Jeeze...

I'd just like to say that I in no way intend for this to become a weekly update type of thing...I realize that there are those of you who look here regularly for some updates of the Finch and I can imagine that you may have been rather disappointed upon finding that my lazy ass hasn't written anything - AGAIN...sorry...
Here's the thing, I'm a noncommissioned officer in the Army and I have responsibilities and what not now...some of which happen to be Soldiers and KATUSAs (Korean army soldiers) who are in some way depending on me for answers and direction...see I'm still figuring out my leadership "style" as it were and have only been here for a little more than what - two months now...the trick is that the office that I came to - which had a sergeant major and another NCO above me - has now dwindled down to ME, while they are hanging out ("working") in D.C...
I'm competent - don't get me wrong - it's just a lot to take in, in the blink of an eye...it's all good though, and after this passed week I think I have a much better handle on what is actually going on from all the various angles that goings on may come from out here...
All that being said – it has been a rather interesting week out here – in the “Land of the Morning Calm”– whatever…
Josh deployed to start the week and is now at Camp Anaconda –a place where I happened to be one of the first one or two hundred Soldiers on, way back in Iraqi Freedom One - and now Angela (my fiancé) is sweatin’ it out down in Kuwait at some place that wasn’t there when me and her were there the last time – ahhh memories – imagine meeting the love of your life in one of the world’s biggest shit-holes (no offense) – if that’s not irony than well…it’s not ironic…
all I know is that I miss her terribly…it’s very hard and I’m amazed and very happy that we’ve made it this long through everything…I can’t imagine my life without her…but I digress
HERE though, we were busy – or at least attempting to appear busy enough to go to lunch or call it a day and head ‘home’…missions are limited and usually insane or at least unnecessary and of course are on the weekend…this leads to five days of sitting around looking at each other and bitching about having to work on yet another weekend, followed by an early wakeup Saturday or Sunday to go ‘cover’ an event that will never be published and should never have been covered in the first place – for those of you not accustomed to this (ian and josh – you can stop reading HERE) someone asks an officer IF someone can come to “this” and said officer excitedly says yes and tells a Soldier that he/she WILL “cover” whatever nonsense that will make said officer look as though they performed some type of favor for said asker – it’s absolutely horrible and, as a matter of fact, goes against actual Army Regulations…but I’m just a Sergeant…
See I look like I’m 12 so, in the eyes of some of these ‘leaders’ there’s no way that I’ve been in the Army for going on seven years and have ACTUAL experience in nearly every aspect of this career field(army-wise anyway) so they won’t check with me on anything dealing with the Soldiers that I’m responsible for…either that or they know that I’ll just tell my guys to sign out a camera to said asker so they can take whatever photos they want their selves…but I digress again
I went on a tour yesterday of some areas around Seoul…I hope to post a picture spread in the next few days…got to go to an OLD palace which was absolutely amazing…the colors, architecture and the whole place itself was really curious and neat…I’ll most likely go back just cause they didn’t really give us an opportunity to walk around and venture out on our own…could be some great pictures…then we rushed off to somewhere way one the other side of Seoul and had lunch – then to a place filled with thousands – seriously – of little Koreans all dressed in bright crazy insane colors to separate each class or school or group or whatever from each other and teachers with whistles and loud voices to keep them together and EVERY SINGLE LITTLE KOREAN is yelling HELLO, HELLO, HI, HELLO, HI, HI, HELLO, HELLO…at you cause while they’re there to learn about the history of their country (much like you and your group) YOU happen to be a WHITE KID and they’re in AWE…all good kids and it had to put a smile on my face simply for the pure innocence of it all…I actually had the conversation with someone in my group about how much more polite the young children are then the adults and elder Koreans…whateva...
Then we went to the war museum for like three minutes-rushed to dinner with the minister of defense-had it got on the bus-and that was it…all in all I’ll give it a 7 outta 10 just for the palace and the beautiful day alone…
Well, I look forward to a busy weekend…the way I like it…Texas vs. Oklahoma is the flavor of the week...The Astros are in Houston for the Braves and close the series out at home…and the ILLs need a win against the damned GirlScouts I’m 1-3 (I mis-spoke when I said I had won two in a row – shut up)…these will ALL most likely bring on raving nonsense posts from me due to the fact that I don’t have to be back to work until Wednesday...that and the extended weekend wil no doubt lead to a heavy indulgence into alcoholic beverages…BONG…