the afghan fairytale continues

No berating please.  I know it’s been quite some time since my last entry.  I’ve been really super busy.  12 hour days – 7 days a week can suck some of the creative energy out of you.  Not all of it though.  I try to be a little creative once in a while.  Take for example the kooky computer wallpapers I’ve been creating.  It started out as just this little thing, and I found that I really love doing it.  It’s almost like what I do with paper when I do mixed media stuff, but I get to see it on my computer and I don’t have to use scissors and glue.  Here’s one:

and another:

Just a little bit of fun here in sunny Kabul… If you want to download them for your computer, go to http://dogsteamer.com and click on the poop.

All in all, my life is amazingly great.  I still have the fairytale romance in this surreal place.  One day I will open up the stories that accompany that tale, but until then, this will have to do.

Remember – same bat time, same bat channel.

don’t look back–keep moving forward

I guess you can’t really do a year in review without looking back.  So, for a few moments, I’m going to look back at my own personal 2011.

It really started in Dec 2010.  I made the decision to change my life and left a marriage that wasn’t working for both parties involved.  Well, it wasn’t working for me.  In January, I left a job of nearly 13 years and took a chance on a Company I had never even heard of – great decision!  It looked as though it was going to be a good year.  We tried to work on our marriage, but one of us, and I’m not naming names, not me, didn’t want to make the changes that were blatantly necessary for a successful, happy marriage.  So, with a broken and weary heart, I moved on and into a relationship that was even less healthier than the one I left – and I did this twice with the same guy within a 3 month span.  God I’m an idiot. 

So, the year was starting out kind of crappy – and I was feeling horrible, and then I got this job opportunity within my company and started seeing a really great guy.  Of course I completely guarded my heart.  It had already been mutilated more than once in such a short time, and I was about to leave the country.  Needless to say, that relationship didn’t work out – although I still think of him as a good friend – a truly great guy.  I admit I was pretty bummed it didn’t work out, but fate had something else in store for me.

I decided to leave my life to chance and destiny and see where it would lead me.  I read the signs that were presented before me and listened to my heart and instincts and I ended up in Afghanistan.  Here is a girl that hates guns, doesn’t like to fly and has never left the US and she finds herself in the middle of a war zone (although honestly it doesn’t really feel like a war zone.  It’s just home to me).   I had no doubts that it was the right path and I still don’t.  Before I left for this adventure, my sister told me that I would meet the right person for me within 3 months time.  I didn’t want to meet anyone and I really didn’t want to believe her.  I wanted to be on my own.  Not only did I not want to meet anyone, I was still broken.  I’ve been married twice, had so many relationships I’m afraid to count them and there is only one common denominator in all of it – me.  I just suck at picking men.  They were all pretty much great guys, I just have trouble picking one that I mesh with. 

The funny thing is, I’ve never really been on my own before without a love interest, and I was looking forward to it.  I found out that I’m pretty good on my own, and quite happy.  Being on my own allowed me the opportunity to figure out who I am what I need from the person I share my life with.  I’ve never had so much time to think and contemplate as I did in the first month I was here.  What it really came down to was that I just wanted to be me.  I needed someone to love me just as I am and to give as much as he got – sounds so easy, but oddly hard to find – and if I never found it, I was okay with that.  So, right when I was seriously contemplating becoming a nun – no seriously – I met Paul. He.Found.Me.   I can’t even compare this relationship to any other I have had, because there is no equal.  I’m me.  Just me.  Not only that, I feel like I am a better person when I am with him.  Instead of feeling tied down, I feel free.  In most relationships I have had, I’ve felt trapped.  With him I feel like I could fly.  And now that he has found me, and I know what a truly good relationship feels like, I have something to lose and that scares me a little.  It’s actually a good feeling to know that I have something I care about so deeply that I am afraid to lose it.  It makes every moment with him that much better.

This last year showed me how important it is to embrace who you are, and be happy with yourself.  Cherish every day that you have, and love deeply with compassion – free of judgment and criticism (much harder than it sounds).  Remember to be thankful for the people in your life.  No one is replaceable.  None of us are perfect, and if we were, think of how boring this world would be.  Oh, and at some time in 2012 listen to Oingo Boingo – specifically the “Dead Man’s Party” album.  It’s good stuff.

moon bunny

The other night I was shown the bunny in the moon.  I had heard of the man in the moon of course, but the bunny in the moon?

