Monthly Archive for December, 2005

Day 64: Quote Of The Week!!!

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Chris
on December 31, 2005
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Here is the FirestormLIVE Quote of the Week, and now a leading front-runner for Quote of the Year as well.

I already have somebody…he is over in Baghdad right now defending your right to make a [donkey] out of yourself with a girl that is obviously not interested. Why would I want to give that up for you?

The above is from none other than the wonderful Aftan Rehling, after some guy came up to her and started hitting on her persistently while she was at work. I think she just increased her stock 150%. :)

Quick note to all Wordpress users. If you’re using version 1.5 or below, upgrade to 2.0. It’s got AJAX and it’s a lot prettier than 1.5. Plus theme previews and a whole bunch of other things….you’d have to be an avid user like me to appreciate it. Download 2.0 now.

So it’s the weekend and things are very quiet. I’m not going to go play in that football tournament…for some reason I’m too tired to do so. I think I slept too much. Tomorrow I am coming in to record a radio show, then I’m out for a bit and I’ll be back normal time on Monday.

So yeah, that’s it. Much love to everybody.

Day 63: Weekend Update & Some Favorite Tracks.

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Chris
on December 30, 2005
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Well everyone, today’s pretty interesting. I get to go home early so here’s a quick update.

Two people I work with, SGT Trevor Snyder and SPC Stacy Sanning, were interviewed by BBC Radio World Service last night about military members blogging in Iraq. The interview is pretty interesting, SGT Snyder and SPC Sanning basically join others in a discussion via phone about how maintining blogs (such as this one does) keeps a vital connection to folks back home. I will link at the bottom of this post to each of their blogs, and to the interview.

Not much to report on my end today, and remember, for the most part, no news is good news. We have a flag football tournament tomorrow at Blackhawk Field so that should be fun. Other than that, not much is really going on. I have tomorrow an d Sunday off, but I think I’m gonna mosey on down to work both days and just chill for a bit. I hate being cooped up at the hooch, and there are some pretty cool people here to chill with so why not shoot the breeze for a bit. And update the blog too.

Final score of the Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma Sooners 17, Oregon Ducks 14. My day is ruined so I will end this post soon.

To end today’s post on a musical note, here is a look at some of the tracks I grew to like this past year. Some of them are from years prior but either I discovered them this year or came to like them this year. Here is a partial list.

Seamus Haji - Angels of Love - I don’t know why, but the first time I visited the website for Seamus Haji and Big Love, I was absolutely hooked on this track and had to download it for myself. Now it is my most listened to song over the month of December by far. It’s definitely a big time floorfiller, as the website says…and it’s bound to get stuck in your head if you listen to it. I had never heard of Seamus Haji until I stumbled upon his website, and boy am I glad I found it.

Track Sampler

Enjoy Bob Sinclar Bob Sinclar - Gym Tonic - I was at a friend’s house when I first heard this one. After I got home, I downloaded it and heard, to my surprise, that the song was built around instructions from a Jane Fonda workout tape. Seriously. “Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and back, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and back…” the vocals repeat. It’s probably the dumbest song I’ve heard in a long time but hey, at least it sounds good.

Track Sampler

Destroy Rock & Roll Mylo - Destroy Rock & Roll - Mylo composes his music on a PowerMac G4 at his home, so this album has to sound pretty crappy, right? Wrong, dead wrong. This is one of the best dance albums ever created. Some manic street preacher’s voice is sampled in this track, decrying all types of rock and roll music….from Bruce Springsteen to The Cars, you name it. An album like this would really make you want to destroy rock and roll.

Track Sampler -

Disco 3 Pet Shop Boys - “London” (Thee Radikal Blaklite Edit) - Felix da Housecat’s remix of one of my favorite PSB tracks sounds nothing like the original, but you gotta like how this guy took the track, looped Neil Tennant singing “London” and turned it into a stomping house track. My favorite part is about the first couple minutes…when I was driving to Missouri in October I looped it over and over. The original “London” from their album “Release” is a classic, and this remix rocks.

Track Sampler

That’s all for now…have a great weekend, enjoy, and God bless.

Links I promised earlier:
SPC Stacy Sanning’s Blog - “My Iraqi Saga”
SGT Trevor Snyder’s Blog - “The Will To Exist”
BBC Radio Interview (Real Player required)

Day 62: Seahawks, “Stairway to Heaven” And More.

Published
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Chris
on December 29, 2005
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Howdy cowpokes.

