7/1/2010 - Started out with a BANG!

Sorta!  At least last night it did!  While sitting at work around 10:00pm because that's what we do in Kandahar.  Work! The local Taliban launched a series of rockets, probably pre-positioned on delayed timers because that's how they roll.  After the three alarms and the "ALL CLEAR" sounded, we made our way to our rooms to try and get some well deserved rest.  Yeah right!  I laid in bed thinking about all the work, the recent events, the upcoming events, the phone calls, the email, the workload a strategy on how to stay focused to get as much done as I can and keep my sanity.  Finally about 12:30am, I dose off for a nap.  4:30am rolls around, I force myself to lay in bed and try to rest.  At 5:30 I finally lose that battle and make my way to the shower.  After the shower, I make my way to the dinning facility.  Should I sit and eat or get a box to go?  Box to go!  Let's get this day started since I spent all night thinking through it and laying out my plan in my head.  Off we go!  While sitting at my desk I open my email to see what could possibly have happened in the few hours I've been away!  What's that, the vendor did not show.  Another vendor is not responding to calls or email, whose that on the phone?  Hold on!  I send out a few "Let me get your attention emails", more phone calls, more email, vendors are starting to show up like they do everyday!  Firefighting is on!  Let's get it!!!!  Take a deep breath and realize the whole day is out of my control.  Why?  Because I'm allowing it to be!  Got to stop that as quickly as possible.  Hold that call, I'm with someone and already doing 5 things.  The flames die down, the smoke begins to clear.  Now is a good chance to break away and go to the gym!  I get in a 3 mile run, do a hundred or so sit ups and head back to the room for a shower.  I feel better!  However comma!  I walk down the hall towel around my waist and take a nice shower controlling my breathing and head back to the room to get dressed.  Oh yeah!  time-line, it's now about 6:30pm.  Jeff and I usually do PT around 4:30pm or 5:00pm.  This breaks up the day and gets us fresh for another few hours of evening work.  Anyway, I head back to the room, towel around my waist and grab the door handle to the room!  Yep!  Locked like Fort Knox!  One of our roommates, I'll call him LT Lazy Ass because at any given time during the day, he's in the room.  He's knows our routine, evening PT, shower and head back out!  Do you think he might have taken 10 seconds to walk 74 feet down the hall to see if I was in the shower.  Oh No!! Let's just lock the door!  So for about 35 minutes I stand in the hall waiting for someone to walk in so I can ask them to go to billeting to get someone to open the door.  Score, I get a neighbor at the other end of the building to do my deed!  He and the housing runner arrives with the key!  Oops, the runner says!  I have the spare key for room 7, your in room 1.  He's a pretty sharp pencil!  I say, yeah, this is a problem.  I guess you'll be right back!  Yes Sir, right back!  Another 10 minutes pass and we have entry!  I get dressed and yes, the stress level is back up to 100% by this time.  I walk over to the chow hall and get dinner to go!  Stay calm, I tell myself.  You just learned a valuable lesson.  Take your key with you and remember always to "never" seek out LT Lazy Ass when it's my turn to leave the room.  Make sure it's all locked up.  Nice and tight!  Karma!  Finally back to the office a little after 7:00pm.  Email is full again, phone rings!  SSG can you get me some gravel for Saturday?  Of course, let me look into this and rush something through.  About 8:00pm almost as a well rehearsed play!  The siren blows, we all hit the floor for a couple minutes and recover.  Just a couple minutes later, the siren blows again.  On the floor we go!  Almost like football tryouts!  Up, down, up, down!  Of course, we all make the best of it and share our thoughts as to why the rockets are flying.  Unhappy vendors for slow pay issues, vendors making their point for us to award more contracts, etc.  We do a few more things and then blow out at 10:00pm.  Calling it an early night so we can get re-charged for tomorrow.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to share on the events of my day!  As you crawl through this mess and as I write about, I draw one conclusion.  You can't make this stuff up!  It's real and in full color! 

I think I covered a lot of ground with that story.  Folks, it's been awhile since I've updated my blog!  I apologize for that, but also recognized, I just have not had the time.  It's already 11:30pm and I'm probably an hour away from falling asleep.  Once I get done here, I've got to take 30 minutes or so just to unwind!

Jeff and I are learning alot about our skill and others are now looking to us for answers.  Jeff spends alot of time researching the FAR and case studies to confirm what are the best options available to get things done.  Steps that are efficient, legal and ethical.  I continue to try and set the pace in managing large projects and do contracting.  Folks ask our opinion, seek our advice and ask our thoughts on a regular basis.  I'm sure I can speak for both of us!  The pressure to get things done is always high, but the feeling of being asked to do the things we do and provide advice and recommendations, speak volumes for what have and will continue to do while deployed.

Anyway, before I start to ramble on!  Let me do a quick spell check and hit the post button!

I love and miss everyone and hope everyone can stand in the hall one day with a towel and the thought of "How the hell did I allow this to happen"?

Later!