Just Another Video...

Just trying to post some additional videos from my time here. We have just a few weeks left in this sandy country...

This is a Thanksgiving video I made for my hubby and family. It's months old, obviously, but it's still relevant as the music behind it, Michael Buble's "HOME" is especially meaningful because it's soon going to be a reality!

Back to Blogging

I'm still truckin' along people. I've not updated because I've been so busy trying to catch up with the rest of my unit (who have been here for over four months already), figuring out what the mission is exactly, and getting used to way they do things. As I mentioned in an earlier post, ours is a logistics mission so we cover the units that fall under the command of the 316th as well as other units on LSA Anaconda. Our unit is essentially made up of two teams: a print team that writes, edits, and publishes a weekly 16 page newspaper called the Anaconda Times and a broadcast team that writes, edits, and produces a 15 minute + bi-monthly newscast called Newsreel Anaconda. We also submit our stories to Armed Forces Network Bureaus around the world as well as to The Pentagon Channel. Both of these teams are made up of just four soldiers each so the demand on each of us is pretty big. We have a lot to do with very few soldiers and that's not including our other responsibilities like early morning PT (physical training), shift change (mandatory reporting from each section of the days events), occasional guard duty, and of course maintaining our equipment, weapons, living and work areas.

All in all, it's not that bad here. They call Balad "Mortaritaville" because we get blasted a lot with mortar rounds but I haven't experienced much of that. A few come in every now and then but nothing like I experienced when I was in the Green Zone in 2004. This base is big so the mortars would have to land fairly close in order for me to hear them. Sometimes I hear what I think is thunder...then I realize it's not thunder, it's an explosion. So weird! And as odd as I know this sounds to you, on a day to day basis for us, life here feels pretty normal. I get up, go to work, do what I have to do, and I get back to my trailer - uneventful is the key as is working hard to accomplish the mission. So what is my mission exactly? Two things: (1) Tell the soldier's story and tell it well. (2) Get back to my family and friends in one piece.

Truly, the hardest part for me is missing home. I feel that a lot more severely than I did during my last deployment, which makes sense because I'm in a very different place than I was three years ago! Last weekend was very hard for me because of my brother's wedding. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid and I was sick to my stomach knowing my family was together celebrating his big day and welcoming his wife to our family! Those things, along with holidays, are very very tough on us. That is when it's most apparent to us how much we miss home and the realization that we won't get those days back. It's hard to reconcile.

Having said that, Greg and I stay in touch with occasional phone calls and a lot of emailing and IM'ing! I was able to get an internet connection in my trailer (that we are paying a ridiculous amount for) so that helps a lot! Finding time to email is pretty difficult because my day is pretty packed with work so if you emailed me and haven't heard back, I'm really sorry!

I'm finally feeling like I am comfortable and in to the groove of things here so I will be updating more often! My mom was really worried because she didn't hear from me for a couple of days so I will be sure to not let that happen very often! I've also decided I will do a PICTURE OF THE DAY post mostly every day so that you can really get a sense of what I am seeing on a daily basis. Sometimes I will have to go out on missions and won't be able to do it because I'll be off post (we call it "outside the wire")without access to the internet but I'll try to be consistent. I've taken some pics of my office and trailer so we'll start with these for now.

This is my trailer park looks like! Actually very confusing to find my trailer at first!
Our lovely abode, inside and out! I share part of this trailer with SGT Longbine. She's also in my unit. My bed is comfy, we have air conditioning, a television, and a refrigerator - no bathroom unfortunately but I'm not complaining after sleeping on that nasty cot for so long! I just can't escape the Porto potties though!


Here is where I work. It was VERY surreal when I first got here because when I was in Balad in late 2003, this is the EXACT building I lived in. At the time, it was an old Iraqi office building and we just found a room and camped out in it. Now, to see it so clean and like a real office building is so strange. My old bedroom is now my Captain's office. The smell, the air, the rooms...the memories came rushing back to me and I couldn't believe I was really here again! It seemed just like yesterday, not four years ago! But here is the building, the hallway, and the broadcasters work area.

