DAY 5? / JAN27

Day 5? / JAN27

            It rained a lot last night.

            Woke up with a headache, but it went away (mostly) after a cup of coffee from Ackbar and Jeff's Coffee Hut.   They aren't really Ackbar and Jeff, but that's what my wife calls them – from the Matt Groening characters.

            When I got to work, I plugged in my computer and subsequently got shocked.   After a bit of testing, I discovered that ANY metal on my computer shocked me.  I looked around and ensured that my powerstrip wasn't under water – which it wasn't.   After a little bit more investigation I found that the place where the powerstrip linked into ANOTHER powerstrip (yes, I know its not safe… etc) was underwater and had shorted the ground for my plug.   So, any metal was transmitting electricity to me.  When it dried out, it was alright again.

            I've been making "friends" with some of the Turkish and Iraqi people who run the shops, learning their names, talking about their families – mostly so I can learn a bit about their culture – but also so I can get a discount on their goods.. =)   Just kidding.

            The guy who runs the DVD/Video Game/Electronics store (one of them) is a good guy, or seems to be.   His name is Haeden (maybe?) but its pronounced Aiduh.  He recognizes me when I come in and we shake hands and chit chat for a bit before I get whatever I need from him.   He is Iraqi from Baghdad.  His family is there, but he lives on the FOB.

            There is a group of Turkish people who run a carpet and rug shop out of a wooden building inside a hanger here.   They are nice also, and I'm buttering them up so I can get a discounted rate on a carpet when I leave.  I'm taking pictures so my wife can decide what, exactly, she wants.   The prices are reasonable – I think.  The largest, a 12'x9', is roughly $350-$400.  They go down from there.

            There is another Turkish guy who is opening a new tailoring shop.   He is trying to get his business started, but with the transition from the last unit here to us, there has not been a lot of business (who wants to buy a suit that they cannot wear for a year?).   I think his name is Bareesh.  He also is selling foam furniture made here by his family.  I don't think I'll be getting anything from him, but we'll see – maybe a locally made tie for a relative of something.

            Internet is still down.  Makes it hard to get anything done – well, anything except work of course.

            Had a relatively successful "O-call."  Successful in that I was actually able to get some work done because the people I had to talk to were there.   I figure as long as I have to go, I can at least get something out of it.