause you to lose at least two outs. Trust me on that one. Still, it was fun to play and we actually have a league here on base and we play every weekend (weather permitting).
So this week's off to an interesting start. How's yours?
Sunday, March 30
Lovely weather we're having... NOT!
I hope your weekend was a good one. I attended our 1100 “main” Protestant service, which is labeled as “contemporary” and means that we have a praise band instead of an organist leading the worship music. In fact, the size of the band was pretty impressive. There were three or four guitars and about a ½ dozen singers, plus bass, keyboard, and even a drummer. I’ve already plugged in and made introductions. The bass player is supposed to be going home this week and I’ve already been asked if I could step in. Let me think for a sec… yes! Actually, I was supposed to play bass last night for the 7pm service. I say “supposed to” because when I got there the chaplain told me that the lead guitar/lead singer wasn’t going to be able to make it. He then asked if I could lead the singing. Since I can’t play and sing at the same time, I sang. It went off pretty okay I suppose. While we were practicing, the room got dustier and dustier as a sandstorm blew in. Then, just as the service was getting started, it rained very hard for about 5 minutes. That had the effect of turning everything outside into mud. Ewwww!
Anyway, today is off to a start and I need to get some work done. I do love having the internet connection out here, but I’m looking forward to talking with my family by phone as soon as I get a phone card. Of all the things to forget to bring with me…
Have a great week and thanks for reading.
Anyway, today is off to a start and I need to get some work done. I do love having the internet connection out here, but I’m looking forward to talking with my family by phone as soon as I get a phone card. Of all the things to forget to bring with me…
Have a great week and thanks for reading.
Thursday, March 27
Sunday, March 23
Easter weekend
We had a service for Good Friday on Friday (duh!) at the chapel here on base. Seven different chaplains each took one of the seven statements Jesus made while being crucified and gave a short sermonette on it and we sang a verse of a hymn in between each one. It was very moving and I thought it was quite a good service. I fasted yesterday and took it pretty easy. There's not much for an admin guy like me to do on the weekends so I just put some finishing touches on getting my gear stored away.
This morning there was a sunrise service/breakfast at the chow hall and there were about 70 people there. It was pretty good too. A different chaplain (how many of them are there on this base anyway?) gave a short talk about the first rays of sun that lit the way to the first rays of hope on that first Easter Sunday. It was pretty good too. I thought it was amusing how many people started staring at us when we started all singing songs together.
The combined Protestant service at 11 was pretty awesome. It was held in the base's theater and we actually filled the place! There was a good size gospel choir leading the music and there was an interpretive dance done by mimes. It sounds funny, but they performed to a gospel song soundtrack and it was quite moving. I went back to the chow hall for lunch and they had finished decorating. I had to take pictures of what they put up. Besides, I said I was going to take some pictures today, right? Anyway, I'll get those onto the computer tonight so I can post a couple tomorrow. It almost reminded me of that one house that every neighborhood seems to have that apparently adds a new Christmas decoration every year and they've been doing it for 50 years. You know what I mean? That one house that confuses airline pilots because of all the lights? Well, the middle of the chow hall was like that, but it was all pastels and eggs and chocolate and bunnies and a couple of poorly drawn angels. If my kids were here I'm sure they would have loved it. Even the staff had little paper vests over their normal shirts decorated with pastel eggs. But the thing that almost made me laugh out loud was this giant... marshmellow... bunny. It was about 4 feet tall and posted on top of a mini-house platform so that it stands about 6 feet off the floor. The first thing that popped into my head was the last VeggieTales show I watched with my kids before I left. I'll give you a hint... it had to do with chocolate bunnies and how everyone was required to look up to this giant bunny built by Mr. Nezzer. Too funny.
Anyway, that's my Easter so far. I'm going to the evening service tonight then I'll try to implement this schedule I've built over the last few days. We'll see what happens. It's already starting to get warm out here. Going to be a long summer...
This morning there was a sunrise service/breakfast at the chow hall and there were about 70 people there. It was pretty good too. A different chaplain (how many of them are there on this base anyway?) gave a short talk about the first rays of sun that lit the way to the first rays of hope on that first Easter Sunday. It was pretty good too. I thought it was amusing how many people started staring at us when we started all singing songs together.