Like I said, I will post a pic or two a day to give you a visual of life for us here on LSA Anaconda. There are about 25,000 troops here and each one has a story. Hopefully through my stories and pictures, you won't feel so detached from what our life is like. I miss you all....

So It Begins

In less than 3 hours I am leaving to catch my flight to Fort Benning, Georgia. This time next week, according to the most recent information I've received, I will be on a plane crossing the Atlantic. And so it begins....

It's late and I'm tired. For obvious reasons I can't sleep (note that Greg isn't one to lose sleep when he's stressed....God love him but he's out like a light!) so I thought I'd write a quick update because I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it from Georgia. Luckily, I don't have to say my final good-bye to Greg today. He is coming to Georgia on Tuesday to spend a few days with me. We're keeping our fingers crossed that I won't be training into the evening so that we'll have plenty of time together. Regardless, even if it's for 20 minutes a day, it's worth it. Gosh, I love my husband.

I will, however, have to say good-bye to Gumata. We've had this dog a little more than 2 months and I am so in love with her, I can't stand it!! Pets really do become your children! I mean, come on....how can you not love a dog who LOVES the beach (like her parents) and LOVES to sleep (like her parents)?




This little girl is only 9 months old and she's already close to 80lbs! When I get back, she is going to be HUGE! Gosh, I can't wait to hug her again....this is so hard. I've underestimated it for sure. More from Georgia....

I'm Still Here....

Yep, I'm still here. Sorry it's been so long between posts. I'm assuming it's just my family (and by family, i mean my mother and grandmother) who check to see if I've updated, but still....

It's been a pretty stressful month and it's about to get even more stressful. I think I'm having a physical aversion to this deployment! I've had severe headaches the last few days; Greg says it's because I'm thinking too much. He may be right.

The fact is I thought I would have been long gone by now. I was supposed to be gone the first week in August according to the information I got when I first found out I was being deployed. I finished work, went home to visit the fam, said my goodbyes to them, and came back to LA to spend a good solid week with Greg and Gumata before gearing up to leave. Only thing is we kept waiting and waiting...and waiting...and waiting....and heard nothing for weeks. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE and appreciate the extra time in the beautiful California sun with my family, but life isn't free and I wasn't working. It was hard to truly enjoy that time, without stress, when we had no idea when I was leaving. So I did a little Army stuff, booked an INSANE freelance VH1 shoot with Janice Dickinson (more on that later), then went back to work at Susan Davis International. All of that work was a godsend. Susan Davis is a gem. Take note.

Then finally, last Tuesday (8/21) I got the call that we had simultaneously been waiting for and dreading: I have to report to Fort Benning, Georgia no later than 1500 (3pm) on September 1st (next Saturday) for an 8 day training period. From there, I assume I go to Kuwait. By this time next month, I will be in Iraq to join the unit that has been there since the weekend of our wedding. I've cried more recently (usually when I am alone) than I have since I found out. There is a unique difference in knowing you are leaving and actually having a date. It's painful, and I've had a constant knot in my throat. The only thing I keep telling myself is that thousands, if not millions, of soldiers have done it and have survived. Of course, I realize how dramatic this sounds....I get it....but the fear of goodbye is so real to me now that it's turned in to a true physical pain. Even the simplist thing makes me tear up. Uh, feeding the fish..yep, almost makes me cry. Putting gas in my car? Tears. Picking up Gumata's poo? Tears. I'll be the first to admit it's laughable.

