Basket.

Yesterday was an odd day because of the date, as I carefully counted out the "1"s while filling out the keypress book. "111105". I nearly went over once or twice. It was also Armistice Day but I already covered that.

Today I'm stuck with ops duty, my first but probably not last. It is just about the best kind of duty though, what with being cooped up in a spacious air-conditioned room with a large screen TV and a Pentium 4 with a fast Internet connection all day - and freely allowed to make use of it all. I think of the contrast between that and lurching around the camp on sweaty nights with an M16 slung around my neck, a live magazine of five rounds in my SBO and my No4 plastered to my body. Honestly, guard duty really fucking sucks. Or maybe things are better now, I don't know - they have new bunks, at least, as compared to the tiny (roughly half the size of our RJ TS, cramped enough that was) container room with a dripping air conditioner and a perpetual variety of different but equally odd (the kindest word I can find) stenches.

Then again they probably still live in mortal fear of being spotted for minor infractions and creatively punished. Like the time when my dear partner decided to hold his rifle in his hand while returning to quarters from the rear gate. The CSM spotted him and we had to do it all over again. The rear gate is 15 mins from the front. I was not very pleased.

As it is, the job is cushy and I know more about the duties and responsibilities of the DO than the man himself. Who tried to enter the Orderly Room on a Saturday and was surprised to find it locked. He'll learn. If he doesn't he'll just get more practice. And I don't know why but I just speak Chinese most of the time in camp. Even if people open in English.

Now I'll just wait for 2006. Hope the year can end nicely for me, for all - cross your fingers. I'll cross what's left of mine.