I lie awake in my bed, staring in the night that surrounds me. It's either late night or early morning, but it doesn't really matter. I hear the rain pounding against the roof of our hooch; it's day 4 of the on and off rain. I know that it will continue and I want it to stop, but I know I will be outside in it one way or another. But right now I'm dry and warm, wrapped up in my blanket. Everything seems at peace and my mind begins to wander around the thoughts of thunderstorms and rain.

I always loved the rain, too stand in it and feel it fall onto your face. My friends thought me crazy to run outside and taunt the storms. There I would be shorts and shirt off dancing and yelling at the sky to hit me with the best it had. Wind, rain, the occasional house, it didn't matter because I was like a stone, but I drew the line at sleet and hale (I know total bad ass!!). The one thing I loved the most of all were ND Thunderstorms and the lightning shows they brought. I remember great times speeding down slick roads in trenchal down pour with my boys, while watching the lightning ignite the sky to the beat of heavy rock. It always seemed like the lightning was in harmony with the bass, power chords, and riffs of the music. With my body hanging out the window at 70 mph, maybe it's the energy or the freedom you feel. For some reason it's one of my fondest memories...

I think my perspective has changed or maybe I have just wised up, because my feeling have changed. Rain and Thunderstorms are still awesome, but only under conditions (I think it was always like that though). I will watch and listen to the storms, but I want to stay dry and warm (or have easy access to those). I think that's the cold, wet, miserable experiences talking and I'm listening. After being rained on, snowed on, sleeted on, (still waiting on the kitchen sink) you would do the same. I hate it, but I can deal with it. That's not ND storms, that's just Afghanistan Weather in general...I hate it...

It's the Afghan Weather I hate short and simple. I love ND Storms and there better not be a dry summer because I'm looking forward to a couple of lightning chases and Storm Taunting when I'm home. This time no stops...I'm going balls to the wall...And all I need afterwards is a hot shower and someone to share that with...Anyways That Post was completely random but true...Well Hope you Enjoyed it and Leave me some Love...Cya Kyle...

Well the truth always seems to hit like a hammer, and it knocked me pretty good last night. There I was staring out into darkness, searching and thinking. I looked to check the time on my watch, and looking through the faint blue light I made out the time 0130, only 2 1/2 hours left. I checked the date 3-1, and bam I realized I was supposed to be on my way back home. Nope but 3 1/2 months left...It's gonna be a long wait...So to pass the time I started to think about what I have done this deployment and what possibly is going to happen over the next 3.5 months. Eventually I got to leave in July...So these are the plans thus far....

4th of July will be spent in the PArk River Area visiting family

July 7th Weekend Trip to Winnipeg and come back for Thompson Days

July 9th to the 12th OPEN

July 13th Weekend Adams Days

July 16th to the 19th OPEN

July 20th Weekend and on is OPEN

Somewhere I need to put tubing, a possible weekend or week roadtrip, possibly a camping trip in the Boundary Waters. IDK if you have any ideas or comments on anything...post them especially for the roadtrip i need ideas...The drinking age at 21 is really bullshit and discriminates against me. I'm not necessarily talking age, I'm talking about for the protection of the USA. I'll have almost 18 months in combat and still can't legally drink. I could be going to Lake Haviso and be on a Yacht, but no the drinking age is 21. Damn I think I'm going to Australia or Europe...but there is that trip to the Netherlands...hhhmmmm.....Leave me some Love...Cya Kyle

Well things are going as well as they can given the fact that we are here until June. We were supposed to leave this month but got extented; people are pissed but what can you do about it. So instead of a 12 month deployment in the shitties part of the Stan it's now a 16 month deployment. Higher powers beyond my control wanted to up the troop strength and numbers for the spring and summer...I guess things are supposed to get pretty heated come snow melt...

What is the best part of Afghanistan and this Deployment?

I believe the answer to the question is best answered by guys who previously served in Iraq. They wish they were in Iraq because it's easier and less physically demanding. There is something appealing about getting shot at in an Armored Humvee instead of walking 50 km over the mountains and getting shot at. Well besides all that I'm the genious that enlisted to be Infantry that got assigned to an area that has no road access (Meaning I walk my ass everywhere...). I knew I should have done an easier job...Why didn't I join the Air Force or go to College? Well I can at least look back on all they great things I have experienced and can do now. I know what it's like to go 3 months with only 1 shower (relying on a river or well for bathing) or a month with only baby wipes, living out of a backpack for months at a time, not knowing who the enemy is, sleep deprivation, knowing your friends were murdered and you can't do anything about it, all the stupid and Bullshit things we do just to smoke the ball piss out of us and to give two sentences to a daily report, and the list goes on...You know there and 3 phrases that keep me going...It can always be worse (It can and you sorta develope a superstutious nature about things...don't jinx it), There is always an end (Either I'm dead, Injured, and still alive but life goes on. If there is no God why does life matter? If there is no Afterlife there is really nothing to fear and no plan. No Fate No Fear...And Eventually we all are forgotten.), and They have moved away...What's the differents between a person dying and moving way? A nameless face that cries in the dark? Either way I would never see them again, but that only helps on the surface. I question my faith because of what has happen and sometimes I believe I'm a wreck, just an empty shell. And the true is maybe I'm just depressed, but there are some guys that I know are fucked up from this shit, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I hate this country...

