Keep smiling

There is really no such thing as privacy on deployment. As I mentioned before, we live in cubicles. Although you may not be able to see your neighbor, you can still definitely hear your neighbor. Even if you try really, really hard not to listen in on their conversations, when they are literally feet away, it is difficult not to know what is going on with their husbands, parents, kids, and friends back home. Moral of the story: If you don’t want the world to know it, don’t say it out loud.

What's more, the lack of privacy goes beyond conversations with loved ones. We can’t do anything in solitude. Our bathrooms have 8-9 stalls and 6 showers. There are a few “one holers” at the hospital, but those are generally in pretty high demand.

The chow hall allows for intimate dining with no less than 200 of your closest friends.

The gym, Exchange, coffee shop, track, hospital, library, Red Cross room, Movie Theater, even my office, constantly have people around. There isn’t a single location where you can have some down time without someone else being around.

Not that I don’t like people. I do…most of the time. But sometimes I just need some silence and a chance to be alone. When you are constantly around folks it wears you down. Being nice can take a lot of energy.

But perhaps that is the master plan. If you look the part of being happy, you will be. It’s just that sometimes my cheeks are getting a little sore from constantly wearing my perma-grin.

It's not hot

Well, it’s official. I have acclimated to the heat. Maybe “acclimated” is a bit strong. Maybe “I don’t melt when I walk to the DFAC for lunch” might be a better descriptor. Plus the temperatures have been dropping a little. The highs have been in the high one-teens instead of one-twenties and I think I saw a forecast for next week where we are only supposed to reach 107. Break out the parka!

Actually, it is interesting how adjusting to the heat changes things. When we first arrived, I slept in shorts. Now I sleep in flannel PJs. Yes, flannel. The AC is so cold that I need 2 blankets on top of the PJs. I also think my early morning pool days are over. Last week at 5am the temperature dipped below 90 and there was a slight breeze. Normally this would be fantastic pool weather. But I nearly froze after taking the required shower before entering the pool. Goose bumps, teeth chattering…the whole nine yards.

So, I switched back to running for my early morning physical training. I am not at my best while running in the heat. Just ask Anna and Kathleen, my running buddies from back home. Heat + Me = slow time. Normally, 90 degrees at any time during the day would kill me. But so far, I’ve been doing ok. I’ll be tested this weekend when we run a 9.11K (a little under 6 miles) on 9/11. Race check in time is 4:30am. I am pretty sure if the heat doesn’t get me the lack of sleep will. Acclimating to heat is one thing, but adjusting to early mornings (and being happy about it)…never.