RE: [ihc] Re: Digest Support (and other stuff)

["Mac @ TRIAD" <mac@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

## >> ---BTW, she says hello to ya Mac and asks how your better half is.

well say hello back from all of us, then, why dontcha?  <grin>  the better
half is better.  much better, actually.  she's moved from launcher platoon
over to maintenance platoon, and even better, Systems Maintenance Squad.
while the other maintenance monkeys are getting greasy and dirty and nasty,
Systems plays with the electronics and generators and so on.  sometimes they
have to jump in with the other monkeys and get really dirty, but mostly they
deal with the electrical/electronic side of maintaining the Battery
equipment.  she really likes the job, likes her new co-workers, likes her
squad and platoon sergeants WAY better, and is in general having a much
better time of it.  she's no longer dealing with the prima donna who was her
squad sergeant before, no more of the ridiculous polished boots and pressed
uniform no matter what, all day long--go home and change into a fresh
uniform and re-polish your boots at lunch if that's what it takes--no matter
how hard you've been working or what you've been doing during the day.

additionally, after being in Launcher Platoon for a year, they put off for
the entire year her first promotion.  within two weeks of being in Systems
Maintenance, they got her her year-overdue promotion.  how's that for doing
better?  Specialist MacBrghde, she is now.  and could very well be Sergeant
MacBrghde within another 6 months (3 months if they really push it super
hard, unusual but not impossible) if she plays her cards right (and the
platoon Sergeant decides he wants to push her for it, which he says he's
going to).  not much change in income, but a huge change in responsibility
and job duties.  and a new pride in the set of her shoulders, the way she
holds her head, the look in her eyes.  going from Private First Class to
Specialist has made a great difference in her, and it's pretty neat to see.
i can't wait for those Sergeant's stripes.

and on a last note, she's finally got herself a new car.  i wasn't super
excited to do it, but we traded the '68 Scout 800 in on something much much
newer and quieter and...  well, it doesn't get better fuel economy (the
Scout got 19mpg, the new car gets like 16 or 17 with the aircon on in
stop-and-go base traffic), but she's happy, and her uniform doesn't get
dirty just driving back and forth to work.  oh, and she can actually hear
the stereo over the car noises (this new car is *super* quiet), which was a
nice change.  both the 800A and the 1110 are so noisy that having a stereo
installed is pointless (open exhaust just below the downpipes on the 800A,
road noise from 33" tires and dual glasspacks on the 1110; lots and lots of
rattling and clanging and various screeches and groans etc from both).  over
all, she's doing pretty darned well.

## >> ---Furthermore, this isn't something that Richard should feel
## >> guilty about.
## >> I don't feel guilty about only being able to send $20 (cover
## >> your eyes) shit
## >> happens. Hope you enjoy the new area Richard.

i agree that there is nothing for Richard to feel guilty about.  nor do i
feel guilty that we were only able to send $20 ourselves.  i'd have liked to
have sent more, but you know how it goes.  times are rough for an awful lot
of folks right now.  with both of our kids finally in school, i was able to
return to the job market...  only to find that within El Paso my prospects
are narrowed down to slim and none.  not that we really *need* income from
me, we do okay on the military salary and bonuses and benefits, but i'd like
to do something productive with my time now that i have some free.  i may
wind up donating my time somewhere just to get out of the house.  maybe
they'll let me work at one of the schools teaching kids the proper usage of
school computing resources.  now where did i leave the cattle prods, power
stapler, and modified defibrillator?

if things improve for us, and/or if i manage to start bringing in some
income, i'll see about organizing a further contribution to the Digest.  i
can't guarantee anything, but i'm going to do my best.  hopefully more folks
out there will keep the dosh rolling in and keep Richard afloat.  i for one
have learned an awful lot from the Digest and Digesters...  mostly about how
much i didn't know that i thought i did (what an enormous eye opener!), but
also an awful lot of stuff i had no idea about at all, and not an unhelpful
or unuseful tidbit in the lot.  if i didn't have the Digest, i wouldn't have
anyplace to go.  it's not much, but thank you, to all of you.

--Mac

---------------------------------------------------------------
Take care and be well, all thee and thine;

May the Hamr lend thee Strength and Courage,
May the Twin Ravens lend thee Wisdom and Guidance,
May the Wolves Guard and Protect thee, and
May the Light of Harmony ever shine brightly upon thee and thine,
Through all thy Life's Journeys, from this life unto the next!

Hail the Gods and Goddesses of our Folk!
Wassail!

Krystof "Mac" MacBryghde
TyrGothi

http://master.triad.ath.cx/