And were they properly punished for unleashing such pain and terror on an unsuspecting world? I wonder how our lives would have been affected if no one had invented a method of putting bullet comments on a computer screen, later to be projected onto a larger screen for people to view en masse. Think of all the information we wouldn't know without PowerPoint: statistics; lists of _____ (fill in your own word....I pick vitamins); points of contact; directions for doing just about anything. How could we ever have evolved as a civilized population without PowerPoint and its evil twin, Excel?
But the most amazing thing about PowerPoint is its ability to put people to sleep. Better than any lullaby written by Brahms or drug known to man! I don't know why people spend money on sleeping pills when all they need to do is watch some form of a PowerPoint slide show, preferably one about a topic that has nothing to do with their job or is redundant, duplicate information. It's a treat to stand in front of a group of people and try to educate them on important topics such as nutrition or performing contract negotiations and watching their eyelids slowly close.
It's also a pain that the heat has been turned on in for the winter in our building. That's a good thing except for the fact that it's 80 degrees outside! There's nothing like having the heat on and every window on our floor open, some with fans bringing in cooler air from the outside. My office is a sauna. If I were sitting in a Jacuzzi with a glass of wine that would be nice. But not at work trying to do the last details for mobilization. It's making us cranky.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas...
So, since mid-November I've been in a Scroogey mood regarding the holidays. I have always liked to decorate my house every year from Thanksgiving through New Year's with all types of decorations. But this year all my stuff is in storage so I didn't have anything to put around the house. Well, except for the ceramic pumpkin and the 2-foot Christmas tree that I dragged with me from Minnesota.
The day after Thanksgiving was always my favorite day for decorating...dragging the Christmas tree from the living room into the den (because, you know, I never saw a reason to actually take it down in January when I was just going to put it up again in 11 months), putting garland on the fireplace, hanging lights in the bushes outside. Those lights always looked cool when they were covered with snow.
And it's hard to be in the Christmas spirit when it's 85 degrees outside! It's supposed to be cold. And white.
So it was nice a few weeks ago when I had my household goods delivered out of military storage into a private storage unit. I was able to pull out a few boxes of Christmas decorations. And then yesterday we had some snow! Right here in Bryan, Texas! Some flurries in the morning and then clear skies. But around 2 or so it started snowing just a little bit (not "real hard" as 1LT Sarratt stated). By the time we got to the track and started running the stairs for PT it was snowing harder and it was windy.
It was like being in Minnesota again. In April. :)
After PT was over I went driving around for a bit, enjoying the falling snow and the cold weather. Temperatures dropped to the 30s overnight but by about 9 this morning all the snow was gone. The high today is supposed to be around 60.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
We had a team here yesterday going through the finance and supply records that we have to cart to Ft. Dix for mobilization. (The phrase "we're here to help" makes me very nervous.) Today we did some more training, including make-up classes for those who have missed previous classes. Those Soldiers are hard to find when it's time for make-up classes...don't worry...I'll find you!
We've reached the "small stuff" part of mobilization. All the big stuff is done. The files are mostly ready, our equipment is ready for storage, shipment, or turn-in, most of the classes are finished. It's time to add the final details...the things that are going to make us crazy once we get to Ft. Dix.
Oh yeah, these people think THIS weather is cold! Wait until we get to Ft. Dix. New Jersey. In January. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
The day after Thanksgiving was always my favorite day for decorating...dragging the Christmas tree from the living room into the den (because, you know, I never saw a reason to actually take it down in January when I was just going to put it up again in 11 months), putting garland on the fireplace, hanging lights in the bushes outside. Those lights always looked cool when they were covered with snow.
And it's hard to be in the Christmas spirit when it's 85 degrees outside! It's supposed to be cold. And white.
So it was nice a few weeks ago when I had my household goods delivered out of military storage into a private storage unit. I was able to pull out a few boxes of Christmas decorations. And then yesterday we had some snow! Right here in Bryan, Texas! Some flurries in the morning and then clear skies. But around 2 or so it started snowing just a little bit (not "real hard" as 1LT Sarratt stated). By the time we got to the track and started running the stairs for PT it was snowing harder and it was windy.
It was like being in Minnesota again. In April. :)
After PT was over I went driving around for a bit, enjoying the falling snow and the cold weather. Temperatures dropped to the 30s overnight but by about 9 this morning all the snow was gone. The high today is supposed to be around 60.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
We had a team here yesterday going through the finance and supply records that we have to cart to Ft. Dix for mobilization. (The phrase "we're here to help" makes me very nervous.) Today we did some more training, including make-up classes for those who have missed previous classes. Those Soldiers are hard to find when it's time for make-up classes...don't worry...I'll find you!
We've reached the "small stuff" part of mobilization. All the big stuff is done. The files are mostly ready, our equipment is ready for storage, shipment, or turn-in, most of the classes are finished. It's time to add the final details...the things that are going to make us crazy once we get to Ft. Dix.
Oh yeah, these people think THIS weather is cold! Wait until we get to Ft. Dix. New Jersey. In January. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
OUCH!
You ever have one of those days you wish would never start? Or would be over with before you got out of bed?
Today was a big day for us...a day most of us have been dreading for a while: IV stick day! Since Thursday our unit has been sitting through a Combat Lifesaver Course to learn fun stuff such as sticking needles in people's chests to relieve built up air, carting people from Point A to Point B in a litter, and applying a tourniquet. I have to admit that these classes have upped my appreciation for anyone who is in the medical field, especially those who routinely find themselves up their elbows in blood.
