Happy May Day! It's also Labor Day here in Iraq, though I'm not sure if that means people here actually GET jobs instead of taking time off from work. Of course, that does not mean I get any time off work, the powerpoint slides must be updated, no matter the cost. Staff work is really dreary, and one of my lunch companions and I had a discussion on things. It seems like we (and I mean the military, specifically the staff to which I am currently assigned) are producing a product for the sake of the product, in this case a daily "quad chart" showing the significant events of the day. It doesn't matter that it may just be another Tuesday when nothing of any real significance occurs, I still have to fill out a quad chart. Unfortunately this leads to me having to be somewhat "creative" in determining what is quad-worthy. Sometimes the significant events of "that day" actually occurred several days ago, but I hoarded the knowledge like some sort of cerebral chipmunk (good band name, eh?), hoping to use it during an activity famine. Other times I end up making something rather insignificant into something that sounds like it needs immediate attention and the full power of the U.S. Army focused on it (not that this ever happens). In some ways, what I do can almost qualify me to work in the 24-hour news media like CNN or Fox News! Maybe a second career opportunity? Perhaps I will start tagging my quad charts with "Fair and Balanced" in hopes that saying it enough times will make it true.
Nevertheless, the days here are beginning to take on that dragging, repetitive quality now. For example, if not for the wonderful calendar Patti sent me in the last care package, I would have no idea that today really is a Friday, or is it a Thursday? Saturday? It's one endless parade of dusty sunrises, the same food at the chow hall...er, "Dining Facility"...a break to go to the gym, and back to quad charts! Anyway, the call of the office is upon me and I should return soon lest some earth-shaking happening like the "sun rose again today, in approximately the same location as yesterday" go mercifully unreported.
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Wow Brain, I like the 'cerebral chipmonk'! You can DEFINATELY use that when you make the move to CNN...Greta van Sustren, watch out, here comes the Brain!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the updates, they always make Dria and I laugh (if that's what you were going for...if not, it makes us very sad for the plight of all staff people the world over).
Take care, keep winning the war one quad chart at a time!
Hobo