The combined Protestant service at 11 was pretty awesome. It was held in the base's theater and we actually filled the place! There was a good size gospel choir leading the music and there was an interpretive dance done by mimes. It sounds funny, but they performed to a gospel song soundtrack and it was quite moving. I went back to the chow hall for lunch and they had finished decorating. I had to take pictures of what they put up. Besides, I said I was going to take some pictures today, right? Anyway, I'll get those onto the computer tonight so I can post a couple tomorrow. It almost reminded me of that one house that every neighborhood seems to have that apparently adds a new Christmas decoration every year and they've been doing it for 50 years. You know what I mean? That one house that confuses airline pilots because of all the lights? Well, the middle of the chow hall was like that, but it was all pastels and eggs and chocolate and bunnies and a couple of poorly drawn angels. If my kids were here I'm sure they would have loved it. Even the staff had little paper vests over their normal shirts decorated with pastel eggs. But the thing that almost made me laugh out loud was this giant... marshmellow... bunny. It was about 4 feet tall and posted on top of a mini-house platform so that it stands about 6 feet off the floor. The first thing that popped into my head was the last VeggieTales show I watched with my kids before I left. I'll give you a hint... it had to do with chocolate bunnies and how everyone was required to look up to this giant bunny built by Mr. Nezzer. Too funny.
Anyway, that's my Easter so far. I'm going to the evening service tonight then I'll try to implement this schedule I've built over the last few days. We'll see what happens. It's already starting to get warm out here. Going to be a long summer...
Saturday, March 22
picture pages, picture pages...
I hope to play tourist this afternoon and take some pictures of the base I'm calling home for the summer. I'll also take some pictures of the Easter services tomorrow and should be able to put a few shots up early next week.
The internet is weird out here. Sometimes I go a whole day without hearing from back home. Of course, that may be because the kids are sick and Wonder Woman is so tired from dealing with them that she just doesn't have the "oomph!" to do anything. Then, at other times, I'll get a whole slew of emails from people I'm trying to contact for work and family related stuff as well. I'm thinking I may revamp my work schedule to be in the office more in the afternoon/evening which is when people back home are up and about. We'll see.
I took this week pretty easy to see what the schedule was like and get settled into my quarters. I'll add some PT to the schedule next week and see what adjustments (if any) need to be made.
The internet is weird out here. Sometimes I go a whole day without hearing from back home. Of course, that may be because the kids are sick and Wonder Woman is so tired from dealing with them that she just doesn't have the "oomph!" to do anything. Then, at other times, I'll get a whole slew of emails from people I'm trying to contact for work and family related stuff as well. I'm thinking I may revamp my work schedule to be in the office more in the afternoon/evening which is when people back home are up and about. We'll see.
I took this week pretty easy to see what the schedule was like and get settled into my quarters. I'll add some PT to the schedule next week and see what adjustments (if any) need to be made.
Monday, March 17
I'm definitely not in (Kansas)
Well, here I am... again.
I've been here twice and now I'm here for the third time in five years. This is my fourth deployment in the same time span, but if you look through my archives, you'll see that my last trip overseas was not bad at all, other than the separartion from the family of course.
So, where am I? I can't tell you that here, but if you ask my wife, she can fill you in. I took a tour of the place last night and this morning. This place is big. There are a lot of things we didn't have when I was out this way three years ago... I'm talking about fast food joints on base (why use them when I have a vey nice chow hall at my disposal) and you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting a gym it seems.
If you care to send me a card or a note and you don't trust email, please send any correspondence to:
SSgt William Beschman
MWSG-37 (S-1)
UIC 41106
FPO AP 96426-1106
I'm still getting settled in, but so far it's not nearly as bad as it was the last time I was here. That's good as far as the overall picture goes, but it means there's not as much going on which gives me more time to think (and miss my family).
I'll try to update at least once a week. I'll also try to have some pictures soon.
I've been here twice and now I'm here for the third time in five years. This is my fourth deployment in the same time span, but if you look through my archives, you'll see that my last trip overseas was not bad at all, other than the separartion from the family of course.
So, where am I? I can't tell you that here, but if you ask my wife, she can fill you in. I took a tour of the place last night and this morning. This place is big. There are a lot of things we didn't have when I was out this way three years ago... I'm talking about fast food joints on base (why use them when I have a vey nice chow hall at my disposal) and you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting a gym it seems.
If you care to send me a card or a note and you don't trust email, please send any correspondence to:
SSgt William Beschman
MWSG-37 (S-1)
UIC 41106
FPO AP 96426-1106
I'm still getting settled in, but so far it's not nearly as bad as it was the last time I was here. That's good as far as the overall picture goes, but it means there's not as much going on which gives me more time to think (and miss my family).
I'll try to update at least once a week. I'll also try to have some pictures soon.
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