SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!
I am out of here on Sunday. I really didn't expect to be leaving so soon, but I am glad to be going so that I can start this 12month tour. This week has been one of the most boring weeks of my life. I have done absolutely nothing the past few days. I did go to the mall today. I was going to go buy a digital camera and some Texas souvenirs for the kids. Something told me to check my bank account for making any purchases, so I did.
MCI does it again!!! Instead of then paying me via direct deposit as they have done since I started there in 2000, they decide to MAIL my final check to my house. I was pissed!!! Its a good thing I still have some funds left over from my insurance payoff from when my camry burnt up. That's what me and the family have been living from.
I am still getting the digital camera though. KBR is giving us $500 to travel with on Sunday, so I will just pick it up before I get on the plane. Its nothing fancy, but it is on sale for $99 and it comes with a bag so I am jumping on that.
I am here at the Hotel Wyndham using their computers again. I don't know if I told you guys this before but the hotel I am staying at (Airport Marriott) charges for using their computers....69cents per minute!!! F- THAT!!!! I will continue to catch the shuttle over here.
I need to do my laundry before leaving and pick up a few travel items. When I leave here on Sunday, I will be landing in AMSTERDAM!!!! Don't worry..I wont be participating in any of those activities that Amsterdam is famous for. Then from Amsterdam I will flying to a country called Dubai. Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates. After that, I don't know how I am getting to Iraq.
I emailed about 100 people today letting them know I was leaving so my email box should be full with well-wishers..I hope
I find myself watching a lot of CNN lately. I don't know what I am expecting to see..."IRAQI CITIZENS HIGHLY ANTICIPATING ARRIVAL OF RICHARD CAMPBELL"...yeah right. My middle name will be Lay Low the whole time I am there. I am thinking about crawling everywhere I go...you never know!!!
I think I am more nervous about flying than being in Iraq. I am just ready to get settled where ever I am going to be. I hope this year goes by fast. I still don't know what I am going to do with my funds when I get back. I am not too thrilled about going back to corporate america..they haven't been that friendly to a brother. I was fired from IBM for something I didn't do (I was accused of emailing pornographic pictures to coworkers..never did that, even though my boy sent me plenty and they fired him for that...guilt by association!!!) and MCI laid off over half of their employees during my tenure there. They are catching hell from it now, from what I hear.
I find myself not able to look at little children anymore. Anytime I see them in the mall or on TV, I have to turn away. I really miss my babies...So much that I am trying to force myself not to think about them. When I talk to Bridggette, all I want to hear is that they are doing fine. When she starts telling me how Ashley ask "where's daddy???" I lose it. But I will never leave them like this again.
Well I am going to close off here. My next post will probably be from a foreign land. At that time I will tell you guys about my flight and my living/working conditions.
So as always.....
Peace yall
RC
Friday, March 26, 2004
Monday, March 22, 2004
Nothing new to report today. Went to get my military ID this morning. I thought I would post before I went back to my room to go to sleep.
I slept all day yesterday too...I think I am sleeping too much. I mean I slept ALL DAY yesterday.
I guess this is what authors call writers block because I have NOTHING to say. So in closing....
Peace yall
RC
I slept all day yesterday too...I think I am sleeping too much. I mean I slept ALL DAY yesterday.
I guess this is what authors call writers block because I have NOTHING to say. So in closing....
Peace yall
RC
Saturday, March 20, 2004
H-town is in the house!!!!!!!
