Breakfast Feast

FiremanDave, Ashleigh and I made breakfast this morning. It was a late night idea we had after consuming great sushi for dinner.
After the sushi we went to Wal-Mart for a movie and bacon.
We also ended up finding a football to throw down the aisles and over the rows of sporting goods.
Then we found bicycles. Bicycles were a hit and could have greatly increased our shopping time had we been there to buy more than bacon. FiremanDave and I proceeded in racing down aisles, playing chicken in the lanes and creating bike obstacle courses around fallen merchandise. Wal-Mart is a GREAT place. not only do they have fresh produce but where else can you buy everything for your life in one place?!

back to breakfast.

I was in charge of pancakes.  These are blackberry and blueberry pancakes, perfect circles!

Finished product.

 FiremanDave, being the man was in charge of crispy bacon.

Ashleigh took on the friend eggs, and this is our finished feast.  

I have to say this was one of our best breakfasts in a while.  Thank you FiremanDave and Ashleigh

49+/- Birthday Bash

my dad turned an unknown age yesterday. oh course any one can do the math but the mystery is great. Byrd Birthday Bashes are truly great events. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy. He was surrounded by beautiful women great beer and Irish music, thats hard to beat! Granted the women were all related to him in one way or another and the beer we were all drinking was on his tab... but nevertheless he couldn't have been happier.

Dad showing off his newly grown out beard and 'stache

Sally, his lovely wife planned an Irish pub party and let us all in on his super secret present, a new iPod Touch. Not only would he love it but it would free up her iPod Touch which he never seems to put down.

Regardless of all the 86'd items on the beer list, and the dinner menu, the absolutely terrible table service at dinner and the ear jerking live Irish music we had the best dinner ever. With $2 "Happy Birthday" hats and $6 glow stick necklaces we dolled up, laughed and sang along with the live music.

Dad and Sally sporting a lovely pink and blue glow necklace.

Me and dad, accessorized with hats and glow necklaces to show our cheer.

Julia and Ashleigh pre-dinner, post-presents

We all had a great time celebrating with dad and Sally on dad's 49 +/- birthday. Thank you for the party and the great company.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Giving "the Gift of life" but less sappy

first of all I don't see my self having kids. Some people say that will change when I'm "with the right person who also wants kids" but I think I know best.

So why not donate my unused, unneeded, unwanted, neglected eggs, as I am certainly not needing them right now.

Why not. Why not donate my eggs, make a few bucks, give a couple the chance to have a child they wouldn't otherwise have.

I'm thinking about it. I'm thinking, who wouldn't want that beautiful baby to be theirs .

Come on. Look at me. I was about 18 months old in this picture and an ANGEL. I'd pay thousand of dollars to have that kid if I was a baby yearning lady. My family history is perfect, I have pretty great genes and well I'm not exactly the town idiot.

And of course $6,000+ a round doesn't seem to push me away.

The emotionally implications and draw backs.

"there could be a little Wendy walking around somewhere and you will never know it"

my mom told me once that even when we, my siblings and I (Byrd babies), were out with a sitter we could be identified and spotted from across the grocery store. If a baby as cute as I was is walking around with a happy mother who paid with blood, sweat, tears, heartache, time, money and not to mention child labor then I'd say she has earned the adorable little "wendy baby"

we'll see how the process goes, if I go through with it.

Domesticated. Who knew?

It didn't occur to be when it started. Ashleigh wanted to make cornbread from scratch and I said I'd make chili to go with the cornbread. No harm. No foul.

both turned out well and on with our lives we went.

One evening, Ashleigh was looking up Chicken Florentine recipes online.That evening we feasted on a homemade meal and even had a friend to accompany us.


For dessert Ashleigh made chocolate and cranberry truffles, think Godiva chocolate rolled in a chocolatey powder.Even as small as they were one bite would nearly consume your taste buds and overwhelm your senses as they melted in your mouth.

Still this did not clue me in to the fact that we were becoming quite domestic.


