There's Something in the Air...

Good Day!  Things have been a lit-tle crazy around here the last day or so and I'm thankful I still have an internet connection.  Our access to the outside can get quite limited when things heat up around here.  A friend emailed me the news article about the bombing in Kabul yesterday and then last night during my meeting a rocket hit down the street and took out a laundry facility.  This morning it was an attack on Bagram and then I flew this afternoon to a small outpost in Kandahar that was attacked a few days ago.  What's so crazy is that there's no point in worrying because it's seriously a case of wrong place, wrong time around here.  There's nothing to avoid so there's little ability to "be safe."  The randomness is what makes it so unsettling.  They literally leaned a motorbike against the wall of the outpost and blew it up and the rest of them scurried through the hole like rats ... and were promptly exterminated.  It's the number of issues in such a short time period that has everyone so on edge - weird vibe around here today.  But as long as CNN continues with reports of the exact number of checkpoints and outposts we're planning in Kandahar City, the better prepared they will be in attacking us there (here is Kandahar City from the air).

On a different note, I am happy to report that rudeness, arrogance and myopic vision exist with equal fervor in both the military and corporate world.  I sit in decision-making meetings where I am utterly amazed at the bureaucratic nonsense.  This, thankfully, is tempered by the many seriously funny people I attend these with - last night, one of my favorite people here did his impersonation of the Afghan version of Rick James he had recently encountered at a check point.  He did the Dave Chappel, "I'm Rick James, Bitch" but in Pashto and I thought I was going to have a heart attack from trying not to laugh.  I guess you had to be there, but it was incredibly entertaining.  This was during a 3 and a half hour meeting, after a 12 hour day, and a hit-the-deck during the meeting because of the rocket attack that landed just down the street.  You enjoy all the levity you can after days like that.  These can get so long, boring and stressful that you have to find ways to entertain yourself.  I like to people watch which led to noticing several strong candidates for heart bypass operations - you know the look... purple faced guys, with guts that resemble two large animals participating in a cage fight.  All I can say is that the meeting was educational on many different levels and I left with concern for several of the attendees!

The recent tone of the Hillbilly Wino has been one that points - desperately - to the author needing a good, long vacation.  I am hoping with all the energy I can muster, that Thailand gets itself together in time for my arrival.  As long as the airport stays open I will be happy - I hate to admit that not only does the unrest there pale to what goes on here, but I am also totally not caring about the political and social reasons behind it - I just want to enjoy the beach, food and many beverages.  Does that make me a horrible person?  Probably-  and also very out of character for me.  I hope the experience here isn't changing me for the worse!

I was at a small post in Kandahar today and in the middle of all the crumbling buildings was this beautiful rose garden that one of the Afghan residents had planted and was tending.  Many of the bases and posts are joint coalition bases so the Afghan troops - and often their families - live there too.  In every single one I've been to, there's been a beautiful garden of some sort - kind of a reminder of what the country used to look like before all of the war, the Taliban, the Ruskies, etc.  It's amazing what a little greenery can do to improve one's outlook!  The Wino will be taking the show on the road for the next several days, but will post again as soon as possible - and hopefully something more uplifting and "light".  Until then, let's hope things don't get too out of hand around here.  These outposts also have real ice cream for some reason, which is a HUGE big deal in this heat - and tasty too.  It's always exciting to have something good to anticipate and I'm anticipating...Strawberry Cream!  I hope you all have a wonderful remainder to your week.

Drink of the night - peach flavored tea mix in my bottled water...