Ok it has been almost a week since I last posted. That was the day I was leaving. Well lets start off with Sunday:
Sunday 3/14/04
This was a sad day in the Campbell home. I think I cried more than my girls. It was really rough leaving them. Both Ashley and Amber were sick with colds (both are better now). I had my mother take me to the airport. I left RDU at noon and got to Atlanta about an hour later... was there for another hour and then flew on the BUMPIEST ride of my life. I got kinda nervous. Even though I was in the Airforce, I have never been a fan of flying (I know that is kinda weird)
So I get to Houston around 330 and that's where the madness started. I was told by KBR (the company that's sponsoring this excursion) that when I get my bags to contact the Wyndham Hotel for transportation from the airport. Well, I called the hotel and they tell me that the shuttle has already left and to "go outside and wait" OUTSIDE WHERE?!?!?!?!?! So I go out the first door I see, and I am waiting out there with a young lady from Fayetteville, who is also here for the same company. She was following me, I guess because I "looked like" I knew where I was going. So we stood out there for about 15min and finally an airport employee asked us who we were waiting for and I told her we were waiting on the shuttle for the hotel. She tell us that we went out the wrong door!!!! and to back inside and go through the door for hotel transportation. ***DAMMIT!!!!***
We go through the door and we see the shuttle for the Wyndham Hotel, right as the driver was pulling off!!!! So we are out there screaming for him to stop, which he does. He gets out to the van and ask us for our names. He loads the girl's luggage and she gets on the van. I tell him my name and he tells me that due to over booking at the Wyndham, that I am not staying there but instead I am staying at the airport marriott. he tells me to just go to the Airport Marriott. I get upset then and ask him "how in the hell am I supposed to get there???" he tells me that there is a tram that goes between the terminals (Houston has a huge airport) and drops people off at the hotel.
I go down in the "basement" where I am told by another airport employee that the tram is shut down due to maintenance!!! AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! F- this....I am going back to Raleigh. I then go back upstairs and found an information desk. They told me there is another shuttle taking people to the hotel and go back outside and wait for it. Well guess which door I had to back through.... THE FIRST ONE I ORIGINALLY WENT THOUGH!!!! I was fuming at this point, but too tired to complain. I finally get checked in and I go to sleep.
Monday 3/15/04
Today is my first day of processing. I am awakened at 530am by my "friend" Derrick in Kuwait. He thought I had to be up early. I withheld my profanity and calmly explained that I don't start until noon...back to sleep.
The first few days were uneventful. Basic briefings about safety and being overseas in Iraq. The physical was interesting. 7 tubes of blood, half a cup of urine, x-rays, eye exam, hearing test, a pulmonary test (which was one of the hardest things ever...I had to put my mouth on this tube that was about as big as an empty toilet tissue roll and blow until my lungs exploded), and full physical at which a young girl placed her fingers on my sack and told me to cough!!! very uncomfortable. The whole medical process ended with 3 shots in the back of my arm (which left a nice bruise).
Wednesday 3/17/04
More training
Thursday 3/18/04
NBC training!!! No its not the TV NBC. NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological Chemical. We were trained to use chemical suits and wear gas masks. During the whole training, anytime the instructors yelled GAS GAS GAS, we had to slap those masks on, which, by the way, were a lot more comfortable than the mask in USAF.
At the end of the training, we had to be able to put the entire suit on in under 8min. I am thinking 8min is more than enough time for some shit-head to gas me and everyone around me. I did it in 4. Hoorah!!!
My partner, to "assist" me in putting my suit on, was Ronald Regan's grandpappy, or so it seemed. This guy was OLD and after getting our suits on, our partners had to tape up any exposed areas (where the suit meets the boots and gloves and where the hood comes over the head to the mask)...well I was nervous the entire time while taping his hood because I kept touching hearing aids...YES AIDS!!! in both ears!!
Later that evening we signed our contracts and began the waiting game. All the hard stuff was over and now we just wait to be notified of when we are leaving. I really could back home and wait, but I have shed enough tears!!!!
Friday 3/19/04
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
So now we are up to Saturday. I finally get to a PC so I can email my people and update this page. I am really excited about going to Iraq. There have been more bombings, but I am noticing that the assholes are no longer targeting the military, but instead they are going after Iraqis, trying to break their spirits. This cant last forever.
I really have no more to say so I am ending here. Don't know when I will be able to get back to update this page, maybe in a day or two. I have to go on Monday to get my military ID, so probably after I get finished with that. I am going shopping now for a bookbag and so DVD's....so in closing....
