Deployment prep

This picture was just too good not to replicate here (courtesy the British libertarian site Samizdata). It has almost everything I'm interested in current International Relations. Anyhow, in all seriousness... this blog isn't just about politics, although being something I'm interested in is unavoidable.

Just got a job that I'm pretty excited about. I'll be leaving the U.S. in a few weeks, so I'm getting everything organized and ready before I do. My mum is quite happy with the massive 'spring cleaning in September' that we did this past weekend, throwing out old things and repacking the others. Cleared out a lot of space in her home.

Step 2: Human pincushion. Okay, that nurse was a good saleswoman, 'invest in your health'- 8 shots later I leave the office. It would be nice if insurance covers part of this, but at least I'm ready to go to most places. Just got to exercise (improves circulation), drink lots of fluids. Later today I have a dental appointment. So easy when the government took care of all that, but I guess I can't complain.

I'm also reading a lot of material- from fun to serious. Just finished Kaplan's 'Imperial Grunts' which I mentioned below- an interesting post at Coming Anarchy discusses the tired idea that poverty=military service, but I digress. Before that, 'Private Warriors' by P.W. Singer and 'An Unorthodox Soldier' by Tim Spicer. On the reading table are a few other military books, as well as some philosophy and history stuff. And of course a scifi novel or something to break up the monotony. In that arena, I'm really liking Bruce Sterling's stuff, although William Gibson is my favorite. They've done a few colloborations as well. Almost done reading all of Philip K. Dick's stuff, a great writer (though clearly troubled) with an amazing perspective of the times he lived in.

So, I'm busy. I'll let you know what's going on.