Now, I’ve stared at the moon, had long meaningful conversations with the moon, sang to the moon, prayed while staring at the moon, dreamt of going to the moon, have yet to dance naked under the moon, but never once did I notice the bunny in the moon.  I can’t believe I never noticed.  He is so obviously there!

I’ve always thought of the moon as sort of mystical, carrying great powers over our planet and it’s inhabitants.   Supposedly the moon has no real gravitational affect on the human body like it does on earth.  Scientifically, research has shown than the full moon has no known correlation with people going haywire, or turning into werewolves during that time.  Personally, I haven’t witnessed anyone turning into a werewolf, but I have seen people act wacky during a full moon.  I myself get a little off kilter during that time.  Yep, even more so than I normally am. 

I’m diggin’ the moon bunny… so thanks Paul for pointing him out to me.

 

—same bat time, same bat channel.

Now, that was a Ball!

Marine Corps Ball, Afghanistan, November 18th 2011.  Best. Night. Ever.

I’ve had some great times here in Afghanistan.  I know, crazy, right?  Well, if you know me at all, you know that a good time can be had no matter where I am and what I am doing.  I mean isn’t that what life is all about?  Living?  Well, the Ball was definitely living!  It may have been the beautiful way the ‘powers that be’ jazzed up the place and turned an open area into something almost palatial.  It could have been the pride you could feel pouring off the Marines.  It could have been the gorgeous dress I was wearing or the rubies dangling from my ears and neck.  But I am pretty sure the night was incredible because of who I was with.

You can usually tell if a relationship is going to go well within the first few weeks.  When two people come together, it’s always pretty exciting and new and shiny like a new lipstick.  Sometimes you wear the lipstick and you find that you really didn’t like that color after all and within the week you are shopping for a new lipstick.  Well, once in a blue moon, you find that the lipstick that you just happened to buy is really great.  It’s the perfect shade and feels great on your lips.  You realize that you love this lipstick and that you want to wear it every day and that oddly, you never get tired of wearing it and you feel naked without it.  What do you do when that happens?  Go buy all of that lipstick that you can find, because chances are the manufacturer will change it on you!  But I’m not really talking about lipstick (although buying tons of one you like is good advice).

When I met Paul, all I remember thinking was that I really liked him.  There was something about him that captured my attention.  See, I didn’t fly 8000 miles just to get my heart broken yet again so I let him know right away, in my own sweet words, that I’m not the girl you have a fling with.  I don’t really remember exactly what I said, but I’m pretty sure I got my point across that if he was just looking for a piece, he wasn’t going to find it with me.  Sharon doesn’t share – especially the man that I’m with.  He got my point. He just needed to know that if we started walking down that road and we got intimate, he better be prepared for what comes with it. I’m not a love em and leave em kind of girl, and not for lack of trying.  It’s just not my thing.

He got it.  He understood it. He understands me.  He actually likes it. Two weeks into the relationship, he asked me to the Ball.  My first thought was, “Wow, he thinks we will still be together in November.”  My second thought was, “What the hell am I going to wear?”  Come November, I had a great dress and a great guy that makes me smile continuously.

Either I actually prayed for the right things this time, or I got seriously lucky in the man department.  It’s my birthday today.  It started with a text at 12:30 am from Paul telling me happy birthday and another at around 8:30 and then he came and took me to lunch and gave me a card that almost made me cry.  I only didn’t cry because there is no crying in Afghanistan.  I won’t say what he wrote, but what I will share is what the card said:

Can you imagine finding the best, most-perfect,

awesome gift in the entire universe?

That’s how I felt when I found you to love.

Happy Birthday

He also gave me a gift card to shop online at a great art store.  (I’ve been drawing a lot out here, oddly)  And I will see him tonight.  See what I mean by seriously lucky? 