What is the best part of this extention?

Well besides the unknown of the next 4 months and serving the time, it's the extra grand a month and taking leave in the summer. So instead of going home in April with people still in school. I got a full month with No School, Late Nights, Drinking, 4th of July (Park River), Street Dances, Thompson Days, Adams Days, Winnipeg, and my dad is coming home from Iraq. I have earned my right to drink and hook up...It's gonna be crazy...

What's the next step?

Well after leave it's either stay in the states for a year and deploy or deploy again in the fall. So lets see 2 years left or a year...I'm getting the fuck out...Iraq can't be any worse than this...I hope that's not a jinx...

Well I needed to vent and here are some pics...We wanted to blow up a snow man but it never happened...Enjoy the Snow...Take Care and Leave me some Love...Cya Kyle...

C-4...Our Mutt and Watch Dawg...

Snow on the Mountain...

Where's Waldo??...Bet you can't find him...

Ever seen Red Dawn??

   Well New Years is almost here and I'm still where I'm always at.  I haven't had that much time to post over this last year, but I will do what I have the last 2 years post a Year Review.  I guess I should start back in January of 06...

-Moved to NY and partied for 3 months

-Deployed to Afghanistan in March

-Did alot of good and stupid things (Too many of both to name)

-Broke down after the lose of my friends (August and October)

-Crushed all my limitations (Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, and Passiately)

-Came Home on Leave in November

-Saw old Friends and Caught up with Family

-Partied and released 9 months worth of Stress, Frustration, Anger, and Hate.

-Saw how I have changed and what it means to me and others

-Saw how some people will never change and going to college doesn't mean Maturity (Maturity isn't taught or age it's learned).

-Made the Paper...Did you see the Article?

I guess this year has been about serving and soul searching.  The funny thing is I still don't know what I want to do after my enlistment is up.  Horses, Politics, Business, Medicine??? I DON'T KNOW!!!!  Well besides all that I'll post some more pics if I can get them loaded up on photobucket...Well leave me some love and See Yall Real Soon...2 MONTHS BABY!!!...Cya Kyle

One of those Good things with a lot of Stupid things mixed in...To Hell and Back...

 Oh The Monkeys...

And for that Goat/Dinner picture from a few posts back...Well Yah...Deboned and steaks on the Grill...

Well things are really slow right now because I'm just waiting on a flight to get me back to Blessing.  The other day I went back and looked through all of my entries going back to Christmas of 04.  So I got to remember some good, retarded, and bad times.  Well anyways I'm debating whether I should close down this site because everyone that I know has moved on to facebook or myspace.  Just looking at the GF metro all the people seem between the age of 12 and 14...yes I'm old and it's a great group.  I was shocked to see a person with a 94 birthday had a blog.  So besides that I went to the country dance they had tonight.  It was alright and pretty much I was just looking to kill time anyways.  So anyways I'm going to go to sleep now because tomorrow I  have a great work out planned.  Well if anyone still reads this...Leave me some Love and comments...Cya Kyle...

     Well once again it has been months since my last post.  Once again things have changed and so have I, but the biggest piece of news that leave just ended.  I'm currently sitting in the Atlanta Airport waiting on my flight out of the states and back into the Shit.   So having about two and a half hours still to kill I decided to bring this blog back to life.  Maybe breath some new spirit into it as well, but right now it's looking like pictures is all that I'll be posting today.  Now I just need to remember how to pin them up again...Well Enjoy and Remember I'm back in April...Cya Kyle...

All G'd Out...

Don't Tell the Boss...

My Bruthas froms otha Muthas thrown up fa T-tawn Yall..HoLLA Holla...

Straight Cowboys...

The Power is MINE!!!

Well it's one of those special days because my posting of pictures is few and far between.  And today it's Afghan Picture Day!!!  These photos were taken over a period of months deep within the boonies of the Hindu Kush.  Enjoy and leave me some love after words...Cya Kyle...

It's Dinner...and I had the dirty job of twice...the barbaque was great...

This was taken before a night operation...

When I say mountains I mean Mountains...

And the Mountains again...Anybody know where the elevator is??

Peace to the Mountains...I'm out of there...Can you spot the magic number??

And I climbed the Mountain...

Hey how are all of you doing?  Damn it has only been 3 months since my last post.  A lot of shit has happened in that time but I'm glad to say that I'm back at Blessing for a while.  I'm going to post some pics within the next few days so keep your eyes pealed for them.  Well thank you all for your support and mail...and all the candy that my grandmas keep sending me...Well I'll see you all in a couple of months when I'm home for leave in Mid November...Take Care and Peace from the Stan....Love Yall...

Kyle Slaathaug

Well it's that time again...Time to Post...

Well it's hot here and as the heat increases so does the work.  Once again this is going to be my last post for a while, but duty calls. Thank you all who have been writing me, I'm sorry for late replies, but I have little time to write. Please keep the letters coming and I'll reply when I can. Cya Kyle

PS I posted some new photos on myspace...www.myspace.com/wild_shoobie...

Wow...I can't believe it...a post that isn't a month apart form the others.

Well I set-up a myspace account at www.myspace.com/wild_shoobie (original name).  It's still in the works I just need more time to put up photos and get rid of the default settings...Meet you on the high ground...Cya Kyle