billsabub

Just getting back online.

We moved to Germany in early June and have just got our internet hooked up.  It's been a wonderful summer here and we've spent most days outside until sunset (10:30pm in June/July).

So no need for internet.  Or TV.  Or phone.

But now it's cooling down, autumn is here and the trees are changing quickly.  Soon it will be winter with just 8 hours of sunlight a day.

I trust all is well with each of you.

~bill

Gotta get rid of that last journal.  It's almost four months old.

I've been lurking here the whole time, but honestly don't spend much time on dA anymore.  But I do enjoy the art that y'all continue to share.

So what has been going on here?  Quite a lot.

Work has kept me very, very busy.  But that's not my life.

We enjoyed some live music:

AC/DC,
B.B. King,
and Slipknot.  

All were great shows.

I trained and trained and trained, then ran a 60K Trail Race in March.  I had a great time.  Probably the best time I've had racing in years.

Next on the schedule is "just" a marathon at the end of April.  And a week later, a duathlon that is just a complete hoot to race.

Then a crazy month of May as we pack up and move to Germany.  

I hope that all is well with each of you.


-bill

Time to clear that election-related rant.  Time to move on.  And no, I'm not excited about the results.  I wouldn't be excited about any of them - they're all politicians and tell us what they think we want to hear.

Anyway...

For the majority of Earth's religions, this is a season of holidays.

So whatever your beliefs, whether you believe or not, I hope that you have a relaxing season surrounded by those that mean the most to you.

Having served in this country's military for almost 22 years now, I am a firm believer in the rights and responsibilities of the American citizen.  Of utmost importance is exercising the right to vote.

But thanks to an inefficient registrar in a state that shall remain nameless, because it really doesn't matter, I have been deprived of my right to vote.  Even though I sent my absentee voting registration back in July, it wasn't entered into the system until late-September and my ballot was not mailed until October 9th (the recommended deadline for us in Iraq to mail in our absentee ballot is October 7th).  It is now October 28th and I've just received my ballot.  The election is now seven days away.  Does anyone think my vote will count?

So as I sit here in Iraq, fighting to ensure that the Iraqi people have many of the same opportunities that you and I take for granted, I cannot exercise my most basic freedom.

I don't care what your views are on being here in Iraq.  You might be surprised to find out that we share many of the same views.  But I also have a viewpoint that you will never get in the media.  I know that these people are getting the opportunity to truly let their voices be heard.  And they will turn out in droves to exercise that freedom.  Will you?

I don't care who you vote for on November 4th.  I have my opinions and you have yours.  I won't tell you mine and I don't care to hear yours.  Make them heard with your ballot.  I don't have that opportunity.

I don't care if it's hot, cold, rainy, snowy, windy or you've had a long day at work.  HTFU (definition 1).  Take the 15-minutes to drive over to your voting place and put your marks on paper.  I don't have that opportunity.

I don't care if you are undecided.  You've now got a week to educate yourself, form an opinion and become decided.  Turn off the insipid TV shows and get to reading.  And don't do it by reading web sites from any of the major news networks, blowhards and especially not blogs.  Read the candidate's website; read between the lines.  Read the viewpoints of those with a dissenting opinion.  Don't fall prey to charisma; it won't put food on your table or protect your family.  Read, read, read, read read.  Luckily I can do that.  And I'm in a war zone.  What's your excuse?

I don't care if you think that one candidate or another shouldn't be elected based solely on the color of their skin or what dangles (or not) between their legs.  You're clearly ignorant and are incapable of intelligent conversation.

And I don't care if I made you uncomfortable with this post.  Just get off your ass and vote.  I can't.

I wrote this post a few weeks ago, but thanks to a very flaky internet connection in my room here in Baghdad, it was lost. So here goes again.

In just under three weeks time, I'll turn 40.  In recognition of the event, I'll be running 40 miles (64.5km).  Just something that seemed like a good idea at the beginning of the year and gives me something positive to focus on while here in Iraq.  

Training here in Iraq has been pretty good. Luckily I have a job here where I can spend a bit of time every day running. And I do have an understanding boss, who will allow me to have the day off to run the 40 miles. It will be my only day off during this six month tour.

My build through the summer has been interesting. My long runs have started between 8-9pm when it's cooler, meaning that the mercury is on its way down, only being 104-107F at that time. And some nights it actually cools down a bit more during the run. Nothing like running a 21-miler in greater than 100F temps. But at least it's a dry heat!

During one of my long runs, I realized how lucky I am to be healthy enough to do what I do, where I'm doing it and with the support of co-workers, family and friends. And I thought about the many that leave this country in health that's much worse than mine. While they have the support of their co-workers, family and friends, their physical state puts a significant amount of stress on them and their support structure.

So I decided to make this run more significant than just me. I'll run 40 miles and be able to think back on it throughout my life. But it's now not just about that. It's now about helping those that serve.

I've set up a page to provide donations to the Fisher House. For those of you who don't know, the Fisher House is similar to a Ronald McDonald House, except the houses are for military families watching over their service member who has been wounded or is gravely ill.

While I know there are many, many worthy charities out there, this one hits very close to home for me. Stationed on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, we have a Fisher House right on post that is very, very busy. Much too busy for my taste. And we've had neighbors return from Iraq and Afghanistan who've had to make use of Fisher House facilities around the country.

So please visit my donation page, read a bit more about what the Fisher House does for those that serve, and please consider giving whatever amount you are comfortable with.


Bill Anders' Fisher House Donation Page



Thank you!
-bill