Peace yall
RC
Ok it has been almost a week since I last posted. That was the day I was leaving. Well lets start off with Sunday:
Sunday 3/14/04
This was a sad day in the Campbell home. I think I cried more than my girls. It was really rough leaving them. Both Ashley and Amber were sick with colds (both are better now). I had my mother take me to the airport. I left RDU at noon and got to Atlanta about an hour later... was there for another hour and then flew on the BUMPIEST ride of my life. I got kinda nervous. Even though I was in the Airforce, I have never been a fan of flying (I know that is kinda weird)
So I get to Houston around 330 and that's where the madness started. I was told by KBR (the company that's sponsoring this excursion) that when I get my bags to contact the Wyndham Hotel for transportation from the airport. Well, I called the hotel and they tell me that the shuttle has already left and to "go outside and wait" OUTSIDE WHERE?!?!?!?!?! So I go out the first door I see, and I am waiting out there with a young lady from Fayetteville, who is also here for the same company. She was following me, I guess because I "looked like" I knew where I was going. So we stood out there for about 15min and finally an airport employee asked us who we were waiting for and I told her we were waiting on the shuttle for the hotel. She tell us that we went out the wrong door!!!! and to back inside and go through the door for hotel transportation. ***DAMMIT!!!!***
We go through the door and we see the shuttle for the Wyndham Hotel, right as the driver was pulling off!!!! So we are out there screaming for him to stop, which he does. He gets out to the van and ask us for our names. He loads the girl's luggage and she gets on the van. I tell him my name and he tells me that due to over booking at the Wyndham, that I am not staying there but instead I am staying at the airport marriott. he tells me to just go to the Airport Marriott. I get upset then and ask him "how in the hell am I supposed to get there???" he tells me that there is a tram that goes between the terminals (Houston has a huge airport) and drops people off at the hotel.
I go down in the "basement" where I am told by another airport employee that the tram is shut down due to maintenance!!! AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! F- this....I am going back to Raleigh. I then go back upstairs and found an information desk. They told me there is another shuttle taking people to the hotel and go back outside and wait for it. Well guess which door I had to back through.... THE FIRST ONE I ORIGINALLY WENT THOUGH!!!! I was fuming at this point, but too tired to complain. I finally get checked in and I go to sleep.
Monday 3/15/04
Today is my first day of processing. I am awakened at 530am by my "friend" Derrick in Kuwait. He thought I had to be up early. I withheld my profanity and calmly explained that I don't start until noon...back to sleep.
The first few days were uneventful. Basic briefings about safety and being overseas in Iraq. The physical was interesting. 7 tubes of blood, half a cup of urine, x-rays, eye exam, hearing test, a pulmonary test (which was one of the hardest things ever...I had to put my mouth on this tube that was about as big as an empty toilet tissue roll and blow until my lungs exploded), and full physical at which a young girl placed her fingers on my sack and told me to cough!!! very uncomfortable. The whole medical process ended with 3 shots in the back of my arm (which left a nice bruise).
Wednesday 3/17/04
More training
Thursday 3/18/04
NBC training!!! No its not the TV NBC. NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological Chemical. We were trained to use chemical suits and wear gas masks. During the whole training, anytime the instructors yelled GAS GAS GAS, we had to slap those masks on, which, by the way, were a lot more comfortable than the mask in USAF.
At the end of the training, we had to be able to put the entire suit on in under 8min. I am thinking 8min is more than enough time for some shit-head to gas me and everyone around me. I did it in 4. Hoorah!!!
My partner, to "assist" me in putting my suit on, was Ronald Regan's grandpappy, or so it seemed. This guy was OLD and after getting our suits on, our partners had to tape up any exposed areas (where the suit meets the boots and gloves and where the hood comes over the head to the mask)...well I was nervous the entire time while taping his hood because I kept touching hearing aids...YES AIDS!!! in both ears!!
Later that evening we signed our contracts and began the waiting game. All the hard stuff was over and now we just wait to be notified of when we are leaving. I really could back home and wait, but I have shed enough tears!!!!