Well, kids – same bat time, same bat channel.

eclectic electric

I got a phone call the other morning from my kid telling me, in a panicked tone, that there was an electrical fire in my apartment.  I asked if everyone was okay and he said yeah.  I told him to tell me what happened.  He said the power went out and then they smelled smoke.  So, it looks like the electrical fire started the attic which is right above my ceiling. Oh boy.  It’s kind of a pain to take care of things like this when you are 8000 miles away.  He did the right thing and called the fire department and then my girl Virginia, and told her what happened and arranged for himself and his girlfriend Kaitlyn to stay there.  At least he got his priorities right.  He said the fire department did the most damage – ripping apart the ceiling and trampling on stuff  so that kind of sucks. 

So now I get to call my insurance company and see what they can do for me.  It will be the first time that I have ever had to use my renters insurance.  If you don’t have renters insurance – Get It!.  You never know what will happen or when you will need it.

It looks as though it will be weeks before the apartment is livable, so my son is looking for a new place.  This will be a good experience for him.  It’s a pain in the ass to find a new home, but I think he will rise to the challenge. 

I’ll post more about this exciting part of my life as it unfolds.  In the meantime, remember, same bat time, same bat channel.

love vs. infatuation

Definitions according to Dictionary.com (by the way, one of my FAVORITE websites!)

Love:

a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

in·fat·u·a·tion: 

foolish or all-absorbing passion or an instance of this: a mere infatuation that will not last.

So, I was thinking about this, and I was trying to figure out which I would rather experience if given the choice.  I know the [right] answer would be love of course.  But think about it.  What happens when you fall in love and it ends?  Pain. Total, inexplicable, torturous pain!  Nothing is worse the the total agony of love.  It hurts so intensely when you lose someone you love it takes forever to heal and even then there are lingering ghost pains like losing a limb.l  It fucking sucks.  And then there is infatuation.  Oh, so yummy.  All the giddiness of love, but when it ends you just move on to the next victim. 

I know that me being the romantic idealistic girl that I am, wants to experience true, all consuming love – the real deal – and I think I am getting closer every day.  But the flip side of me longs for the infatuation that does not cause the heartache that love causes.  You get in, you get out.  No pain, just a goofy smile at the end of the day.

So what brought this on?  The fear of falling.  And the fear of really having something or someone to lose.

Okay that’s enough serious thought for the day.  Remember boys and girls, same bat time, same bat channel.

plop plop fizz fizz…

oh what a relief it is.  No, I am not talking about alka seltzer.  I’m actually referring to my “state of me”.

So, here’s the thing.  I’ve been spinning in circles, and when I finally came to a dizzying stop, I found clarity.  The fog lifted, and my world settled into something I finally understood.  All this time I thought I was looking for something, or someplace or someone, when all along what I was really looking for was myself.  Strange, right?  I mean, I spend 24 hours a day with me, and I somehow lost myself.  I was so busy trying to be who everyone wanted me to be or expected me to be, I lost me somewhere in the mix.  I only have myself to blame, really.  Sometimes we want something so badly that we shape ourselves to fit in some crazy mold.  I’m not the kind of girl that fits into any mold, no matter how hard I try.  I keep expanding and contracting until eventually the mold is cracked beyond repair. My problem was that I would break out of one mold just to find myself seeking another.  It’s like a vicious cycle.  I didn’t even realize what I was doing until I stopped spinning. 

No more spinning.  No more being someone I am not and no more being someone I don’t like or don’t want to be.  I just get to be me and I’m kind of liking who that is. 

If you haven’t already, take a good look at who you were, who you have become and who you want to be.  Are you happy?

Well kids – remember, same bat time, same bat channel.

your dear and fluffy lord

So, I’m at work in beautiful AFG and we are celebrating Halloween just like every other red blooded American.  I didn’t dress this year, but it’s cool.  I didn’t really want to.  The meaning of the day came up, and one guy went on about some significant things that happened on this day that had nothing to do with Halloween, and in typical Sharon fashion I mentioned that witches dress for what they want for themselves in the upcoming year.  Like, wear a suit if you want to be a successful business man, or throw on a bunny costume if you want to have a lot of sex, or something along those lines.  Then of course the conversation turned into questions about whether or not witches are evil, and I’m like, “No, they are pagans.  I mean, sure there are some out there that are evil, but there are lot’s of people that are evil that aren’t witches.”  And then the conversation turned to, “But, they don’t believe in God.”  and I’m like, “Sure they do.  They believe in the God and Goddess.”  and the reply was, “But not Jesus? Because people who don’t believe in Jesus are evil.”  and I was like, “No, they don’t believe in Jesus, just like half the religions on the planet including the Jews.  The Jews aren’t evil as far as I know.”  I find it strange that just because I believe in my own dear and fluffy Lord, someone may think I’m evil because it’s not their dear and fluffy Lord.  

