Change and Flexibility

The weather around here is starting to change.  Winter in Kandahar is characterized by cold, windy, rainy weather.  We get these cold fronts that move through and dump an inch or two of rain turning the sea of dust into a sea of mud puddles.  I walk around thinking to myself that this rain is good, that things will grow and we’ll see some greenery in a day or two.  That’s not the case.  The mud simply dries up and becomes dirt and dust again.  We expect a dry sunny week with highs going into the 80s for the first time this year so I guess that’s the sign of spring in Kandahar.

While in Basic Training, when I first joined the Army, my Drill Sergeant told us to remember one word: flexibility.  He told us that since we are now in the government, we have to learn to be flexible because we will always be reacting to change.  Change is a certainty.  We will always have change in our lives.  Those who understand this can remain flexible and not be negatively affected by change.  Those who can find positive ways to react and adjust tend to thrive.

Why all the diatribe about change and flexibility?  That’s what I face every day here on the job.  There are a lot of changes taking place.  Some folks are adapting well while others have a tougher time.  Not being able to adjust and overcome adds to the stress and tends to make life less enjoyable for others around you.  But, my spirits are up!  We’ve been able to get things done around here to make life just a little better for folks and they are appreciative.

The pace of work has put a damper on my fitness (non) routine.  I’ve been lucky to get just one or two runs in during any of the past few weeks.  I am not too worried about it.  With the weather changing, it is starting to get daylight outside earlier and soon I’ll be able to get out on the road early in the morning for a run.  I just have to be able to be in the office by 0730 every morning, hopefully, showered and with a belly full of breakfast.

On another note, it is a good thing I didn’t come here equipped with my Idiot Gun.  If you’ve never seen one, it is similar to a paintball gun.  When fired at someone, it splats a big blob of bright paint on the person and includes the label IDIOT in the center of the blob.  A perfect use for one of these weapons would be in the halls of congress.  Anyway, if I came here with an idiot gun, I’d be out of ammo already.

Let’s change the subject.  I hear Corey and Katrina have set the date!  October 12^th!  I guess Terry and I will have some planning to do ourselves now since we are supposed to be in Wellington by the end of September.  No worries, we’ll figure something out.  I am excited for them.

Terry will be proud of me.  One of the guys we have here on the compound who does all the cleaning saw me dragging my three small rugs outside.  I was going to sweep them and knock the dust out of them.  He grabbed them from me and took the water hose to them.  Then he set them on saw horses to dry in the sun.  So, I have clean rugs in my little hooch now!

Until next week, or the week after that, or maybe the week after that…