If you have friends over seas, send them an email today! One of my best friends, Kevin, is there and i have been so slack about keeping in touch with him. Yesterday I sent him a long, "why my life sucks and why I need you to come home immediatley" email, and for this to be my reply.... I have quit my bitching.

"I' m having a great time too! this whole country has a personality disorder. Not only are the half of the Arabs trying to kill you, but the other half will drive you insane trying to be your friend. This has been an experience. Some of the things you see on TV we have been right next to. I heard the blast that killed those seventeen Italians a few months back, and was close enough to throw a rock to where troop #500 was killed when it happened. I have been to the Green Zone a few times ( it honestly doesn't seem to be any more "green" than anywhere else over here). We have apaches flying overhead all of the time, whenever the natives get violent they usually fly right over there and kill them. Everybody over here has an AK47, they fire them off on any and every occasion, weddings, funerals, fridays... you never really have any idea if they are shooting at American troops or not. We are smart enough enough to protect ourselves and never let our guard down, so there is usually not much direct danger to us. When the Hajis' see us they usually let us go by and don't bother us( would you pick a fight with a group of guys carrying 50Cals and MK19's ?) The only real sustained danger for us is explosives that they put out on the roadway, they have started using remote detonation so there is really no way to protect yourself from that other than minimizing the time you spend out on the road. I plan to start drinking heavily when I get home so scout out the good spots. Love you"