See, I’m thinking that we all believe in a different God.  I can go to church with you every day of my life, and my God will be different than your God.  Just like my sister sees my father differently than I do.  We are human after all, which means we are seriously opinionated and irrational according to each other, so it’s only logical that my God may resemble your God, but they are not the same. 

That’s how my day went so far.  Fun filled!

Halloween History:

Where did Halloween come from? Why do we celebrate it? Is it an American Holiday contrived by Hallmark to make us spend more money? Well, actually, Halloween came to the United States in the 19th Century with the migration of the Irish. The Irish celebrate Samhain. Even though the Irish brought with them this incredible tradition, American’s didn’t truly “Americanize” it until about the 1950′s when trick-or-treating became a holiday fixture. I love Americans!

Stayed tuned…. same bat time, same bat channel.

Change after change after change

So, my new job wasn’t so great as I thought it would be.  It’s like trying on clothes or men.  Sometimes they fit, and sometimes they don’t and you have to try on something else.  Well, that’s what I am doing, only instead of trying on a fancy new pair of jeans, I’m putting back on my faded, comfortable Levi’s.  I’m back to being a Systems Administrator, only not in a comfy little office in the Springs, but a slightly crowded, dusty, kind of dirty office in AFG.  I’m digging it, because I’m doing what I do and I happen to be really good at it.

So, the world is still spinning, I’m happy and healthy and mad about a certain boy. 

That’s all for now.  Same bat time, same bat channel.

conversations with my son…

Each morning I check a few things before I even take my allergy pills… e-mail and facebook.  Why you might ask?  Because I left my 19 year old son in charge of my world back home.  I usually get messages, like, “Mom call me when you get this, I need help.”  or “Mom, where the fuck are you? Call me.”  As a mom, these words should cause PANIC.  But, let’s consider the source.  We are talking about Kegan.  An emergency on his part could be, “I’m out of milk.   Can I have some money?” or “Do you know where the pencil sharpener is?”  Which is usually the case.  But yesterday morning I get – and I quote, “Hey don’t freak out but I’m going to the hospital cause I’ve been coughing up blood.”

As a mom, I know my first reaction should be “Holy Shit!  My Baby!”  But my first thought was, ‘wow, he spelled coughing right.’  Yeah, I suck in the mom department sometimes.  I did call him though and he was already at the emergency room.  The conversation went something like this:

Kegan:  “Hello?”
Me:  “Hey, you okay?”
Kegan: “I’ve been coughing up blood for like a month, so I decided to go to the emergency room because I couldn’t stop coughing.”
Me: “Did you see a doctor yet?”
Kegan: “No, I’m still waiting.”
Me:  “It’s probably bronchitis or pneumonia.  Do you have your insurance card?”
Kegan: “No, they didn’t ask for one.”
Me:  “Okay.  I will call back in an hour.  I love you.”
Kegan:  “Okay, I love you too.”

One hour (give or take ten minutes) later.

Kegan:  “Hello?”
Me:  “Did you see a doctor?”
Kegan:  “Yeah, I have cancer.”
Me:  “Shut up.  That’s not even funny.”
Kegan: “Wow that must make you feel horrible that you can’t make a kid that doesn’t get cancer.”  (Have I mentioned my son is a complete smart-ass, twisted sense of humor kind of person?)
Me:  “What the hell is wrong with you?  Don’t say shit like that, it’s not even funny.  I’ll call you in an hour.”

One hour (give or take a few minutes) later.