Friday 3/19/04
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
So now we are up to Saturday. I finally get to a PC so I can email my people and update this page. I am really excited about going to Iraq. There have been more bombings, but I am noticing that the assholes are no longer targeting the military, but instead they are going after Iraqis, trying to break their spirits. This cant last forever.
I really have no more to say so I am ending here. Don't know when I will be able to get back to update this page, maybe in a day or two. I have to go on Monday to get my military ID, so probably after I get finished with that. I am going shopping now for a bookbag and so DVD's....so in closing....
Peace yall
RC
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Well this is it!!!! My last post before I get on the plane. I DO NOT WANT TO GO!!!! but I know this is the right thing for my family's future. I have been up for about an hour and I have already shed many tears. This is hard, but I have to keep telling myself that it is for my family.
Today in Iraq... 6 more soldiers died today. I am really not understanding the mentality of those folks. We are there to help, but they just see us as potential targets. I am going to do a lot of praying that God brings me back home safely and that my wife and kids stay strong and healthy, cause when I get back we are go to party like its 1999!!!!
It looks like I will be home around August, unless I get real homesick and try to get here sooner. I really want to try to stick it out for the 4months, so that they will pay for me to fly.
Well that's all I want to say. For those of you reading this, say a little prayer for me and family.
Peace yall
RC
Today in Iraq... 6 more soldiers died today. I am really not understanding the mentality of those folks. We are there to help, but they just see us as potential targets. I am going to do a lot of praying that God brings me back home safely and that my wife and kids stay strong and healthy, cause when I get back we are go to party like its 1999!!!!
It looks like I will be home around August, unless I get real homesick and try to get here sooner. I really want to try to stick it out for the 4months, so that they will pay for me to fly.
Well that's all I want to say. For those of you reading this, say a little prayer for me and family.
Peace yall
RC
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Its Wednesday and I wanted To add a quick note. I found out yesterday that I am leaving Sunday 11:56am. Which means I probably should be at the airport Saturday night!
I went on Monday to get a few things off my check list. I had to get some steel-toe boots and a windup alarm clock, which I haven't used since I was about 12.
Latest Iraqi news: 2 US civilians and their Iraqi translator were killed by some shit head posing as an Iraqi policeman. Shit is getting real now. My level of nervousness went up a notch on that bit of info. But I am pressing on. It doesn't bother me that much, I am just ready to get over there so I can get back to my family.
Yesterday was Amber's 1st birthday.
*NOTE TO SELF* never give a baby ice cream and cake at 7pm unless you want them to stay up all night
Amber was off the hook last night and would not go to sleep at all. Her first tooth FINALLY broke through this week also.
For all of you who don't wear your seatbelts, let me tell you what happened to my wife. She got caught putting hers on in front of a cop and the asshole gave her a ticket anyway. Well, I went to go pay the ticket on Monday and I had to give those bastards at the courthouse $75!!! For a damn seatbelt ticket. Since when do you have to pay courtcost, if you don't go to court?!?!? Another ploy by our government to get over on the little guy.
Today, I need to get my taxes filed and finish getting my stuff for my checklist. I am trying to decide if I should get this cheap portable DVD player I saw in Walmart. 7" screen with a carrying case for $190. I would hate to buy it and then not have anywhere to plug it up.
I found out some of my male co-workers are planning a small going away party for me on Friday. That should be nice.
What else can I post today..........nothing..I hear Amber screaming so I guess I should go see what her problem is.
Til next time
Peace
RC
I went on Monday to get a few things off my check list. I had to get some steel-toe boots and a windup alarm clock, which I haven't used since I was about 12.
Latest Iraqi news: 2 US civilians and their Iraqi translator were killed by some shit head posing as an Iraqi policeman. Shit is getting real now. My level of nervousness went up a notch on that bit of info. But I am pressing on. It doesn't bother me that much, I am just ready to get over there so I can get back to my family.
Yesterday was Amber's 1st birthday.
