Scratches in the desert sand

22 May 04

Another week has gone by. One more for the month of May then it is on to June. Even though that is the half way mark for the year, we still are not half way through the deployment. Have to stop thinking about how long just keep to today. It may sound fake but that is the way through this. Just being present in each moment. What is going on right now? Being aware of myself and my immediate surroundings. There is a focus that comes with concertrating on knowing, I am sitting in this chair, by this desk, in this room, located in this building, stationed on FOB Speicher, situated in the country of Iraq. Then it seems all my energy can come to bear on what it is I am doing. Well, that sounds all metephysical but I can feel an immediate difference when I do that. Went to Saddam's palace in Tikrit yesterday, short little trip. But any travel is frought with danger, caused by the frivolus choice of some one deciding to plant a bomb on your route. That this a diffiecult thing to not get worried about. It is nice to get off the FOB though. Spent some time with the Division Chaplain, CH LTC Mike Lempke. He has some good things to say. I like his point about always bringing any discussion around to what is the mission., to define goals and and to evaluate how we are doing. So good to have talked with him, a little preachy but articulate and thoughtful comments. Hope to have a chance to learn more from him.

Tracey had a hard day yesterday. It was Friday which is hard because it is our day to be together. So it seems to accent the fact that we are not together. I wish she wouldn't be so hard on herself. Not many people could do what she is doing and do it so well. But when you are in the middle of it, ones view can be skued by the things that aren't going well or on the things you are not getting done.

The day started with overcast, but now it is starting to clear up, it is warmer but not too hot.