Hello to all. I’m ashamed to admit that it’s been a little bit since I’ve wrote one of these bad boys. So have some updates for you all:

1. I was promoted. That’s right… this is SPECIALIST Crotteau writing this. I feel so empowered. I am having a little trouble answering the phones. It usually goes a little something like this. “G2X, this is PFC… sfasdfsafsdfxxxbdsgfasd. Sorry. This is SPC Crotteau speaking how can I help you sir or ma’am?” So that’s fun. I’ll get used to my new and improved title, but for now I’ll just sound like a baboon on the phone. Also, as far as my promotion ceremony goes, I can tell you that I begged, pleaded and downright implored my father not to make a big deal out of it. PFC to SPC is an automatic promotion, and I really just wanted to have something quiet… a couple people. When I told my dad this, he said “A couple people? Is 3 or 4 ok?” Why yes dad. 3 or 4 is fine. So when 13 or 14 people came from his section alone, I was a little dumfounded. Clearly, something was lost in translation… on his end of course. I should have expected this. It’s not like just one “aunt” or “uncle” could come. They ALL had to be there. It was nice of them to show up and support me, but combined with the people in my section, we had a full house. The exact opposite of what I wanted. Go figure.

2. New shift! I work from noon to midnight now. I expected that I would be working more (on my last shift we got done with our work at midnight and had time for “personal advancement.” This is code for surfing the internet and watching movies) because I would be in when all the action, so to speak, was happening. Instead, I have been working on my chess skills. Let’s just say that at this point, I am only accidentally good. While many of the people in my office think I know and calculate my moves 3 ahead or whatever you’re supposed to do, I’m just moving. Boy do I have them fooled. I’ll get purposely good soon and then they won’t even know what hit them. Boo-yah!

3. I have fallen in love. Head over heels in love. You guys are the first to hear it. I love my ham and provolone cheese sandwich with a couple of cucumber slices to top it off. I have him for lunch and dinner. I just can’t get enough of him! I usually toast him… and he is DELICIOUS! Just thought you guys should know…
That’s really all the interesting stuff that’s going down in the hood (Basrah). Now that I’m getting used to my new shift, and the novelty of chess is wearing off, I’ll be writing more. Lucky you guys =]
Hope this finds you guys healthy and happy!

Sending my love from Basrah to home,
Jacki


p.s. Today I got a card that read “Hang in there… sometimes life hands you lemons, but then you can make lemonade.” I opened the inside and read “Of course, sometimes life pulls down your pants, runs a power sander across your naked butt, then pours lemon juice on your raw, abraded buttocks. In that case, a cool citrus drink wouldn’t really help, but darn it… you’ve got to hang in there anyway!” This made me laugh unbelievably hard. It’s pretty much put into words what I live by. So thank-you Travis!!! The card brought a laugh from the rest of my office too =]