Speaking of cowpokes, Dallas Cowboys fan (and my uncle) Johnny Parker sent me a disturbing email that all Seahawks fans reading this blog should hiss at. I remember going to his house and when we would watch Seahawks games, someone like Rick Mirer or Warren Moon (and in recent years but not so much as of late, Matt Hasselbeck) would throw dumb interceptions and Uncle Johnny would throw his head back and laugh. I was saddened. It is true the Seahawks haven’t won a playoff game since before I was born, but this year I think they will change that. Thus the reason for the following email:

Hey Christopher,

As you are aware the playoffs are right around the corner. I thought I would take a moment to attempt to bring you a degree of clarity with regards to the current standings. I am taking the time to do this because of my concern for you that you might be getting your hopes high.

See, I know that you, among others, are extremely hopeful that the seahawks are going places. I beg you, do not put any confidence in this. You will only be disappointed. They will not go far. Please consider the following:

Of the 15 games that seattle has played:

9 have been against teams with losing records

6 have been against opponents with winning records
Of those 6
Lost to Jacksonville 11-4
Lost to Washington 9-6
Should have lost to NYG 10-5
Outplayed by Dallas for 57 minutes 9-6
Atlanta is only 1 game above 500 8-7
Ind. played there second string without coach Dungy

All of this spells problems for the seahawks. Combined records of all teams they have had to face 96 wins and 129 losses. It is good for them that they are in the weakest division in all of football (combined record of 13-32 for SF, STL and AZ) (Those six games alone assured them of 6 victories).

In addition I trust that you recognize that S. Alexander should have a really big asterisk by his name for the yardage and touchdowns for the season (given the above).

Anyway, I just wanted to prepare you. I remember how defeated and deflated you were last season as we watched their early demise. Don’t be discouraged, the Boston Red Sox recently gave their fans a big boost. It could still happen for seahawk fans. (Just do not look for it before the Rapture and after that you won’t care)

Take care bud,

Uncle Johnny

How sad. I’m still working on a response to that.

On another note, sometimes I’ll just think of random stuff at work because there really isn’t too much to think about when I have time on my hands, except for Aftan, Jesus, Aftan, music, Aftan, Seahawks, Aftan….you get the picture. So I decided to pay Google a visit and search for backmasked versions of “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin.

You see, my dad told me once that if you played “Stairway” backwards (backmasking is pretty much just playing a song backwards) that it revealed a hidden satanic message. See, click here and check this link out. You can definitely see that’s very interesting.

I also heard something about Jimmy Page having bought the home of notorious satanist Alastair Crowley and penning the song there. Wouldn’t surprise me if he did, but I doubt it. It is interesting to note that Page was fascinated with many forms of the occult, so I do believe that did play a part in many of the songs Led Zeppelin recorded.

No matter what, satanism or no satanism, “Bron-Yr-Aur” is one of the most beautiful tracks ever recorded with an acoustic guitar. Click here to check out a sample.

Today was a good day. Very cold outside, but it feels GOOD for some reason. It’s kinda weird, but even though this is Baghdad, it reminds me of cold, clear and crisp fall and winter weather back home. And by home I mean Rainier, Oregon. The cold isn’t biting, but it feels welcome. I love winter, but I wish it would snow. Fat chance for that to happen in Baghdad.

I posted more pictures in the PhotoCenter, so check them out. I also plan on uploading more archived photos from the rest of 2004 and all of 2005. Still got a ton of them that I need to post, so I’m gonna do so soon. I’m also gonna see if I can’t hitch a ride with someone sometime and grab some photos of Saddam’s old parade grounds, some interesting architecture and other landmarks like the Iraqi Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Just please be aware that I post what I can because I don’t want to violate operational security.

Did you know you can watch our AFN newscasts online??? Just go to www.pentagonchannel.mil and there should be a link to Freedom Journal Iraq, a program I sparingly have a hand in supporting. (Today I shot the anchor leads for the newscast though, so I thought I’d do a shameless plug for AFN Iraq.)

Whew, that was a long post. Time to email Aftan then head out. I owe her two of them. Peace!

Day 61: Dissection Of A Music Video.

Published
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Chris
on December 28, 2005
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My apologies to Aftan, but I am going to pick apart a sample clip of the video “Stickwitu” by the Pussycat Dolls, mainly because she encouraged me to watch it sometime. Click here to check it out. Play it through then read below and see if you noticed the same things I did.

I noticed four things in that video.

1. Nicole Scherzinger is absolutely hot. Aftan and I both agree on this fact. I am a huge fan of the “exotic yet tame” look. Nicole is definitely a winner as the lead “singer” for the PCD, because let’s face it. She’s hot and sex sells. No wonder PCD music is in high demand at the iTunes Music Store.

2. The Pussycat Dolls look more like strippers than singers. That’s because they ARE (well, they are a burlesque group so yeah). Sad. Makes me wonder if it’s really them singing, or if it’s just a marketing ploy to get people to actually see one of the PCD’s “shows” or something. Or did they turn from strippers to singers? I don’t know, I don’t follow the group and don’t care to.