Speaking of laughable, let's lighten things up a bit and talk about my shoot with Ms. Janice Dickinson for VH1. HOLY WACKY CRAZY INSANE BOTOXED TRAINWRECK. To refresh your memory, this is Janice: I did Ms. Thing a favor by posting a relatively flattering picture of her. She is so nutty that in many of her pictures she is either exposing her underwear, making a crazy face, or grabbing men's crotches...you name it. Google her name, you'll see. Okay back to the story. Here's the deal: the shoot was for VH1's Fabulous Life series...this particular episode is about "cougars" (women who date younger men) and women over 40 who keep it sexy. Apparently the producers at VH1 think Janice fits the mold. It also doesn't hurt that she is crazy and will do most anything on camera (which makes for a better episode for them). She realizes this, believe me. They aren't exploiting anyone who doesn't know it. Janice isn't a dummy; she understands that the way she stays relevant these days is to be the star of her own mini circus. Welcome to Janice's Circus. Exhibit A, just for fun: (smaller pic, easier on the eyes).

The shoot was supposed to last 5 hours and we were going shopping with Janice at 4 or 5 different trendy shops in Hollywood; she was going to show us how she "keeps it sexy". I don't have the time or energy to relive every single detail but I'll bust out a few of the highlights. Ms. Janice is 53 years old and considers herself "the world's first supermodel". To her credit, she still looks great. She is admittedly botoxed within an inch of her life and her teeth rival Mr. Ed's but still...she looks great. She has two kids that I know of, one of which was on the shoot with her. She's 13. Keep this in mind as I bring you the highlights. First stop, Agent Provocateur. Lingerie. Sexy in the bedroom type stuff. Janice puts on one of the most provocative ensembles I have ever seen - complete with whip, garter, high heels and push up bra. She is crazy. When she comes out of the dressing room, her 13-year-old daughter leaves the store, mortified. But that doesn't stop Janice from playing up to the camera about her sexual exploits and desires. Wow. I thought I was unshockable. I'm not. The thing with Janice is she doesn't care if she appears rude to people. I think she feels absolutely entitled -- entitled to free stuff, entitled to boss people around, entitled to do as she pleases. In fact, when the camera man (Kevin, I've worked with him at Access Hollywood) and I were talking about me going back to Iraq, I was no longer "producer girl".....I immediately became Iraq girl. IRAQ GIRL!!!!! The public relations guy was PR GUY; camera guy, well CAMERA GUY. You get the point. It didn't even occur to her that it may be rude! And she SCREAMS your tag line when she needs you....."PR GUY AM I GETTING THIS STUFF FOR FREE?" "IRAQ GIRL, WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT?" Oh my holy trainwreck. I only wish that once in your life you get to experience something like this. Every store we went in, she expected to keep everything she tried on. Didn't matter if it cost thousands of dollars or if it was one of a kind. Didn't matter. And she didn't stop there. Again, to her credit, in spite of the fact that she called me "Iraq Girl", she was very gracious about my going to Iraq. Almost too gracious. Every store we went in, with the exception of Agent Provocateur, she kept saying "can you wear this in Iraq, do you want this hat, this shirt, these pants?" When I said "no, thank you" she threw them at me and told me to keep them. We're talking $150 t-shirts. Um, can't wear Ed Hardy in Iraq. Can't wear a hoodie from Kitson. Can't wear a trench from Ted Baker (although I LOVED that trench coat!). I understand she was only trying to be nice, and her intentions were good, but the looks on the faces of the managers and employees at these stores were priceless. They were unexpectedly cast in the latest espisode of the Janice Dickinson Circus. It was crazy. For the record, I took everything she threw at me back to the stores. The free stuff is not for me to have. It's not ethical, first of all. Secondly, (News Bulletin) we only wear Government Issue in Iraq!! Besides, the detail in the trench would be lost under my Kevlar Vest and it certainly doesn't go with an M16A2 rifle. It's basic fashion awareness people. Jeez.

So anyway, we finished the shoot and although it went well, I seriously felt like I had survived a hurricane. These shoots are always chaotic; when you're dealing with famous people and egos and entitlement, there is always drama. Plus, as the producer, you are the one who has to keep egos in check, stick to the timeline, deal with publicist, managers, agents, etc. You're in charge and it's NUTS.

