back to basics

the remainder of the last weekend was a bit intense. lots of drinking, including at the ilke where bt was on duty... so a bit awkward, too. anyway, it was a very serious send-off.

i thought i'd write things down this week, but i've been in another world entirely. this really is a paid vacation :)

it all began with my razor breaking. as i walked past the old woman who's always cussing israelis, she had a go at me for being a soldier - i responded with something along the lines of "thanks! right back at you!" and then felt really bad because that was completely unnecessary and inexcusable.

the week gone by was wonderful. i shouldn't be at home, but my great-uncle passed away (the one with alzheimer's) and so i got permission to return for the funeral. i thought i'd go back to base afterwards, but now i know just how unrealistic that is. it took me eight hours from end to end, cramped and uncomfortable, with horrible company* and no musical accompaniment.

* there's a cute girl in the course with me who also had to travel home today. she was great company until she ditched me with some stray kazakhstani moron who just didn't get that i didn't want to talk to him. he followed me around saying remarkably stupid things until he found somebody else to harass... two hours too late for my nerves.

back to the course: i'm stuck in the desert with a great group, running around in working uniform for the first time in ages, the food is good and the workload and lack of sleep is laughable compared to my real job.

we're even getting a bit of exercise! i played badminton! siesta is an option, our commander is fairly good looking and only about a year younger than me. the army diet's actually possible - that means that aside from coffee i haven't spent a cent the entire week :)

i'll have to do laundry there though. that sucks. specifically because it's expensive as hell :S

the funeral today was well done, ignoring the guy who slid into the grave with the coffin. even though the circumstances weren't good it was nice to see my cousin and all her siblings together.

i made it to the odradek performance, and it was excellent even though we had to suffer through the first two bands, one of which was mediocre with potential and one of which was painful and unpleasant. even the super-strong coffee and a brownie couldn't really help me.

oh, right - when filling out a form for the welfare officer:
"my younger sister, who doesn't exist, is a little unsound of mind". i'm wondering at what point somebody's going to ask to see me about that :P