Day 7 - iPods and Missing Stuff

Another day down, another day closer to be home. Today marked the one week anniversary of this mobilization. It seems like a long way off, but you have to focus on the little milestones.

A few nights ago, my wife asked me what I was doing during the weekend and it hit me that weekends were done for a year. There won't be any weekends. There won't be any family gatherings. There won't be any of those things or events that mark the passage of time and the gatherings of family and friends.

During a deployment there really isn't a concept of a work week or a holiday or any of that. It's basically business as usual any day of the year.

The one thing thing that always seems to help is iPods. I cant imagine what it would be like not having thousands of songs at your fingertips. Most of the folks here have an iPod and they definitely get their use. Most wear them to bed, and I'm one of them. At home I never wear one to bed, but here it's one of those things that you do.

I've been trying to think of the main reason why I wear one to bed and I think that I have it narrowed down. By putting my headphones on and listening to some music of my choice it helps stimulate one sense to your choosing. All your other senses are dictated by everyone else.

Sight, someone is always around. There is no concept of privacy. The lights in the room are determined by a set schedule. Want to stay up late? Tough, lights are out at 2200 (10:30 pm).

Sound, noises are everywhere. People talking. Someone playing music. Someone opening or closing their wall locker. A door slamming.

Smell, almost no control on this. Today our entire area of the barracks reeked. It was the trash, which by the way is emptied daily.

Taste, there isn't a lot of options in what you eat. It's there and you don't have 1200 dining choices like you have any other night in the civilian world.

The only thing that you can quickly and easily remedy is sound. You can put on some music and escape to whatever pleases your ears. Right now for me it is Zac Brown Band.

I typically set the sleep timer for my iPod at 90 minutes. No use just listening to it all night long while I'm asleep.

On the theme of the passage of time and things that will be missed, I'll be missing one tomorrow. It's my 31st birthday. Normally my wife and I would be getting a big fat steak at Peterson's, but tomorrow will be Army food, unless I spring for delivery Chinese food.