Mon. 8 Dec.- Bad news is very difficult to gain computer access.  The MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) facility at the CRC (CONUS (Continental U.S.) Replacement Center) is being refurbished.  SO, I have to wait until after duty hours for a shuttle to drive me to and from another site.  Definite disincentive.  AND, to add insult to injury, it seems that the network server is blocking Facebook.

I CAN send and receive email on my Blackberry, but that is rather inconvenient for extensive writing.

So- per the below- arrived on Saturday and spent the evening in-processing.  I was very excited to have my own room with my own heater.  Unfortunately a roommate arrived in the middle of the night last night and she immediately turned the heater off.  i wondered why it was so cold this a.m.  She is re-deploying and leaves in the middle of the night tonight, so I will be warm again soon.  When I met her this afternoon,  her opening line was, "Are you from Arizona or something?"

On Sunday we filled out scads of paperwork in anticipation of today's medical inprocessing.  I got 3 shots- typhoid, anthrax and flu, a TB test, and discovered that I am neither pregnant nor HIV positive.  Most of you know how I detest watching movies, so you can imagine my joy at SIX consecutive videos from 4:30-6:15 yesterday on various do's and don'ts of being a hostage.  I was particularly impressed that one of the motivational lines was "I will keep faith in my God and in the United States of America."  I'm thinking that there are not too many armies in the world which would include such a reference.

We also viewed a welcome video that gave an overview of this week's process.  I found it slightly alarming that the first musical accompaniment featured a chorus of "Someone's gotta go over there, someone's gotta die."  They might want to re-think that choice?

Today we were issued a ton  of equipment, including a little transmitter they can use to find us if we get lost.  That was cool.  Lots of cold weather gear, and I got away with not having to take the elbow and knee pads, which I dearly hope not to need and would just have been one more thing to shlep around and turn in when I get back.  My faithful assistant volunteered to put my kevlar helmet together for me tonight while I went to the PX to get the battery replaced in my watch and came over here to write to y'all.

We have discovered at least two other Jewish soldiers- the XO of the company which is processing us, and an NCO who is heading to a primo assignment in the Sinai!  Gave both of them the full Khanukka treatment- greeting cards, gift cards, dreidels and gelt, and they were duly touched. 

BTW- Marching is a very efficient way of moving people from one location to another.

On Thursday a.m. everyone else will be going to the range for weapons qualification, from which I am exempt.  So, I hope to hitch a ride back here and send one more note before we fly out of here.  Hopefully, in theatre there will be better connectivity.  Ironic, come to think of it. . . .

Sat. 6 Dec.- some of you may have been this already
Well, made it through the first day of the CRC.  This will be brief- the 
computer room here is being refurbished so I have to write on the Blackberry- no 
fun.  When we get a break in training I can ask for a ride to the library on the 
main post- pretty inconvenient.

We are in our own little isolated compound, two hour van ride from Atlanta 
airport.  Accommodations are extremely basic but I can't complain TOO much:  a). 
There is heat and an indoor bathroom, b) the teeny room I have to myself- two 
bunk beds and 4 wall lockers is the same size as that my assistant is sharing 
with 3 other people!

Lots of waiting and paperwork this eve.  And a seriously wretched dinner.  Great 
news is that training doesn't start till 7:30 tomorrow- MUCH better than the 
5:45 advertised on the website!