Kegan:  “Hello?”
Me:  “Did you see the doctor yet?”
Kegan:  “Yeah, I’ve got a blood clot and they need to operate tomorrow.”
Me:  “Are you fucking with me?”
Kegan: “No.  they have to do surgery tomorrow.”
Me:  “Seriously?  Are you serious?  Are you fucking with me?  This isn’t funny.”
Kegan: “Nah, I have bronchitis.  They gave me some steroids and an inhaler thing.”
Me: “Jesus kid, you’re killing me.  Don’t mess with me like that.  I swear your going to hell for making your mother freak out.”
Kegan:  “Ha, I don’t believe in hell.”
Me:  “That’s why it’s funny.  I’m glad you are okay.  I love you and I will talk to you later.”
Kegan:  (Laughing)  “I love you too mom.”

I swear, I don’t know where he get’s his attitude or his sense of humor from. It can’t possibly be from my side of the family! – It’s like being around my brother, only worse.  I love my kid, but he makes me crazy.

rainy moments in the sandbox

It’s starting to get cold here, raining with some hail. The rain brings out the scent of the crushed, wet leaves beneath my feet and I can almost imagine I’m walking through a park in Colorado Springs, or back in grade school walking home. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing when your imagination decides to go for a ride. Just sit back and live in the moment.

This time of year makes me all melancholy, but the feeling is amplified because Paul (that good looking guy I was talking about in my last post) is still on leave. It kind of feels like when you are a kid and your best friend goes away on vacation. The sun still rises and the world still spins, but nothing is as much fun, and an apple just doesn’t taste as good when there isn’t someone to eat it with you. He’ll be back in about 9 days, which seems like forever even though it’s not even close.

Other than missing Paul, things are pretty great here. In fact, better than I ever hoped for (don’t worry, I just knocked on wood so I don’t jinx it). Yesterday I ordered a gorgeous dress because – wait for it – I’m going to the Marine Corps Ball at the US Embassy. How cool is that? I’m really excited… not so much about the Ball itself, but because I get to dress all girly and gorgeous for Paul. I mean, he sees me every day in jeans and boots and not really girly, you know? It’s in November, and I will definately post pictures.

Well, boys and girls, it’s time to sign off… remember, same bat time, same bat channel.

In the land of good and plenty

Ah, my friends, I have not posted in a while and mostly because I’ve been having fun at night.  You know me, forever seeking the adventure in whatever circumstances I may find myself in.  I am sorry I have not posted and that I may have worried a few of my loved ones.  I am safe and happy living here in the land of good and plenty… “Charlie says, love that good and plenty.  Charlie says, really rings a bell…”  You know that song?  From the good and plenty commercials?  It’s stuck in my head.  There is actually good and plenty candy here at the PX (itsy bitsy military department store). I’ve never actually liked it – mostly because I don’t’ like black licorice.  Enough about candy.

I finally moved into permanent housing.  Remember how when you were little and at a friends sleepover, or at camp and the top bunk was the cool place to sleep?  Well, why is it then that as adults, we don’t seem to favor the top bunk anymore?  I don’t get it.  I like the top bunk and not just because I got stuck with it.  Is it because we aren’t as bouncy as adults and we despise climbing up and down?  Well, I’m still bouncy and I kinda like to climb up and down.  Also, I’m pretty little so I can sit straight up on the bed (like I am doing now).  So, it worked out okay for me.  I have two roommates, one military and one Afghani advisor.  Very nice and very interesting.  I don’t spend a lot of time in the room, so we don’t have a lot of deep and interesting conversations. 

Where did I leave off last time?  Ah, yes, I met a nice boy – hence the not writing as much as I should be.  I’ve been a slacker in that area and I will try and do better.  It’s just that after working 12 hours, sometimes you kind of want to hang out with a good looking boy instead of writing about your day and the things you may or may not have observed.  He is a very, very appreciated distraction and did I mention he’s really good looking?  He makes me smile and laugh every day, and I am grateful for the time that I get to spend with him.  If you see me blogging more within the next 20 days, it is because he went on leave this afternoon and won’t be back for, well, 20 days.  I’m seriously going to miss his smile!

So boys and girls, it looks like it’s just you and me again, so stayed tuned for further adventures from the great unknown.  Same bat time, same bat channel.

live wire

I know I haven’t blogged in a bit, but I’ve been a little busy.  Between trying not to get blown up and fending off all the men, I’ve just had my hands full.  Okay, I may be over exaggerating about the men and admittedly about almost being blown up, but it has been quite eventful around here. 

