Flight to the Azores (time change), flight to Crete (time change), flight to Iraq (time change and different sunrise/sunset times than I'm used to), and then, since we do 24-hour ops here, sometimes I work at night, sometimes during the day, etc. Things should get on a schedule soon enough (so I'll fairly consistently work one of four different shifts--6 hour flights, plus all of the briefing/gearing up/start-up/shut-down/debriefing time), but so far, we've all been bouncing around on the schedule until things get into a routine.

I ran into another guy in our squadron at the gym tonight, and he says "Dude, every time I walk outside my door, it's a surprise..."

At that point I cut him off and said "...whether it's light or dark outside. Yeah, I know. Same here. Same thing with the date and day of the week every time I look at a calender."

This is weird, man. It doesn't really matter what day it is (days are referred to by a 2-letter code, such as TD, then TE, then TF), and there are no weekends or weekdays, of course. It's kind of non-stop...you start to think of things simply in terms of "how much time do I have to sleep/work out/eat before I have something work-related to do. Neither work, nor sleep, nor meals have anything to do with day of the week or time of day (there are 4 meal times per day, and you may very well sleep during the day and work at night).

10/7/2008 4:51:19 PM

sounds awesome

10/7/2008 4:52:55 PM

it's seeming to cause you to ramble more than usual as well

10/7/2008 4:52:59 PM

with a screwed up schedule, how are you doing with keeping regular?

10/7/2008 5:08:57 PM

I'm more concerned about the opposite problem--shitting myself in the jet. i take cans of energy drinks and/or espresso drinks with me in a bag (these generic brand ones we have, similar to a starbucks doubleshot), but I don't drink them until well into the flight. I don't personally know anyone who's fallen victim, but I know that it has happened from time to time.

[Edited on October 7, 2008 at 5:25 PM. Reason : asdfas]

10/7/2008 5:13:55 PM

10/7/2008 5:19:43 PM

See, guys? THAT is the mark of a man who is truly irresistable to women--I can talk about the prospect of defecating myself, then get kissy faces delivered in the very next post.

10/7/2008 5:21:22 PM

Hahahaha I guess I should read the previous post before I come in throwing out kissey faces huh?

You still deserve them, so I don't mind that you could possibly shit yourself while flying around in the clouds. As long as none drops on my head, I'm good to go

10/7/2008 5:23:38 PM

everyone poops, even ^

sounds like you're having an awesome time, mr. duke

10/7/2008 5:26:28 PM

Hehehe yes I too poop

The only person I torment with my poop/farting stories is my little brother. He hates it and it makes me giggle!!!

10/7/2008 5:28:08 PM

If it makes anyone feel better, I just took a massive poop.

10/7/2008 5:38:11 PM

^^^ yeah, it's kinda cool to have no outside distractions. no expenses. no complaining or overemotional women. no incompetant civilians fucking things up--just Marines who don't fuck up very much, and when they do, you can actually hold them accountable and expect better. almost no errands to run (get a haircut once per week, drop your laundry off and pick it up every few days, just a couple hundred yards from where you live). walk to work. walk to meals. all your friends live right beside you. Eat, sleep, work, exercise, read and/or watch TV a little bit, rinse & repeat.

I'm sure I'll be tired of it and ready to go in 5.75 more months, but it really isn't bad. By combat zone standards, it's pretty cush--I have internet and air conditioning in my room, a chow hall with hot meals (haven't even seen an MRE here), a TV and a fridge at the squadron for cold drinks, and hot showers & flushing toilets in a little building a hundred yards or so from where I live. Things could be way, way worse.

[Edited on October 7, 2008 at 5:41 PM. Reason : ^^^ and I will more than double my savings account by the time I get back! wheee!]

10/7/2008 5:40:03 PM