Keep in mind these are the same girls we instead of waking up for a Lunar Eclipse, eyed the bottle of white wine and stayed up for the Eclipse, laid in the parking lot swaddled in blankets and giggled our way to the 1-3am Lunar Eclipse (so take the word "domestic" lightly please, we have reputations to uphold).

Since Ashleigh has left for London I have on 3 occasions cleaned the house, not just tidying... I mean get out the Steamer nothing is safe, its time to clean!

Last night may have been my

epiphany.Flannery came over.

Pasta maker in hand! 2 broken eggs, 3 whole eggs, 2 cups of flour, 1 pound of tomatoes, 1 small onion and 3 tablespoons of butter AND

two and a half hours/prep cook time later...

we sat down to

homemade pasta and sauce.



I'm not sure what all of this domesticating means yet, I'm still working on it.

What i do know is if you'd like Chili and buttermilk mashed potatoes, tonights the night.

Kick Ass Boss.

3 ish working days left. Then the Major gets back and I can start my drawdown...
I extended for about 20 days to make sure my boss wasn't left stranded while the Major went to a course out of country.
Its been great overall. I've been the Military Assistant (MA) for the General for almost a month and the experience is one I will not soon forget.

How to be a Kick Ass Army Genera, how to be the MA for a Kick Ass Generall:
1) Communicate clearly. If you need or want something say it and give all the information you may have on it
Following bread crumbs is something MAs do all day and must learn to do well. Get a Rolodex or a notebook and write EVERYONE's contact info in it

2) Chocolate motivates. Throwing snickers around the office everyone in a while is a good motivational kicker. Everyone likes Chocolate and working late isn't so bad with Snickers.

3) Be Human... laughing and joking around is important... daily mouse trap checks and sport team bantering is helpful.

4) Do your job... not everyone else's. Some of the best things i heard from my boss, "the calendar is your job, i won't mess with it". (YOU ROCK!) "Set up a meeting with XXXX i need to discuss (Uber Secret topics) and I need to tell them to stop throwing shit over the fence to us", "NO we're not touching (Uber Secret Planning Job) thats THEIR job, we're already doing enough of their work"

5) Sing Along... I like Classical Rock. Feel free to sing along to the music in the truck, or sleep... thats cool too.

6) Get Good Chow... "schedule the meeting (at a base with great food) after lunch, we can go over early and eat their food"

7) "Who do you work for" , "you sir", "Thats right" (Saving someone from having to do work for another department when unneeded)

8) We are in Afghanistan. Understanding that "shit happens", trucks break, traffic sucks, the weather is against us, and bad guys have guns. Take risk, when needed.

9) Great Expectation. Expect great things from me, I'll get it done.

All the Bosses i have had during my deployment, General Officer or not have been pretty kick ass. Cheers Bosses! I'll have a beer for you!

Reader

I have never been a big reader. Julia and, certainly my English Lit major older sister (Master's actually), Meredyth are the readers. Dad and my sisters will have long discussions of, say, the literary contributions, the writing style and ease of read, the impact said book had on them, the impact on the world by said book, will be discussed... this is the best way to shut me up as I have no relevant or working knowledge of any such topics along the lines of Literature... and so I quickly listen and then bore.

recently my Canadian SGM (senior enlisted in Canadian Army) told me about STANZA for iPod Touch. my eyes widened as i held onto a 5lb hardcover copy of "The Assassins" by Joyce Carol Oates (i use the full title and author so i beat the name and author in my head, in an attempt to quote my triumphant Literary read, later in life)

Stanza eh?? Free App you say?? Free books eh? Classics as well no doubt... i don't have to drop almost $200 to fit in with the eBooks crowd! I could get used to this. no more forgetting my book somewhere or not bringing it b/c its too heavy (JOYCE Carol Oates !) i'm in!!

so i downloaded Stanza and researched on how to upload and download books... and browsed eShelf after eShelf... I now have a collection of

Classics and other "i like the sounds of that author's name...i'll get it" books. as well as a few "great excerpt, i'll get it" books... and don't for get the "I've heard of that" books..

yes I have even begun reading. "Alice in Wonderland by (let me check)

Lewis Carroll" unabridged i might add.