Bored Taliban decided it was time to start a ruckus, and so they got together a small group of men and made a little plan and tried to blow up some people and places. The gangs of New York, Chicago or LA might have laughed at their antics thinking, “those boys don’t know shit about starting a ruckus.”  Our G.I. Joe’s took care of them though and all is quiet again on the home front.  Well, as quiet as it gets in Kabul.  After all was said and done, a few of the guys I work with asked if I was scared.  I had to admit that I wasn’t.  I’m almost disappointed I’m not more of a girly girl and got all scared, but I felt something was off that morning, and I wasn’t surprised.  Also, I work with guys that have been in the military their whole adult lives and are now contractors.  They weren’t nervous, so I just took my queues from them.  If they would have been freaked out, I would have been too.  Or not.  Who knows.  I think I inherited my Grandmother Domenica’s premonition gene. Knowing is half the battle.

As for the men, well that is another story.  I did actually meet a guy.  I didn’t think I would, because although I say hi and I’m friendly, I don’t make any serious eye contact and I pretty much keep to myself.  So, when this good looking guy stopped me in the street to introduce himself, I was a little startled.  Apparently, we exchanged a look a few days earlier (I must have had my boy guard down at that moment) and he had been looking for me ever since.  The really cool thing about being out here is that the physical stuff gets pushed aside and you can really get to know each other.  I know I’ve dated a bit, but I can honestly say that this is the first time I’ve experienced something like this – you know, becoming friends before falling in love and getting married – you know, that sort of thing. What a concept.  Not that I will be getting married, I’m just making a point. 

So, even though I am out here in this crazy place, good things can happen and happiness can be found.  You are only as miserable as you let yourself be.  Am I right?  You know I am!

More to come, so stayed tuned boys and girls… same bat time, same bat channel. 

bizarre

I went to the bazaar yesterday and picked up a few things for some people.  I forgot to bring my camera but I will remember next Friday.  Local vendors come out and set up this tented area right outside the camp entrance and it’s loaded with exotic things that were made in China.  Just kidding, although it wouldn’t surprise me.  I had a great time haggling since it was the first time I’ve ever done it.  I didn’t really care about what kind of deal I was getting, because the prices didn’t seem outrageous at all, it was just fun to haggle with the local vendors. 

I was looking at some pretty sculptures and I love when they tell you that it is “very old”.  Although there wasn’t a Made in China stamp on the bottom, you could tell that things were not as “old” as they would lead you to believe.   

I will be going back next Friday to do a bit more shopping for family and friends back home.  It’s fun and it breaks up the day to day monotony. 

Tomorrow is 9/11 and we there will be some stuff going on here.  I will take some pictures and post them along with an interesting tale to tell (I hope). 

Well kids, a short post tonight.  I’m pooped and I want to do a little reading before I go to sleep.   Remember, same bat time, same bat channel.

beads in trees

Sitting in the “quad” on labor day, 9:00 pm, kind of a trip.  Music playing, people dancing and talking and smoking silly cigars.  Wow, some of these people can dance.  Of course being the geek I am, I’m writing about it instead of dancing.  I guess if I was in a dancing mood, I would be up there dancing with these guys.  Because of course, it’s a bunch of guys dancing.  One or two smatterings of women slipping in and out of the group, but all in all, a bunch of happy men.  One of the guys reminds of a certain dancing boy back home.

Kind of makes me miss home a little bit.  I miss my family and friends and although I know that I made this choice to put my life on hold for a year, it’s still sometimes hard.  Contrary to popular belief I am quite an introvert but I feel quite comfortable observing what is going on around me without the need to get involved. 

Okay this guy dancing was unfreakin’ believable.  I love being part of this time, this mission this group of incredible men and women who’s attitudes and love for what they do and for their Countries is contagious. I am taking in every moment I possibly can. 

So, today, they mixed mardi gras with labor day, hence the “beads in trees”.  There are beads everywhere and I wouldn’t be a good Aunt if I didn’t grab a bunch for Zoe and Rylie.  I have tons of nieces, but these two go crazy with my beads when they come over to my apartment, so I need to stock up.

The evening is winding down and I am getting pretty tired.  Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.