3. What is that dog doing? In the middle of the video you can clearly see a dog being taken away from a sleeping woman. I don’t even want to guess what that dog was doing there, and thank God the video showed the dog already being pulled away.

4. Product placement. This music video is basically an advertisement for the iPod and Nokia cell phones. Watch near the end of the video…she’s using both. If you’ve seen the whole thing, she is using both electronic devices throughout.

5. LAST SECOND BONUS: Ebonics. I don’t see one black woman on the PCD roster, but they have effectively turned what could have been a great song into some ebonics slang…saying “stickwitu” instead of sounding a little more pronounced and saying “stick with you.”

Sad, sad, sad. Overall rating of the video is a 4 out of 10. I’m glad you like it, Aftan. :)

So onto the real posting. There is not too much to say today except I am getting kinda bored. I edited some more video today but that’s about it. And it’s 5:06 right now. I’m safe, I’m loved, I’m pretty well off right now. 61 days in, 118 to go. If that. I can’t wait to get back to the States.

Anyhoo, that’s it from me for now. Email me at christopher.brewer @ gmail.com if you have any suggestions for the site, or things I should write about. Or if you just wanna talk for a bit. Thanks, peace, love you all and God bless.

Day 60: 1/3 Of The Way Done!!!

Published
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Chris
on December 27, 2005
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Howdy.

Today is the day I celebrate being 1/3 of the way done with my tour in Iraq. 60 days down, with 119 left to go. It’s technically a 179-day deployment, and the Air Force mandates that I have to report back to my home station before those 179 days end, so I could be coming home in 110 days for all I know. Who knows. All I know is that I am not coming home any later than April 29, 2006, because that was my first day in Iraq.

So it has been extremely cold over the last couple of days. I hope this cold snap ends soon. This morning was just about unbearable, and I am kicking myself for not wearing my fleece undershirt. It’s really weird because when it gets cold, my stomach and chest are about the only areas that freeze. I don’t understand it.
This morning, I put a Macromedia Flash-based MP3 player on my site. To test it out, check out my top 5 tracks of the week. I hide the titles because once you click PLAY, it shows them.

The FirestormLIVE Top 5 for December 27, 2005

1

2

3

4

5

That’s it for today! God bless!

Day 59: Sneaking Up On 2006.

Published
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Chris
on December 26, 2005
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So we’re slowly sneaking up on 2006, as I wish you all a very Merry Day After Christmas (or, for you Canadians, Boxing Day).

How was everyone’s Christmas? Me, I spent mine playing football with some of the guys from the MPAD (Mobile Public Affairs Detachment — they write the newspaper). Myself, Staff Sgt. Leake and Chief Crandall went down to Blackhawk Field where we met up with a bunch of the guys for some good 4-on-4 football action. It was a fun time. I’ve got photos of it that I’m going to throw in the PhotoCenter as soon as I can. Just not tonight.

Today it got COLD. This morning the temperature peaked at 49 degrees, and we had a high of 56 for the day. In just a short span of two days we have seen some really frigid temps move into the region. For those of you that thought Baghdad couldn’t get very cold, you’re dead wrong. The wind blows constantly here and makes it worse because there’s not much to break the wind. I was froze when I arrived at work, and I think it’s gonna be cold tonight when I take off in a few minutes. Up in Kurdistan (northern Iraq) it actually snows frequently.

As we get closer to the advent of 2006, another brand new year, I look at it as one of huge change for me. I’ll be coming back from Iraq in late April or early May. I will finally be visiting with Aftan Rehling, four years after our high school graduation (and four years too long). My time in the Air Force will end November 26, and I will be moving away from Newport News and heading west to Springfield, Missouri at that time.

In case you didn’t read the above clearly, that served notice as my official announcement that I indeed am moving away from Newport News and going to Springfield. I’ve talked about it over and over and over, but I guess I needed to come right out with an official announcement. I know it’s a year away but it’s the biggest goal I have set for 2006, and I am determined to reach that goal with the money I will be making here in Iraq, and God’s help as well.

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas. Let me know what made it special for you, if it was special. Did it snow, did you go on Christmas lights tours, etc.??? Just let me know how your Christmas went!!! I’d love to hear back from all of you.

On a final note, you might notice something differently about the Shoutbox tonight. It went kaput today while I was trying to fix something. My bad…I might get it fixed before I get out of here tonight and definitely it will be up tomorrow.

Peace, God bless, and the Shoutbox is coming back soon.

Days 57 & 58: Merry Christmas, Everybody!!!

Published
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Chris
on December 24, 2005
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Here is a personal message from me to everyone on this Christmas Day.

From deep in the heart of Baghdad, Iraq, inside the International Zone…I bid all of you a very merry Christmas. Today is the day that we celebrate the birth of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ. He came into the world so that he may one day die, rise again and give us the greatest gift of all — eternal life.