My life is so full of perspective. And when it's all said and done, in spite of the stresses of military life, it's provided a much healthier outlook on life for me. I would much rather be facing an enemy in Iraq than be the 13-year-old daughter of an aging, egotistical, entitled supermodel who flashes her vajayjay for the world to see....all for a little attention. The truth is Janice was nothing but nice to me, albeit in her own way. But I'm not the one she needs to be thinking about. Perhaps she can put her snatch away and think about why her daughter is running out of stores at the sight of her in a thong.

You see, the perception for most is that Hollywood is the place you come to make your dreams come true. For a lucky few, that may be true. In Janice's case, however, it's clouded her judgment in raising her daughter. Her need for fame and success overrides her daughter's need for a healthy environment and lifestyle. I may complain and get sad about my circumstances, but I'm truly happier living my life as a soldier who makes $2000 a month serving in a combat zone than as a celebrity pulling in millions a year by making a jerk of herself and her daughter. But that's just me - AKA Iraq Girl.

Family Time

Okay, so I'm sorry for the long delay! I'm thinking the three people who read this didn't even notice but there was something wrong with my blog settings, something that I did apparently, and I had no idea how to fix it! I am fairly savy with computers, and I've blogged before, but there is so much computer jargon I don't understand...html, scripts, tags, encoding, etc. OY. It gives me a headache. I finally fixed it so let's get to it.

The last week has been great. Nothing but pure FAMILY TIME with Greg, Gumata, and me. We're coveting every little minute we have together. We took our little girl to the beach last weekend and although she was really timid and shy around other people, we think she enjoyed it! If she is anything like her father, she will learn to love it! After the beach, we took her to play with some other doggies but she wanted to hang with us instead! We got Gumata from a Mastiff Rescue organization, which may explain why she is so timid around people. For the first six months of her life, she lived in five different homes! She is very comfortable around us, but she's still super shy around others. We're working on it though! We take her everywhere we go....and yes, it's Dad who deals with most of her doggy doo! Okay so that will be the only poo picture I post on here. Sorry about that but I didn't want to waste that picture by not sharing it with everyone!!!

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY HUBBY!

I bet you all didn't know that I am rocking the cradle with Greg, did you? Well, I am....I've got a good 15 1/2 months on my man. On July 2nd, he turned the big 3-0. We didn't really do anything but chill at the house and have cake with LD and Paul. It was a good time had by all.

Oh, I bet you are wondering what GUMATA means. Well, Greg is very proud of his Italian heritage and as some of you may know, when an Italian man has a mistress or "a girl on the side", she is known as their GUMATA. So, we named her GUMATA since she is the only woman besides me and the women in his family that he is allowed to love! I know it's weird but we love it!

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. We had a great time in Costa Mesa with our friends Michelle and Steve for the 4th of July. I am praying I will be back by this time next year so we can do it again because we had a blast! I hope everyone remembers all the sacrifices people are making to maintain our independence and freedom, not just on patriotic holidays. Somehow I feel most people just think of BBQ's, fireworks, and vacations on Independence Day. Hopefully that will change. We're so lucky; I just hope people remind themselves of that on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, I don't have any more updates about when I am leaving for Iraq. It's very frustrating but there is a lot of paperwork to process in order to get one soldier out and another soldier in. I imagine Greg and I will be heading back East to visit family in about two weeks. When we get back from there, I'll probably have just a few days before I have to leave. It still makes me sad - especially when I look at Greg and Gumata and think about how much I'll miss them - but it's getting easier to accept as the days go on. Plus, I have an incredibly strong support system and that makes me feel great!

I know how depressing talking about Iraq can be so I'll end this post with a few more cute pictures to make you smile. Isn't Gumata the cutest!!?? Have a great week and I'll keep you posted on developments from beautiful and sunny California.