Bikes, Corned Beef, and TV Junkies.

Well, it's been a pretty slow week for me. About the most exciting thing that happened to me this week is that I finally got myself a bike. Now, having to walk isn't the end of the world, but it's a lot nicer out here to have some wheeled transportation. Thankfully, since the Navy has been doing this "Air Ambulance" thing for over 4 years now, we've built up quite a collection of abandoned bicycles around the compound from which to choose. Unfortunately, most of them are broken down to varying degrees and so it can be tough to get one that works. Anyway, for the last couple of weeks I've had my eye on a bike that's been sitting on the rack with what appeared to be two flat tires. I'm not much on repairing bicycles and replacement parts are very limited here (the wheels are 26" but the BX sells only 25" and 27" tubes) so I was reluctant to grab it. Finally I decided to take it back to the trailer and see if I couldn't monkey my way through some simple repairs. As it turns out, the tubes didn't need replacing since they were merely low and not actually flat. So I filled them up and now she's mine. She's a beauty, too. I realize that I described the bike I used to have here as too gay for Liberace, but that had nothing on my current ride. It's a metallic lime-green girls beach cruiser complete with flames painted on the frame. I assure you, I will post a pic once I get one. Try to imagine me in my flight suit (don't be overwhelmed by the sheer manliness of that mental image, just flow with it). Now imagine me on a rediculously girly bike riding past about 300 Marines with a dumb smile on my face and singing showtunes. OK, I made up the showtunes part (although, for some reason I think "Meet Me in St. Louis" would be most appropriate), but you can imagine how well that goes.

Tonight's dinner was corned beef. As some of you are already aware, that is very high on my list of favorite things, just after snowflakes that melt on my nose and eyelashes. Anyway, the stuff they make here isn't half bad. It's certainly not like the stuff I have at home, but it's edible. Sadly, they don't serve it with cabbage, the savages. Anyway, today it was considerably better than the first time I had corned beef here last summer when they saw the word "brisquet" on it and decided to smother it in barbecue sauce. Yes, that is as gross as it sounds.

Finally, a bunch of pilots were sitting around the other night when we realized that this place really has turned us into TV junkies. I know that you look forward with eager, almost child-like anticipation to seeing what TV series I'm currently watching and I try not to disappoint, but I'm not the only one out here with that problem. Currently overtaking the squadron like wildfire are copies of all of the seasons of "Lost", "House", "Battlestar Gallactica" (season three comes out on March 18 which is 4 days after my birthday...just a thought), "24", "The Office", "Prison Break", and several other shows. It truly is crazy to see.

Oh yeah, one more thing that the CO wanted me to announce on my blog, though now that I think about it, I'm not sure how he knows about my blog...hmmm....anyway, when people find out I'm a pilot one of the first things they always want to know is "What's your call sign?" I've always been able to say I didn't have one, but there has been a resurgence in call signs here at the 2515th and I finally "drank the Kool-Aid" (if you don't get the historical reference, Google it) and put my callsign on my nametag. I tried to fight it, but it refused to die so here it is: Ike. However, the reasoning behind that call sign is on a need-to-know basis only. Sorry.