June 6, 2006

• A word of advice.  Never send anything from the states to an overseas APO using the "Parcel post".  I know it's cheap as hell, but it should never be done.  Going the other way is fine.  When it leaves us, it is flown to the states, and then begins it's journey, which takes a few days longer than first class.  The only reason I used it was because I was sending some heavy stuff, like books, and a skillet set, and a large piece of wood (more on my wood another day).

  
  

  I sent myself 4 packages when I was on leave in the states (2 on April 16 and 2 on April 21st).  They all arrived today, a wonderful 51 days later.  My guess is that they take all the stuff, and float it across the Atlantic tied to a rock.  Once I unpacked the boxes, I realized that I had a big task ahead of me.  My once clean living room now looks like this:
   

  
  

  My first task when I got home was to use the enclosed DVD binders to sort my movies.  I had 4 new ones, which brings the total up to 13 binders.  I took a break to go over to a buddy's house to help him with his internet connection, and to bring him some grappa.  Unfortunately, he wasn't home, even though this was planned out an hour earlier, and he had given his cell to his fiance, who had no idea where he was.  That became a waste of 17 Euro, since I took a cab there and back, due to the grappa.

  
  

  Back at the apartment, I had a huge load of books to sort out and categorize them on the shelves, so I can have a group per shelf.  Realizing that my current system was lacking due to section spill-over, I had to redo the categories.  Now, books break down into: Military books (training and FM's), Military books (stories and non training), Ninjutsu and martial arts training, Physical training, Questionable skills, and random subjects.  In an attempt to optimize, I had to remove the books from the shelves, stack them, and measure the stacks to create the new breakdown.  I sill can't figure if On Rope should be in "Physical Training" or "Questionable skills".  The same goes for Quickstart to Tango. 

  
  

  The section on "Questionable skills" hacking, lock picking, wardriving, shooting, tax lowering, Freemasonry, EKG reading and Phlebotomy (thanks mom), codes and cyphers,  Basically subjects that would make someone look at the shelf and say "WTF?"  I guess it depends on the person.  I'm sure that when you saw Quickstart to Tango, you thought the same thing.

  
  

  (Hours later)  The big trick is arranging things so that I will never have to bend over to get a book.  I almost made it, too.  I had to put the the manga books (Naruto, Megatokyo) down with the games.  I also left some room for some more books that I recently ordered.  I hope I can reclean by this weekend. 

  
  

  Black 6, out.

  • 5:21 pm
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