 

Remember… same bat time, same bat channel.

marvelous night for a moon dance

The romantic in me needs to pop out for a moment:

A crescent moon holds magic in its glowing beams of dusty light.  Enough to dream of a love forgotten and a life unlived, instilling a hope that anything is possible. 

And now the silly in me:

marshmallows, kittens, buttercup mittens,
toothpaste and poppyseeds,
random banana leaves,
that’s what dreams are made of.

No.  I’m not on drugs.  I’m just a little sleepy and I ate too much chocolate today.   I’m soooo going to get fat if I keep this up.

I took pictures of my high tops today.  They are pretty cool.  My son’s friend Jon did the artwork on them, and I really love them.  They were a faded pink pair that were given a new chance at life.

I love them.  So what if they aren’t big ol’ combat boots.  I have to keep some sense of style in this place.

I am still hanging out where I work because it’s quiet, so I thought I ‘d take a few snaps:

Outside my office:

In my office – My desk in the middle and Emilio (before we rearranged the office) – one of my office peeps

Okay kids…… have a good night and remember, same bat time, same bat channel.

midnight at the oasis

It’s around midnight and I’m hanging around by my office about to skype my own personal G.I. Joe (His name is not actually Joe, and he’s human, not an action figure) at home.  It’s gorgeous out.  A beautiful night with a starry sky.  Birds are singing and cats are meowing.  I don’t remember birds singing at night back home, but other than that it’s hard to remember where I am right now.  It pretty quiet here, which is why I came back to my office instead of hanging out where I live. I’m still in temporary housing and everyone there is asleep except right outside my door where Friday night in Afghanistan is the same as Friday night anywhere else.

G.I. – what the hell is G.I.?  I mean we all know he has a Kung Fu grip, but what does it stand for and where did the phrase come from?  It could mean a number of things, including gastro intestinal or galvanized iron.  But I am referring to the definition meaning Government Issue.  It’s a clever term really because it covers all the armed forces at our America’s beck and call. We all know who G.I. Joe is, right?  Barbie’s lover?  She always knew Ken was gay.  I mean come on.

If you were an 11 inch plastic doll would you rather procreate with G.I. Joe and his handy dandy Kung Fu grip or foofoo Ken in his fashionable flip-flops?  I think we would all agree that G.I. Joe is a solid choice.

Well, I am off to talk to my hot G.I. so have a great day kids, and remember, same bat time same bat channel.

ramen… I mean ramadan

When I got here, it was in the middle of Ramadan.  Now, it’s the Eid … what the hell am I talking about?  This:

Observed by more than one billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a time for spiritual purification achieved through fasting, self-sacrifice and prayers.

Celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the fast is observed each day from sunrise to sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five Pillars of Islam. The Islamic belief that requires that Muslims perform five central duties in order to strengthen their faith. While Islam has two major sects, the Sunnis and the Shiites, all Muslims aim to realize these five pillars in their lifetime.

Ramadan concludes with a 3-day festival known as “Eid” or “Eid ul-Fitr,” which literally means “the feast of the breaking/to break the fast.” The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and is a culmination of the month-long struggle towards a higher spiritual state.

We are currently in the middle of Eid. So, right now outside my door is some major partying by some of the staff and locals.  Lot’s of laughter and stuff going on which is very cool.  I’m not really in the mood to hang out, although I really did consider it!  It’s been a long day and I thought about a bit of socializing to unwind, but alas, I settled on curling up in my bed with my handy little laptop and my nook. 

Well, I hope to hell these people have reached a higher spiritual state.  I know I’m trying to.  I need to pray more.  I’m falling a little behind.

I had a little fun with the kids around here today.  See, to get from one base to another, you have to walk through this tunnelly thingy and then you are out on the street for about a block until you reach the other base.  I have to go there a few times a week and on the way back today this kid comes up and asks me for a dollar.  I’m like “Give me a dollar.”  He says, “No, you have money, give me a dollar.”  I was like, “You have a nicer shirt on than I do, so you should give me money.  And, look at your jeans.  They are way cooler than mine!”  It went back and forth like that for a bit.  He had a toy gun and I started in on, “You know, guns aren’t toys.  Don’t you have any GI Joe dolls or a tonka truck to play with?”  I think that kind of stumped him.  After I asked him a couple more times for some money, he left me to go bother someone else.  They always come up and try to sell you stuff or just ask for money.  I think I may just start giving them Jolly Ranchers, or maybe monopoly money – but that would just be mean – not the Jolly Ranchers because they are delicious, but the monopoly money.  Kids are goofy no matter what country you are in.

