I am a Snack

If you are wondering of his whereabouts - Eminem works at the BX in the Blatchford-Preston Complex on Al Udeid Air Force Base. Yeah, I didn't know either. Yesterday I was doing some shopping in the greeting card section of the BX, and there he was, restocking the cards! I was like "woah!" Most of the third country nationals that staff any of our facilities on base that provide any type of customer service wear nametags. And many of them (though not all) have names that we couldn't begin to pronounce - so they choose their own names. It can be pretty funny. Most of them choose names like "John" or "Barbara," but every once in a while you will see a funny one like Eminem. There are also people who have easier given names, who wear them proudly on their nametags. For instance, Siddhartha works at Baskin Robbins/Dunkin Donuts. (That's the Buddha's given name, if you aren't familiar). It is always an *enlighening* experience when I go in for a scoop of froyo. (har har har) Krishna works at the laundry facility (he is also a Buddhist legend). There are a few guys at the DFAC that have our normal requests memorized (they don't wear nametags, though...hmmm...). For instance, on days that they have the "good chicken" - I will make a salad to bring back to the office with me for dinner. Every time I start walking near this one line, the guy (who calls me "Meeeeeeeees Steeeeeeeeeeweeeeeeeert") pulls out a styrofoam container and has it waiting for me. And then when I'm done making my salad, I walk back and he already has the "good chicken" cocked and ready to place on top of my salad (to the side, not on top of the cheese please). They are so friendly and just make your day. I want to give them each a bag of money and tell them to go do something FUN with it - because these guys, they make no money at all.

Today I got three care packages!! There were two on my desk when I came in this morning from Mom's AHT friends - got some yummy snackies and magazines. And then I got another care package from the Valdosta crew!!! You guys are outdoing yourselves! First of all, the letter was just too sweet and I feel the *same* about all of you. I wouldn't have made it through 2.5 years in the VLD without you. May the love I found on Cranford Ave and 4H Club Road always live on. You guys make me weepy!! And then I got through the first layer of cushiony TP (thanks Mama Landis) and I just kept pulling out more and more yummy oatmeal and snacky goodies and games and books and Maria Bamford? Are you kidding me??? You guys know me too well - I can't wait to listen to it! Thanks to you ALL.

Meggers is getting closer and closer to delivery day and I can't wait. I'm so excited that I have started looking for jobs in Charleston (for fun, for now) so that I can be closer to baby Javery! I just don't want to miss out on a minute of her precious little life, as I was so blessed to spend so much time with Maris in her younger days. I can't wait to run into Megan and Jamie's house (quietly, of course) and scoop up that tiny little bundle of loveliness and just hold her for hours.

I have been listening to a lot of Dave Matthews Band recently and reminiscing about my college days. Thinking a lot of family and friends that I shared such awesome memories with. This place has made me nostalgic as hell!

Still reeling about the death of Michael Jackson. Time Magazine wrote an article called "The Death of Peter Pan" and the beginning of it spoke so true about how you just want to erase every bad or uncomfortable thing you ever knew about the man because he was such an integral part of our youth - I think that MJ just never got to live the childhood of a normal kid and somehow reverted back to it in his elder years. I am sad that we never got to see him do his comeback tour, which I think could have erased some of the badness and replaced it with how amazing he was. Some friends and I were discussing him last week, about how ahead of his time he was and how we couldn't wait to see him get back on stage again. I remember listening to his Thriller and Bad albums as a kid - we always had some kind of music playing in our house and Michael Jackson was a permanent fixture in the 80s. And then Ed McMahon, I just can't take it - what about Star Search??? I kept waiting for it come back on! My childhood is perishing before my eyes.

Next weekend on our day off, some friends and I are going to a REALLY upscale spa downtown for some awesome treatments. I can't wait!!! I have never done a day at the spa before, I've been in and out for a massage or whatever, but we're going to do it up right and I am stoked.

We are having a big 4th of July celebration here on base - our center is closed and we are having stuff like a homemade boat regatta in our swimming pool, lots of sports events, and bands playing all day. It is going to be hot as BALLS, but it should still be fun. The only thing missing will be fireworks, but I am sure you understand why we wouldn't shoot them off here. Plus, the Qataris don't like it when we make noise - they don't even let us use our loudspeaker on base.

I am getting closer to breaking that 30-day mark - crazy how time just flies by. Pretty soon I'll be complaining about a whole other set of problems like "I have nowhere to live" and "My boss is still crazy" and "Megan won't FedEx her baby to DC" and such. Ah, the good life. I miss it.

Love you guys.

xo