*NOTE TO SELF* never give a baby ice cream and cake at 7pm unless you want them to stay up all night
Amber was off the hook last night and would not go to sleep at all. Her first tooth FINALLY broke through this week also.
For all of you who don't wear your seatbelts, let me tell you what happened to my wife. She got caught putting hers on in front of a cop and the asshole gave her a ticket anyway. Well, I went to go pay the ticket on Monday and I had to give those bastards at the courthouse $75!!! For a damn seatbelt ticket. Since when do you have to pay courtcost, if you don't go to court?!?!? Another ploy by our government to get over on the little guy.
Today, I need to get my taxes filed and finish getting my stuff for my checklist. I am trying to decide if I should get this cheap portable DVD player I saw in Walmart. 7" screen with a carrying case for $190. I would hate to buy it and then not have anywhere to plug it up.
I found out some of my male co-workers are planning a small going away party for me on Friday. That should be nice.
What else can I post today..........nothing..I hear Amber screaming so I guess I should go see what her problem is.
Til next time
Peace
RC
Saturday, March 06, 2004
Well, its saturday and guess where I am.... Still at f***ing MCI!!!! Mgmnt here convinced me to come in and work today and tomorrow. Yeah I am nice guy....So anyways I am still no closer to Iraq today than I was yesterday. But the good thing about coming in today was that potluck carried over...A couple of my co-workers brought pizza for me and a bangin' chocolate chip cake (thanks beneice!!)
I need a to-do list so that Monday and Tuesday go smoothly. I plan on playing golf with my boy Ovambo on wednesday, who incidentally plans on making the trip to Iraq also... if I keep "recruiting" I will have everyone at mci there.
Yesterday, before I left I had to go around and tell EVERYBODY good bye... That sucked, but being the nice guy that I am I wanted to say bye to everyone. Hugging and shaking hands with people who I could go weeks with even speaking to. Not that I am stuck up, but I really don't get down with a lot a folks and I try to keep to myself. Besides every one I "buddy up to" gets laid off... MCI will lay you off in a heartbeat. And for NO reason too... Derrick got laid off because he wouldn't kiss the azz of mgmnt... He's off the hook, thats why we vibe so well
That fool sent me an email yesterday with his Kuwaiti cell phone #.. WRONG #..got some recording saying "in the name of god....blah blah..you have reached the wrong #"
I am sitting here at work with a belly full of greasy cheese pizza (no swine for me)...why is pizza so damn greasy...they should call it greasa
Today is my brother's Birthday and I need to call him..he goes to UNCG.. tell him I am leaving.. that will shock him...
My kids' birthday is this coming week too...Amber is on 9th and Ashley is on the 11th...I planned it perfectly!!! what a treat for their brithday...Daddy is leaving for 12months. I feel bad doing it, but its all for them...
I sitll don't know what I am going to do when I get back , but thats next year.
This post is boring....I will write later
I need a to-do list so that Monday and Tuesday go smoothly. I plan on playing golf with my boy Ovambo on wednesday, who incidentally plans on making the trip to Iraq also... if I keep "recruiting" I will have everyone at mci there.
Yesterday, before I left I had to go around and tell EVERYBODY good bye... That sucked, but being the nice guy that I am I wanted to say bye to everyone. Hugging and shaking hands with people who I could go weeks with even speaking to. Not that I am stuck up, but I really don't get down with a lot a folks and I try to keep to myself. Besides every one I "buddy up to" gets laid off... MCI will lay you off in a heartbeat. And for NO reason too... Derrick got laid off because he wouldn't kiss the azz of mgmnt... He's off the hook, thats why we vibe so well
That fool sent me an email yesterday with his Kuwaiti cell phone #.. WRONG #..got some recording saying "in the name of god....blah blah..you have reached the wrong #"
I am sitting here at work with a belly full of greasy cheese pizza (no swine for me)...why is pizza so damn greasy...they should call it greasa
Today is my brother's Birthday and I need to call him..he goes to UNCG.. tell him I am leaving.. that will shock him...
