26 September 2003

Minneapolis. Most of yesterday was a blur. There was a 10:00 conference call with the Iraq Team. Craig is in charge. Gary’s a planner and administrator. John plans. Don’s an architect. George and Dean are electricals. Brian is wet civil. And I do what I do. All eight of us. Rebuilding Iraq.

We are slated to fly to the CRC as guests of the USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers) next Wednesday for shots and gear, but they want medical records of all sorts. To get a Kuwaiti visa, I need my passport and a few photos. So, I left around noon, having called the doctor and dentist and made the administrative request for my records (please expedite so they don’t take a week to process). Quick run to the barber to de-shaggify (the Army will cut my hair in the desert). Secure some fresh passport photos (“Make me look dignified”, I ask. “Take the pencils out of your pocket”, she replies.) and grab a bite, then off to the house to pick up some documents and yak with the City inspector about the new street, then to the vision center. Apparently, the government wants me to have a spare pair of eyeglasses for the trip and, since I need a prescription for them, and I haven’t seen an ophthalmologist for close to a decade, I get an exam as well, and do some shopping while I wait, and he dilates me, and everything’s a blur. Then, once I’ve returned to the office, Craig hands me the Kuwaiti visa form to sign, but I have no clue where my name goes, because the entire form is in fuzzy Arabic.

He shows me the correct location, I sign, and I head to the first of two Open Houses for a project that I would have like to have finished before departure, but that looks unlikely, since I may only be here for another 15 days or so.

There is little time to catch breath today. And Craig says that we need to be at the CRC on Tuesday morning through Thursday, giving us an extra day for fuck ups, which means we fly out on Monday evening. I’m gonna miss Queens of the Stone Age after all, just so I can sit at an Army base and get a dose of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Measles, Oral Polio, Tetanus-Diphtheria, Malaria, Smallpox and Anthrax.

Man, did I buy enough ibuprofen?

Meanwhile, Darlene writes “I imagine I am supposed to be supportive? Honestly, I am not so happy about the "adventure". I have very mixed emotions…. the whole spectrum. Happy to angry. In this respect you remind me of David. I know there is no talking you out of it. So what I will say is, I love you very much and will be looking forward to any correspondence we may have until you arrive home safely. Darlene.”

It’s not for everyone.