Flabergasted: Journal 7/30/06
Well… leadership has hit a new low. Up until this point I have really kept my mouth shut about how this place is being run. Because honestly, I don’t know if I could do any better than than the folks running the show. But I can’t keep quiet anymore.
From day one, the command staff has encouraged every one of us to try and better themselves while on this deployment. And you really do need to find some sort of hobby to get through the long hours. Especially when working a job in the TOC like I do. There can be hours on end when NOTHING is happening. It can be incredibly maddening without having any sort of outlet. So what do I do to help the situation? I keep a guitar in the TOC.
My outlet is the guitar.
It’s sitting there for anyone to use. I don’t hoard it. I want to hear music flowing out of this room. There were times when a few of us gathered together and sang really cheesy 80’s song. A sort of triumphant show of bonding in the TOC. But now that’s all gone. Why?
And I quote: “There will be no more musical instrument playing in the TOC till further notice.”
My commo partner, Colin, is the most amazing trumpet player. Have you ever gone to a band concert in high school? Well, he doesn’t sound anything like those knock off trumpet players. This kid is really fucking good! He can play the most amazing classical pieces and then bust into some Glenn Miller swing. Lately he’s been playing early in the morning at the TOC so that when people are stumbling to the showers, they catch a taste of his trumpet wafting through the air. He’s even been so polite about it that he will ask everyone in the TOC if they would mind that he played for a few minutes. This just blows my mind because who the hell wouldn’t want to hear his amazing playing!? His playing has stopped me in my tracks before and I’ll stand outside the building just to listen to him play. But I guess I won’t be hearing much of that anymore.
Fisher. Parekh. Schweitzer. Cachola. Sorry guys. We can’t play our guitars/sing anymore. Just stop trying to be creative. No more lessons. It’s not allowed.
Leadership wants us to do our hobbies on our own time. Because god knows the days are soooooo busy. Not a moment can be wasted on self improvement! I guess it’s one thing to get in trouble for not doing your job. But if something doesn’t affect the way a person works but rather provides a creative outlet during the mind numbing hours of NOTHING. How is playing a musical instrument something to be frowned upon? I mean, my god, I know we’re in a country formerly ruled by a dictator… but I didn’t realize those ideals were still alive in the army that’s currently occupying it.
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