No Duh

The other night we had a concert. A band from Cali named No Duh...a cover band of, yep you guessed it! No Doubt! And for all you no doubt fans, it was GREAT! Their singer sounded JUST like Gwen Stefani and she danced just like her too :D Our crowd was bare to say the least...but with a small camp what more do you expect? The music was awesome tho, and enticed me and Morgan (my good buddy) to bust a move--well several moves now that you ask.

Ahem...buuuut part of the problem with a small crowd in which no one is dancing but you--the band sees it. They had me and Morgan tagged from the get go...So what do we get in return? Dragged onto the stage for a push-up contest with Spen G-$$ (the singer) I was worried there for a second...she was really buff and was kickin out the pushups like nobody's business...but in the end I got her ;o) Me and Morgan just stayed on stage and danced like crazy people for the last song "I'm Just a Girl" It was a blast! But, now me and Morgan have to put up with comments from everyone "hey! I saw you dancing on stage!" haha...sometimes I think back and wonder why...then I remember what I was thinking at the time- why not? and I'm always glad I did it-something really freeing about just cuttin loose and having fun...even if it means dancing like a maniac with a Jamaican dreadlock wig on :D Hooray for cover bands.

If you wanna check out their myspace for awesome stage performances here ya go

http://www.myspace.com/nodoubttribute

Grrrrrrrizzly Olympics!!

We have an awesome command here. They have really upped the antie as far as providing things for the soldiers to do. A little while back we had a whole week of activities. All day, every day.



Theeeis is our night-time soccer game. And Theeis is me after I body slammed a Major...and he landed on me and I quite possibly may have received a concussion from my head impacting the ground :D haha...but what's a soccer game if nobody gets hurt!?! Well, my team won...and it was a GREAT time









We also played softball. That's right, on an all dirt/sand field. I'm telling ya, the ball goes a lot harder and faster when there's no grass. But I never imagined I'd get to throw/hit/field a softball in Iraq. It was great! The MWR (the one who sponsored the G-Olympics) had a whole box-full of gloves, and about 10 bats to choose from! I was impressed :D










We won this game...oh man...can the Boss (LTC Jones) sure hit a home run!! At the end I think he was just starting to show off....wait a minute...I just noticed! There's a guy from the other team that snuck into our champion photograph! ah ahah











And then...I sang in the talent show competition. I ended up dragging my guitar up there with me. I sang an original song I wrote and and song I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with--Ain't no Rock! It was so much fun! Afterward I had two people confront me and say they would promote me and my music. They would record my stuff, get it out there and try to get me a record deal, or just some radio air time. They both were dead serious...I thought they were joking :) But I'm still kinda toying with the idea. One was my Sergeant Major who has his own recording equipment. He just asked me--how far do you want to take this? So that's what I'm trying to decide.













and I just want to show you quick how BEAUTIFUL the desert can be...

blah

-So, things are...blah...but that's to be expected. I think.
-I've been hitting up weights quite a bit... I hope I just don't get to muscle-y that I'll have to buy new clothes to fit me
-A good friend of mine is on leave and I miss him, not a whole lot to do around these parts
-I miss clean air
-I still haven't laid down in the small amount of grass we have here...but it's on my list of things to do
-The only paved thing around here that we can run on is a street that is .25 miles long. That's a lot of turning around, unless you're okay with running on rocks
-The rain here is brown
-I've seen some of the prettiest weeds here
-I no longer attend Salsa night
-I'm already tired of the food
-I still haven't got used to my leg holster for my pistol
-Iranians have the COOLEST new year celebration...we should take lessons
-We should also take lessons from them in cookie-making...I mean, wow
-I'm tired of surprise visits...and cleaning rooms
-Lately I have not been running...yikes...and I hate that!
-I live in a tin house with styrofoam insulation...hehe...and birds nest in the styrofoam...and I can hear them scratching on my walls every morning...not so hehe...
-I just got Tommy Boy-one of my FAVORITE movies! yay!
-I haven't got to read in a very long time-quite depressing
-12 hour shifts suck especially when you work 6 days on 1 day off

Hey guys!
This is an old video...but I was just a looking and wanted to let you know the situation if it helps at all.

Piggy finally in Iraq

Piggy made a friend...
His name is Milton.
Milton is a monkey.









Piggy and Milton decided they wanted to blend in with the people of Iraq. They didn't want to stand out as tourists or visitors or stuffed animals even so they sat out on the Iraqi street and played music for the local nationals. They did get some things for playing...a variety of nice rocks, some papers, and a one dollar bill. :D Not too bad for a plush pig and a stuffed monkey.


Now...Piggy and Milton, when walking the streets of Iraq, got into with one of the local tribes here in Iraq. Something about pooping on the street...I guess it offends them. I don't know...but there they were...in a tight spot. The fire almost started...the fixin's for a mighty pig-roast feast.















Aaaaaaaaand....whaaBAAAAM!



I jump onto the line and save their poor stuffed souls with my mighty ninja skills.

















...escaping by the hair of our chinnee-chin-chins, we had to hide out in a bunker until they left the area.











...then, swiftly like a banchee, we scaled the wall (aka HESCO barrier) and lucky we had Milton too and his mutant tail...look at that climbing talent!








LOOK! He even held up the big guy :D

















Then we finally made it to the top and out of harms reach











The only thing left to do after a street concert, a near death experience on a skewer and an amazing getaway? That's right, kick back and watch the stars...

Piggy part 2

Episode 2...from Texas still

Today, while I was packing, I left the room, only for a moment. When I came back...Piggy was here. Take a look for yourself.
I think he misses you guys and was afraid that I'd leave him here all by his lonesome. I guess I'll have to bring him with!










Then I told him to go outside and play so I could finish my packing...but mr. poopmouth, naughty little piggy, got into a pretty little mess. Just can't trust that pig!














So I told him to "be quick" and go potty and then he'll have to come back inside with me. Again I turned away and then I couldn't find him! Then I turned the corner and there he was... I think piggy thinks he's a people!


















Me and Lauren worked with him for a while, to teach him he's just a little piggy and showed him how little piggies go potty. I think he's starting to catch on!















So we brought him inside to keep an eye on him...but I think we taught him a little too well to love red things-like fire hydrans...silly little piggy people. I don't think he'll ever learn! Dont worry...we caught him before he pulled it!

bringing you up-to-date with Piggy's adventures

Ok...so i KNOW you don't know about Piggy's adventures. Well, Piggy is a present from my family to remind me of our real Piggy dog at home. Now, Piggy is a world traveler with me and is always getting into mischief. I've sent my family a couple of episodes of Piggy's adventures so I have to catch you up. This episode is from Texas before Iraq...

So it all started when Piggy decided to try to write you an
email...apparently he was more homesick than he had told me! He didn't
get too far either...the lack of opposable thumbs was slowing him
down, I think. Plus piggies can't see 2 dimensions!






After he gave up with the computer, I found him jamming out to my zune
like a rockstar. But then I found out he was just listening to Josh
Groban...not so hard core after all.










Then all of the sudden...it was quiet. Too quiet. So I looked for him.
Not at the computer, not with my zune. I stepped outside to clear my
mind and...naughty piggy...trying to run away. He obviously had too
much time on his hands...









So...I had Morgan put him to work. They started working out together
to try to get him on the straight and narrow...










But when she left him alone for a second, he lost all focus. Oh
piggy...can't take your eyes off him for a second


...oh there's more