True pain and suffering he brought to them all

Well, just in case St. Mary's financial aid office is right and they have no option but to spend my refund as the Feds see fit, I sent in orders to Ameritrade that will deplete the Cardboard Box Fund of about a grand. That should help fill the giant sucking void that is my checking account, and allow me to pay the bills I need to pay this fortnight. I'll pay for this next year at tax time, I know, but I'll be better positioned to deal with it then than I am now.

Minor backsliding at this week's weigh-in: up 0.2 from last week. Not good, but not all that bad either.

I can tell the stress is starting to get to me. I did absolutely nothing constructive last night aside from whipping up some tuna salad and pasta for dinner. Have to remind myself to get up and do a little more walking here at work, otherwise I'm going to have more serious problems than just being short on cash.

True pain and suffering he brought to them all

Well, just in case St. Mary's financial aid office is right and they have no option but to spend my refund as the Feds see fit, I sent in orders to Ameritrade that will deplete the Cardboard Box Fund of about a grand. That should help fill the giant sucking void that is my checking account, and allow me to pay the bills I need to pay this fortnight. I'll pay for this next year at tax time, I know, but I'll be better positioned to deal with it then than I am now.

Minor backsliding at this week's weigh-in: up 0.2 from last week. Not good, but not all that bad either.

I can tell the stress is starting to get to me. I did absolutely nothing constructive last night aside from whipping up some tuna salad and pasta for dinner. Have to remind myself to get up and do a little more walking here at work, otherwise I'm going to have more serious problems than just being short on cash.

Another perspective on Generation Kill

Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to recommend Evan Wright's Generation Kill to fuzzybutchkins. Gunny Griego, who was the operations sergeant for B Co/1st Marine Recon Battalion during the time described in the book, has a few bones to pick with the author. I don't know that the Gunny's criticisms necessarily invalidate the whole book, but they do serve as a reminder that all historical accounts are slanted and that journalists who don't know the background and history of the unit they're serving with can be spoon-fed an awful lot of BS by the troops they're with.

(Linked from this account of the 2/8 Marines sniper team, via Blackfive.)

Another perspective on Generation Kill

Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to recommend Evan Wright's Generation Kill to fuzzybutchkins. Gunny Griego, who was the operations sergeant for B Co/1st Marine Recon Battalion during the time described in the book, has a few bones to pick with the author. I don't know that the Gunny's criticisms necessarily invalidate the whole book, but they do serve as a reminder that all historical accounts are slanted and that journalists who don't know the background and history of the unit they're serving with can be spoon-fed an awful lot of BS by the troops they're with.

(Linked from this account of the 2/8 Marines sniper team, via Blackfive.)

Dumbo's Back - And He's Pissed

Some elephants can't handle their liquor, apparently. In other news, trees making a big comeback in Eurasia, India, and the United States. Roll on the global warmening!

Tree snarkiness courtesy of Tim Blair, elephant hijinks from one of his commenters.

Dumbo's Back - And He's Pissed

Some elephants can't handle their liquor, apparently. In other news, trees making a big comeback in Eurasia, India, and the United States. Roll on the global warmening!

Tree snarkiness courtesy of Tim Blair, elephant hijinks from one of his commenters.

A farewell to (cardboard) arms

Well, five of the six wargames I put up for auction sold; naturally, the one I spent the most effort on (Air War) didn't. I got fairly good prices for most of them, so I guess I can't complain; at the very least, now I can afford to replenish my supply of test strips and put some more gas in the tank before the Ameritrade withdrawal drops into my account on Friday. Or Saturday. Or Monday. It all depends on how fast Ameritrade gets my money into the ACH system and whether Wells pulls it down before the close of business. No call back from the Director of Financial Aid at St. Mary's today; maybe she's hoping that if she ignores me I'll go away.

Tomorrow I need to find a box and some packing tape for Bloody April and bring home padded envelopes for the other three. (I think I still have three of those at work.) Then I'll haul them out to the airport and ship them out.

Right now I need to pack it in and get some sleep.

A farewell to (cardboard) arms

Well, five of the six wargames I put up for auction sold; naturally, the one I spent the most effort on (Air War) didn't. I got fairly good prices for most of them, so I guess I can't complain; at the very least, now I can afford to replenish my supply of test strips and put some more gas in the tank before the Ameritrade withdrawal drops into my account on Friday. Or Saturday. Or Monday. It all depends on how fast Ameritrade gets my money into the ACH system and whether Wells pulls it down before the close of business. No call back from the Director of Financial Aid at St. Mary's today; maybe she's hoping that if she ignores me I'll go away.

Tomorrow I need to find a box and some packing tape for Bloody April and bring home padded envelopes for the other three. (I think I still have three of those at work.) Then I'll haul them out to the airport and ship them out.

Right now I need to pack it in and get some sleep.