I’m off like a dirty shirt.  Stay clean kids, and remember – same bat time, same bat channel.

playing in the sandbox

I’m sitting on my bed, writing in my blog (duh) and I can hear people just outside my door playing music, laughing, talking, smoking (okay I can’t really hear that, but I know they are), and playing games like that silly little toss a bean bag in a hole that has been cut out of a plank of wood.  I guess if I was drunk or completely bored out of my mind, I may want to play a game so repetitive it would make me want to slit my own throat – on second thought, not even then (Sorry Cin, I know you have this game).  So, I don’t feel bad about not being social.  I spend all day in an office with two guys (totally great guys!) and I am never alone unless I go to the loo (that was for you Virginia). So, I kind of like going back to my room and getting in bed with my laptop and writing a bit or maybe reading until I fall asleep.

Life here is simple.  Same thing I would do if I was at home (minus seeing Kegan and my cats and my friends and going out with Anthony), only in another country and without the conveniences of my adorable little apartment in Colorado.  I’m still in temporary housing – I kind of like it – and the shower is across the way.  If I want to shower at night, I have to walk through a gaggle of men (I think I mentioned this in a previous post) so I usually shower in the morning (when there is only a spattering of men), get dressed, go to work, laugh a million times during the day, go home and go to bed.  Yes, I know, I need to exercise somewhere in there and my body is letting me know it.  I just really hate being around other people when I work out.  At home, I worked out in my apartment and went to Kung Fu.  I didn’t mind being with the people in Kung Fu because they were like a little family.  Here the girls are looked at.  A lot.  I don’t like being watched or looked at in the best of circumstances, and I don’t want to be ogled while I am working out.  So, I may be getting up a lot earlier than usual to get some form of exercise every day.  There are a lot less people on the machines in the wee hours.  Yep, that’s my plan.  Why do I have a feeling it may need tweaking?

In the last few days, my allergies have been wicked.  It’s like a bad allergy commercial.  I ordered some different allergy medicine from drugstore.com, so I will be trying different things to see what helps.  I’m on prescription allergy stuff, but it isn’t doing the trick.  I’ll figure it out.  I always do.

I’m getting a little sleepy and I still haven’t washed my face and brushed my teeth (and yes, I use bottled water for both), so I am signing off for now.

Remember boys and girls – same bat time, same bat channel.

sucker….

The fun continues…  I got an e-mail yesterday from a bouncy GI I saw in a hallway.  I know, GI and bouncy should not be in the same sentence, but he’s just one of those giddy, bouncy guys.  He was tongue fondling a sucker and I was like “Hey where did you get that?”  He said, “I have my sources.”  and I said, “Can I bribe you for one.”  He said, “I’m bribable.”  I thought that was the end of the conversation as he ran up a set of stairs and I walked back to my office.  A few hours later I got an e-mail from the cute bouncy GI stating that if I still wanted a sucker, he would  get me one.  I replied that I only wanted one if it was cherry.  I don’t know how he found out my name but I need to hand it to our GI’s -  they are resourceful! 

This morning, I’m in my office and in walks the same bouncy GI and hands me two cherry suckers.  I’m beginning to like it here. 

Later in the day, I decided to get my nails done.  I know, It’s crazy to even think about getting a manicure in a war torn country, but it’s true.  I actually got a lovely manicure.

I think’s it’s even better than the manicure I got in Colorado and it only cost me $1000.00 bucks!  Okay, it’s Afghani money and equates to roughly $20 American.

It’s strange to look at my hands.  Every time I do, I see my mom’s hands.  It’s cool.  It feels like she is always with me.  When I let my nails go, I feel like I am doing her memory a disservice, so I am really glad they do good nail work out here.  Now, I can pamper myself a little every few weeks. 

You know the drill.  Stay tuned for more exciting adventures from Kabul.   Same bat time, same bat channel.