The way he adds in and portrays her quirky thoughts and talking to herself... its a page turner, or should i say an "iPod tapper" since of course there are no pages to turn...

Dear Stanza,

you may in fact make a read out of me.

Literarily,

Wendy

Whats on your eBookshelf?

The Case Against Wagner was one Nietzsche's last books, and his wittiest. (the "wittiest" comment got me, its on my shelf)

Gentleman Burglar--how can i resist?

Meredyth and Julia have spoken of Madame Bovary -- guess its my turn now. hopefully they spoke of it highly, haha i don't remember. well i can't sit around here typing all day i've got to get back to the authors.

Please let me know of any great reads i need to include!

if you have an iPad or iPhone or iPod Touch check out STANZA, you can find it by a quick iTunes Store search or browse. (don't forget its FREE)

then try FictionWise.com and EPUBBooks.com ("ePub" is the format of eBooks for the Stanza)

Happy reading -- thats my self-motivation. i'm off to read now!

Transformation

I have been away in relation to this deployment for over a year.

and what i miss the most is sitting around a table, across from a sister or friend or other family member eating and laughing. I am one of the most social, outgoing and talkative people i have ever come across... this deployment has changed that.

I have very noticeably become a loner while i've been deployed. I have mastered the "loner" persona and personality. I rely on few others, if anyone, to entertain myself and make me laugh or smile. i eat alone, I hang out on my bed in my room with 5+ other roommates, but i am truly alone, completely alone on my bed, in my world.

I don't talk to new people, i avoid new conversations or smiles with strangers or simple hellos with people I don't know and I very much live a loner's life.

Chow hall:

• sunglasses, dark reflective sunglasses are to be worn in the chow hall so people cannot mistakenly or purposefully make eye contact
• sit alone and do not look around at others, even through sunglasses this can be a loner's downfall
• no smile, no expression, no kind "nods"
• strategic walking- never come to a stopping point where you and another must decide who continues first...this inevitably causes, "excuse me"'s or other small phrases which people will try to force into a conversation
• head up, eyes straight, no smiling, walk with a purpose to a determined location, no lingering
• get in, get your food and get out... don't linger, you never know what NATO countrymen will interpret "lingering" as... it could cause conversation.

Barracks:

• never, never, never stop or slow your stride. These are tighter quarters in which people see you regularly and they may feel it is the right time to chat, comment, say "HI"
• eyes forward, no eye contact, no smiling
• never in any way wear anything that will bring attention or causes remarks. this includes looking nice and/or bad. master invisibility.
• don't hang around. if you are sitting at a table someone will talk to you, don't let this happen
• your room is the only place were a smile or conversation can be struck up or relinquished
• when movies, cards, video games in the common room are being played keep a straight face and walk through, no expression, no involvement or emotion to the activity.

Work:

• this is where conversation, interaction and everyday "good morning"s can be shared
• this is your sanctuary... where others are partaking in your same or similar activity, where interaction is not seen as an invitation to friendship-instead it is a working environment where working relationships are made and accepted

i did not accept my transition into LONER very well. i fought it. i fought hard but it was a silent fight...not one i could share because LONER was/is the safest place for me here in Afghanistan. (don't get me wrong, i don't run alone at night around a dark military base exposing myself to dangers)

I am very very good at creating friendships. This is helpful in a work place or when I need something accomplished related to work but it is not safe with peers... peers see this as an
...invitation to get closer?? a friendly deployed female instantly sets herself up for the wrong image or impression on others. this is a mistake i will not let myself fall into.

I miss normal life. i miss friendliness and conversation and laughter and relaxed environments where the air is filled with chatter. I miss being an adult. I am the youngest in my working environment by 15 years easily... I miss being with peers and being seen as a relavent contributor. I miss making my own decisions and proceeding without someone else's approval or knowledge or signature. I miss being Wendy.

I am not a loner, but i have adapted for my current situation and I am curious as to how my transformation will effect my future, my future back in society. the society, in which, i belong in.