Christmas takes on a greater significance to those of us who are not able to be with family on this holiest of holidays. For me personally, this Christmas 2005 has served as a gentle reminder of how I have taken Christmas for granted over the years. I had been so used to spending every Christmas with my family. Every Christmas morning, Jason and I would wake up early, meet Mom and Dad in the living room, eat breakfast, join hands in prayer, then open our presents excitedly. The routine never changed, even as the years passed and time saw our family grow older and closer

But in 2002, I moved away from home and joined the U.S. Air Force. For three of the last four years, I have not been afforded the opportunity to spend Christmas with my family. This time is so different than the other two, because I am serving my country in Baghdad, Iraq. It is wartime here, whereas in America, the environment is one of peace and reflection. We face a certain danger here, and the only danger one may face in America this holiday is a sleigh crashing into their roof.

There are over 150,000 American airmen, soldiers, sailors and Marines who will not get to go home with their families this Christmas. There is also a great number of troops from many other nations around the world who are here as well, separated from loved ones. We are all thinking about you back home this Christmas, and those of us that share faith in Christ are praying for you today. I ask that you take a moment today to pause and think about, and pray for, our troops deployed overseas in harm’s way, and that everyone return home safe.

This war has rendered many children fatherless, and many mothers have had sons and daughters taken from them by a cowardly enemy that these heroes swore to defend America against. It is because of the brave men and women fighting terrorism that you in America enjoy this holiday season in whatever fashion you enjoy. As you remember the troops serving here, please pray for the families of the ones who have fallen as well.

As for myself, I ask for your prayers today, that God would continue leading me as He did the children of Israel. He lets me know continually He is with me, as He did them as fire by night. I will continue to pray for you all today and throughout the rest of my tour here.

God bless you all this Christmas. Thanks to everyone who has sent me cards, gifts and reminders that I am loved by many back home.

Mom, Dad and Jason, I am with you in spirit today. Next year, our family will be reunited and I guarantee you 2006 will be the best Christmas ever.

Day 56: Two Days Off, I Think.

Published
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Chris
on December 23, 2005
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Okay, so I think I am getting the next two days off. Tomorrow is for sure, because it’s my normal barracks day. I may, just may come in here tomorrow — because we’ve got a Christmas party here anyway from 6-10 PM — and give a quick update. If I don’t have to work Sunday, I’m not gonna come in at all. I will have absolutely nothing to do, but no one will be available for me to chat with or anything because of the holiday. Maybe Sunday would be a good day to just sleep all day and all night. My body is so worn out…I just can’t sleep much for whatever reason. I’m really tired during the day, but at night my body wants to get up and go. I don’t get it. I only get 5 hours of sleep a night, if that.

Plus my left arm is really sore from weightlifting all this week. I don’t think it would be as sore if I were as tired. My right arm was sore the first day and that was it, but my left bicep has this deep yellow bruise on it. Weird.

I picked up a copy of “The Chronicles of Narnia” (yes, the movie) at the little shop inside the Al-Rasheed Hotel today. I am amazed at how the folks over here can get away with copying movies like they do…and I have to hand it to them, a lot of the packaging for the movies looks professional. The only thing that looks different about the movies is they don’t come in hard cases…they come in these resealable plastic sheets. I will post a photo of it sometime.

I have updated the PhotoCenter with all the photos I’ve taken so far during my deployment. Well, not all, but at least the ones here in Baghdad. Have a look.

FYI, I have been informed that Lakeside Church is having a called conference on January 4, 2005 for the church to vote on Tyler Ashworth as the new youth pastor. If you are a Lakeside member, please attend.

That’s it for today, like I said earlier I might post tomorrow. If I don’t post tomorrow, have a merry Christmas and enjoy the holiday, and remember Jesus Christ is the true reason for the season. No amount of political correctness the world wants to have can diminish the joy surrounding Christ’s birth!

Pray For Colts Coach Tony Dungy & Family.

Published
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Chris
on December 22, 2005
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Tragic news this evening (or morning or afternoon, wherever you are) from Tampa. Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy’s son James was found dead this afternoon.

Link: MSNBC article on James Dungy’s death

This is heartbreaking because Dungy is one of the most outspoken and genuine Christians in the NFL, if not all of sports. He is a true example to many as a coach and Christian as well. I am not a big Colts fan but I like it when Dungy talks about his faith during press conferences. Let’s all be praying for Tony Dungy and his family today as they cope with the loss of their oldest son.

Brand-New Website Theme!

Published
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Chris
on December 22, 2005
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I told you guys I would be heavily updating my site for the turn of the new year. Well turns out I remodeled my front page a bit before Christmas. I also put an orange theme on the blog because I decided it was finally time to go with an orange theme, since after all the site is named FirestormLIVE.

Let me know how you like the new look, if you have any suggestions, changes you’d like to see, etc. I’m open for feedback so leave a comment!