My kids' birthday is this coming week too...Amber is on 9th and Ashley is on the 11th...I planned it perfectly!!! what a treat for their brithday...Daddy is leaving for 12months. I feel bad doing it, but its all for them...
I sitll don't know what I am going to do when I get back , but thats next year.
This post is boring....I will write later
Friday, March 05, 2004
Wassup yall. This weblog is here to document my 12month journey to Iraq. No, I will not be there serving the military. I have already done my time...via US AirForce...but I will be there as a government contractor. I begin this blog on my last day at MCI. Yeah...the same company all in the news for bankruptcy. But things are turning around for them and I wish all of them the best.
So anyways...I haven't done anything to get ready for this trip besides quit my job. I have to get my birth certificate and a 7 year driving record. And pack, and spend time with my wife and my daughters Ashley (3) and Amber (1). Boy I am going to miss them. I am going to miss everybody.
I heard about this job from my boy derrick who is already over in Kuwait (which is where I would rather go, and if I do, I will change the name of this blog). He is loving it in Kuwait and the loot is up there, which is why I am going...I should be able to put enough money aside so that when I get back, I can live a little better than I am now.
So, today at MCI my co-workers had a small pot-luck for me. And when I say small, I mean itty-bitty...Either times are tough, they forgot, or they just said "to the hell with his ass"...But its all good, I understand..I ducked-out on a few potlucks myself.
I really don't fell like doing shit today, but I work in a call center and people just wont leave me alone. I will probably end up hanging up on somebody before today is over with. I really want to cuss somebody out, but I aint trying to get fired...like it would really matter now anyway.
Lets see who I can give shouts out to from the Worldwide Technical Service Center...hmmm....they are all cool people....Don't know if I will let others read this, but if so..wassup yall!!!
Writing this is actually kinda cool...I never had a diary...those are for girls..or kept a journal..except for the one I had to do in high school...typical entries were " October 17.....Studied for Algebra test ".........I was never one for writing but I love to read.
I feel like I am rambling on...Lets get back on track....Today in Baghdad they are supposed to sign the Iraqi Constitution...but there was some hold up..I think them dudes was fighting over who gets to sign first...Look what being the first to sign did for John Hancock!!
Ok enough babbling for now...I am at the end of my "scheduled lunch" and I don't want to be late arriving back to my desk.
Peace yall
RC
So anyways...I haven't done anything to get ready for this trip besides quit my job. I have to get my birth certificate and a 7 year driving record. And pack, and spend time with my wife and my daughters Ashley (3) and Amber (1). Boy I am going to miss them. I am going to miss everybody.
I heard about this job from my boy derrick who is already over in Kuwait (which is where I would rather go, and if I do, I will change the name of this blog). He is loving it in Kuwait and the loot is up there, which is why I am going...I should be able to put enough money aside so that when I get back, I can live a little better than I am now.
So, today at MCI my co-workers had a small pot-luck for me. And when I say small, I mean itty-bitty...Either times are tough, they forgot, or they just said "to the hell with his ass"...But its all good, I understand..I ducked-out on a few potlucks myself.
I really don't fell like doing shit today, but I work in a call center and people just wont leave me alone. I will probably end up hanging up on somebody before today is over with. I really want to cuss somebody out, but I aint trying to get fired...like it would really matter now anyway.
Lets see who I can give shouts out to from the Worldwide Technical Service Center...hmmm....they are all cool people....Don't know if I will let others read this, but if so..wassup yall!!!
Writing this is actually kinda cool...I never had a diary...those are for girls..or kept a journal..except for the one I had to do in high school...typical entries were " October 17.....Studied for Algebra test ".........I was never one for writing but I love to read.
I feel like I am rambling on...Lets get back on track....Today in Baghdad they are supposed to sign the Iraqi Constitution...but there was some hold up..I think them dudes was fighting over who gets to sign first...Look what being the first to sign did for John Hancock!!
Ok enough babbling for now...I am at the end of my "scheduled lunch" and I don't want to be late arriving back to my desk.
Peace yall
RC
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