.png "English"){kind=small}
~Theme from "The Jeffersons"
I finally got assigned to a connex box a couple of days ago. I am not sure what the word "connex" means, but connexes are a series of boxes that are stacked on top of one another and side by side, much like giant Legos. As you can see from the pictures, they are exceptionally small, perhaps 8' x 8'. However, they are private! No sharing space with anyone! No more alarm clock bingo! No more snoring (except for maybe my own)!
The picture above is a view from outside looking in. That's about the best view I can give you, because it is very tight. My brother Michael will be glad to know that I also have sheets - no more "prison style" sleeping! The walls are a kind of plastic, sort of like pvc pipe material. I have my own heater/a.c. too. Again, it really is very nice. Of course, I'm too dense to figure out exactly how the heater works, so the best I can do is turn it off/on all night long as I get too hot/cold.
Here is a shot sitting on the bed looking out towards the door. There is a little locker where you stuff all of the essentials. Everything else is jammed up under the bed to maximize space.
I am almost embarrased by the luxury, and I'm not kidding or being sarcastic. I even have a small t.v. that is hooked up to the Armed Forces Network (AFN), which you can see to the right. At this time I would like to take a moment to digress about the AFN.
While it is t.v., it is a little strange. Sports are never shown live, as far as I can tell. They do show one movie every night, although they are heavily edited. I was delighted the other night when I saw "Animal House" being shown, because it is pretty much my favorite movie. Life certainly imitated art vis-a-vis that movie and the Phi Delts at Tennessee, but that is another story probably not suitable for the public. Anyway, AFN decided that the scene with John Belushi downing the fifth of bourbon was unsuitable, so they deleted it. That sort of sums up the programming.
There are no commercials, unless you count the 30 second public service announcements put out by the Army, Navy and Air Force. These PSA's remind you to do things like floss your teeth or lock your doors at night. There are also wonderful little spots that attesting to the merits of various units around the world. For example, we often see a commercial telling us about the skill and utility of the Air Force cargo loaders. While I would never denigrate their service or doubt that they are indeed doing a fine and valuable job, I will almost welcome the dreaded pharmaceutical commercials when I get home.
Anyway, this connex is a huge upgrade for me. I think constantly of the guys out in the field who freeze every day and night and am very thankful for what I have. Compared to the 'States, connex box living might be inconvenient, but here in the "A" it feels like the Ritz Carlton!!
The picture above is a view from outside looking in. That's about the best view I can give you, because it is very tight. My brother Michael will be glad to know that I also have sheets - no more "prison style" sleeping! The walls are a kind of plastic, sort of like pvc pipe material. I have my own heater/a.c. too. Again, it really is very nice. Of course, I'm too dense to figure out exactly how the heater works, so the best I can do is turn it off/on all night long as I get too hot/cold.
Here is a shot sitting on the bed looking out towards the door. There is a little locker where you stuff all of the essentials. Everything else is jammed up under the bed to maximize space.
I am almost embarrased by the luxury, and I'm not kidding or being sarcastic. I even have a small t.v. that is hooked up to the Armed Forces Network (AFN), which you can see to the right. At this time I would like to take a moment to digress about the AFN.
While it is t.v., it is a little strange. Sports are never shown live, as far as I can tell. They do show one movie every night, although they are heavily edited. I was delighted the other night when I saw "Animal House" being shown, because it is pretty much my favorite movie. Life certainly imitated art vis-a-vis that movie and the Phi Delts at Tennessee, but that is another story probably not suitable for the public. Anyway, AFN decided that the scene with John Belushi downing the fifth of bourbon was unsuitable, so they deleted it. That sort of sums up the programming.
There are no commercials, unless you count the 30 second public service announcements put out by the Army, Navy and Air Force. These PSA's remind you to do things like floss your teeth or lock your doors at night. There are also wonderful little spots that attesting to the merits of various units around the world. For example, we often see a commercial telling us about the skill and utility of the Air Force cargo loaders. While I would never denigrate their service or doubt that they are indeed doing a fine and valuable job, I will almost welcome the dreaded pharmaceutical commercials when I get home.
Anyway, this connex is a huge upgrade for me. I think constantly of the guys out in the field who freeze every day and night and am very thankful for what I have. Compared to the 'States, connex box living might be inconvenient, but here in the "A" it feels like the Ritz Carlton!!