I’ve backlogged a couple of days since my last (real) entry, and will catch up on those in time. But first, it is time, high time, in fact, to address some [begin loud, echoey voice, like the announcer at a stadium]

BLOG (log, log, log)

HOUSEKEEPING (eeping, eeping, eeping)

STUFF (tuff, uff, uff)

Often, people ask questions in the “comments” part of the blog. I really like this, because it gives me a chance to answer specifics right on the site itself, which serves to enrich this “document” of my trip. I think that in many years (or maybe not so many), my September 2008-ish printout of this blog will be a precious document to me, sort of like having a personal journal of my time here, but with the timely commentary of those who have read the passages. I am honestly very grateful for your participation in this, and I hope that anyone out there (Rupard family member, Rupard friend, or interested third party) feels free to comment, and not necessarily to agree with everything stated. As I’ve said before, my only requirement is to keep it clean.

Having said that, I don’t always respond to questions within the comments section, as sometimes by the time I wake up the day after I’ve posted something, there are multiple questions from multiple people, and it would be hard to answer them and keep any sort of reasonable “flow.” In those cases, I will e-mail the questioner directly if they left their e-mail address—which is safe to do, as I am the only one who can see it and of course I won’t give it to anyone else. Or, I will respond on a later blog post (see below). Occasionally, a question or comment will get buried after a couple of days, and I will not respond at all. I apologize for this, and can only explain that I have limited hours per day with a stiflingly slow internet connection, but I also have to admit that I sometimes just plain forget. But again, please accept my sincere thanks for “playing.” If you ask me something and I don’t get back to you, by all means ping me again (either on the blog or by e-mail) and I’ll eventually be shamed into getting back to you…

So then, some shout-outs (as the kids say):

Travis Richardson , a friend from residency days at good old Wallyworld, and it looks like you are there now. Glad to hear from you, but I’m sorry to learn that you are headed to the brown zone. Hopefully, just for six months. It’s a very small world out here, but one with very limited transport, which means that I’ll either never once see you out here (likely), or I’ll see you constantly (if you are stationed on Al Asad). Once you know where you’re going, let me know. If you have a choice, this is a good place (safer than most, but also dustier and less friendly); Balad and Liberty are both as cushy as it gets. Baghdad is less safe, but (so I hear) has better internet, more stuff to do, and more medical types (which means you’ll probably know a few people who are there). Either way, I wish you a safe and quick trip here and back.

Beth Brown and family: It is so nice to hear from you, and I hope you like my silly ramblings here. Thanks for thinking of our clinic; although I will be leaving in September (hopefully), the TMC will be here as long as the troops are, so keep them in the back of your mind for any future projects. Al Asad is a safe base (the most important thing), but kind of a deprived one—not much entertainment outside of the gym, and the food is good but very samey most of the time, so contributions are greatly appreciated.

Dad: Funny that you mention it, the second I read Mamet’s essay, I felt the pangs to read “Masks In A Pageant.” So I e-bayed it and Amazon-ed it, and the prices were outrageous (likely because of Mamet’s essay). So, I figure I’ll check it out via interlibrary loan when I get home. Please don’t spend thirty bucks on a copy for me. Glad to hear that it is good, though. If you feel so inclined, copy your favorite chapter, and put it in the next package or letter that you send me, and I’ll read it.

and last but not least

Christian: You have been one of the more prolific writers to my blog, and as I look over the past weeks, I have been pretty slow and/or negligent in responding to you. Sorry about that. Got your e-mail today, and I really like both songs, especially the Brendan Benson tune. When you write about music on my blog and on e-mails, you sound like a rock critic—maybe you have a bit of the writer’s bug in you like Grampa Rupard, your mom, Your Unkie Erik, and your Aunt Lorri. Rock critics have a great job (get free CDs in mail before anyone else gets them, listen, write about how crappy they are). But before you start to think that’s the coolest job ever, remember what David Lee Roth (Van Halen’s singer) said about rock critics. When he was asked “Why do all music critics like Elvis Costello?” he answered “Because all music critics look like Elvis Costello.”

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THE RUPARD MAILBAG

The brown-out-edness of this week led to very few days (two, actually) in which mail was delivered. Thankfully, I scored each time. I’ve already mentioned the box of Chex mix, candies, and “calf slobbers” (Confused? Google is your friend.) which I received from mom and dad. On Saturday, just in time for our big Saturday Night Movie which shows regularly under the stars (or dusty mosquito nets, as the case may be) in the alley between our cans. The Tompkins family sent me lots of books for the clinic (thanks–we have a regular Carnegie library in the makings here), along with some middle-east rarities such as Oreos and Chips Ahoys. When some of my sergeants saw those double-stuffed peanut butter Oreos, they practically bloodied each other trying to get at them. Thanks, Melissa and family for your generous donations to the cause. You’ve done your part to make your soldiers happier (and a bit fatter).

Christian sent me a Matt Costa disk and some music magazines, which I’ll be digging into later. But the crowning jewel of this packages is a 1970 Mad Magazine paperback, “A Mad Scramble.” Now THAT is literature, and will bring me back to the days of “Spy vs. Spy” and those ke-razzy Don Martin comics. Plus it has one of my (seriously) favorite smells, that of an old book. If they made a cologne called “Old Paperback,” well, all I can say is “Watch out ladies!” So thanks, C-dog! May be the best package yet. (Wait, now that I think about that more clearly, I am pretty sure that it is exactly tied with all of the other packages I have received to-date. Yeah, that’s it…)

Finally, the always-anticipated Lorri package, which contained a special item which is almost never available here in Al Asad. I am speaking of bread. Good, old-fashioned bread. We do have hot dog buns and the occasional loaf of white bread in the PX on occasion. I don’t want to suggest that these buns are dried out and perhaps a bit hard, but there is a sign above them that says “You break it, you bought it.” And I did cut my foot on a shattered piece of Wonder bread the first week I was here. So Lorri sent me some bona-fide, Pepperidge Farm bread, which actually squishes in a bit when I push on it (rather than hitting me back). Fascinating. Also, some donuts, which lasted about 12.3 seconds after I opened the box last night (I made the mistake of opening in the clinic).

At any rate, thanks to each/all of you for the chow and other stuff.

I still owe you some travelogue from the past two days, but you’re sick of me already, so I’ll catch you later on that front (maybe after church today).