Today everyone had to start a saline lock and IV. But not on manikins (not my spelling!!). Oh no...we got to impale, er, start an IV in our own unit members. I grabbed Hinojosa and jumped into the first line so I could get it over with before I chickened out. We were second for our group and Hinojosa stuck me first. She did a good job even though she hit the catheter when it was already in my arm. Ouch!!! Not too much blood came out, either. She did a nice job.
When it came for my turn to stick her we decided that I should stick Logue since Hinojosa's veins were nowhere to be found (can't blame them...I'd hide too if I saw me holding a large needle!). At first I was so excited...I had stuck Logue with no blood drops! Turns out I had gone right through the vein. :( Since this was her second stick I had to find a new victim. Thanks Alfaro! I passed...had some blood seepage, but nothing major. I was glad to get that over with.
Later on Johnson needed someone to stick so I offered her my arm. She did a fabulous job...no blood came out at all! She certainly had a nice touch.
After the written test we were all presented our certificates stating we were now certified. Except for Burrell...I made a mistake on his rank when I submitted the roster. When did he make SSG? I could have sworn he was a SGT when I picked him up at the airport a few weeks ago. Sorry SSG Burrell. You'll get your certificate on Monday.
Today was a big day for us...a day most of us have been dreading for a while: IV stick day! Since Thursday our unit has been sitting through a Combat Lifesaver Course to learn fun stuff such as sticking needles in people's chests to relieve built up air, carting people from Point A to Point B in a litter, and applying a tourniquet. I have to admit that these classes have upped my appreciation for anyone who is in the medical field, especially those who routinely find themselves up their elbows in blood.
Today everyone had to start a saline lock and IV. But not on manikins (not my spelling!!). Oh no...we got to impale, er, start an IV in our own unit members. I grabbed Hinojosa and jumped into the first line so I could get it over with before I chickened out. We were second for our group and Hinojosa stuck me first. She did a good job even though she hit the catheter when it was already in my arm. Ouch!!! Not too much blood came out, either. She did a nice job.
When it came for my turn to stick her we decided that I should stick Logue since Hinojosa's veins were nowhere to be found (can't blame them...I'd hide too if I saw me holding a large needle!). At first I was so excited...I had stuck Logue with no blood drops! Turns out I had gone right through the vein. :( Since this was her second stick I had to find a new victim. Thanks Alfaro! I passed...had some blood seepage, but nothing major. I was glad to get that over with.
Later on Johnson needed someone to stick so I offered her my arm. She did a fabulous job...no blood came out at all! She certainly had a nice touch.
After the written test we were all presented our certificates stating we were now certified. Except for Burrell...I made a mistake on his rank when I submitted the roster. When did he make SSG? I could have sworn he was a SGT when I picked him up at the airport a few weeks ago. Sorry SSG Burrell. You'll get your certificate on Monday.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
And then there were 20...
At first there were 18.
Even though the Soldiers of the 211th have been training together since October 10, and even though the Soldiers of the 211th have bonded well, there has always been a hole that we couldn't fill...until yesterday. We had 20 Soldiers on our battle roster when we arrived at RTC on 18 October but we had 2 Soldiers who couldn't train with us, so we were incomplete. These two Soldiers were attending school and graduated while we were at RTC so they were waiting for us when we returned to Bryan in November.
And then there were 19.
Unfortunately, we lost a Soldier off of our battle roster at the end of RTC for reasons known to him. That was a dark day for me and for the rest of the unit. I hated saying good-bye to this Soldier. I hated sending him back to his unit in Tennessee. Our family was losing a valuable member...someone who contributed to the high level of professionalism in our unit as well as the high level of...insanity.
We then went through a few Soldiers who didn't work out for various reasons before we finally wound up with SPC Soles. He arrived yesterday and we were happy to welcome him into our family. I hope nobody warned him about our unit. :) I told him he would be "up to his ears in alligators" and today he spent most of the day inprocessing and enduring Power Point classes, getting caught up on the required training. Like a trooper, he did everything asked of him.
And then there were 20.
Even though the Soldiers of the 211th have been training together since October 10, and even though the Soldiers of the 211th have bonded well, there has always been a hole that we couldn't fill...until yesterday. We had 20 Soldiers on our battle roster when we arrived at RTC on 18 October but we had 2 Soldiers who couldn't train with us, so we were incomplete. These two Soldiers were attending school and graduated while we were at RTC so they were waiting for us when we returned to Bryan in November.
And then there were 19.
Unfortunately, we lost a Soldier off of our battle roster at the end of RTC for reasons known to him. That was a dark day for me and for the rest of the unit. I hated saying good-bye to this Soldier. I hated sending him back to his unit in Tennessee. Our family was losing a valuable member...someone who contributed to the high level of professionalism in our unit as well as the high level of...insanity.
We then went through a few Soldiers who didn't work out for various reasons before we finally wound up with SPC Soles. He arrived yesterday and we were happy to welcome him into our family. I hope nobody warned him about our unit. :) I told him he would be "up to his ears in alligators" and today he spent most of the day inprocessing and enduring Power Point classes, getting caught up on the required training. Like a trooper, he did everything asked of him.
And then there were 20.
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