Gryff's Blog

Home-Made Pita Bread

2012-02-17T21:42:00.000-05:00

...and home-made falafel with home-made roasted-red-pepper hummus.

Hemlock Grove Panoramic

2012-01-28T09:59:00.000-05:00

I created this panorama on my iOS device with the Photosynth app,
http://www.photosynth.net.

DC December 29, 2011

2011-12-31T11:53:00.001-05:00

Pentagon 2011

2011-12-31T11:52:00.001-05:00

9/1102011 Rainbow

2011-09-11T22:23:00.000-04:00

Long Bottom, OH to WV

National Debt

2011-05-18T21:40:00.001-04:00

New York City

North End Tavern

2010-11-14T15:21:00.001-05:00

Giant Puffball Mushroom Steak with Barley and Peppers with Smoked Sausage

2010-10-11T20:22:00.001-04:00

2010-08-08T22:52:00.002-04:00

I tried many times to make sushi and failed. I purchased a new rice maker and voila! With the right rice, the rest was pretty easy.

2010-05-03T21:14:00.004-04:00

This milk snake visits every once in a while.

2009-12-23T19:21:00.001-05:00

Jen shooting pics of flowers in MD

2009-08-02T19:09:00.000-04:00

Looking at the Youghiogheny

2009-08-02T19:07:00.001-04:00

Spruce Nob

2009-07-07T19:02:00.000-04:00

Spruce Nob Lake

2009-07-07T18:58:00.000-04:00

Blackwater Brewing Co.

2009-07-06T13:59:00.000-04:00

Blackwater Falls

2009-07-06T13:57:00.000-04:00

Wild Horse

2009-07-03T15:53:00.000-04:00

WalMart Gallipolis

2009-07-03T14:37:00.000-04:00

Shawnee State Park

2009-07-03T11:08:00.000-04:00

Prickly Pear Cactus

2009-07-02T16:39:00.000-04:00

Ohio Tobacco Museum

2009-07-02T14:48:00.000-04:00

Gold Star Chili

2009-07-02T13:23:00.000-04:00

Camping at Hueston Woods State Park

2009-07-01T21:35:00.000-04:00

2009-07-01T15:59:00.001-04:00

Pit stop for fuel in Ft Recovery Oh
2009.07.01 15:59

2009-07-01T14:17:00.001-04:00

2009-07-01T12:36:00.001-04:00

Hager & I ate Spokes in Pioneer, OH for lunch on 1 Jul 2009.

2009-06-30T19:31:00.002-04:00

Camping at Maumee Bay State Park on Lake Erie.

2008-09-21T13:30:00.002-04:00

Pawpaw Festival

Now that was a good time. Last weekend was the Ohio Pawpaw Festival.

2008-09-21T13:00:00.001-04:00

Slacker II

I admit again that I have simply been too lazy to take the time to write here.

Look forward to a quick recap of the last year.

2007-06-06T23:28:00.000-04:00

Slacker:
Yes, I'm a slacker. I've not posted a thing to my blog since I got back to the States in late April.
Once I escaped from Ft. Bragg, I purchased a Honda Fit and drove quickly away from Fayetteville, NC. I went down to Myrtle Beach then on to Atlanta, GA to visit friends and family.
Once back to Ohio, around the fourth of May, I did as little as possible for a while.
For Memorial Day, I went to the Coca Cola 600, in Charlotte, NC. It was a blast, as always.
Now I'm at it again. I'm visiting my father in the Pittsburgh area now, then on to D.C. From D.C., I'm off to New York City. I'm not sure where I'll head from there, but it may be south again. I'm thinking of hitting the Flugtag (Google it, it's worth it).
Let me know if you're in the path of this one, and I'll swing by for a visit, and hopefully a free meal. :-)

2007-03-24T16:59:00.000-04:00

Plans:
As has become my style, I want to thank a few fine folk first. I got a top notch care package from Kathy Stone this last week and one from Mary, Kim, and Larry Cowdery. Larry (I presume) sent me a couple of the new George Washington dollar coins. I like them. They are an improvement over the Sacagawea model and I hope that they become more commonly used.

The weather here has continued to get hotter by the day and it's up into the mid 80s now. I suppose that by this time next month, it will be into the 90s, just like it was last year. I arrived on the 25th of April last year, and can only hope that I don't see the 25th of April this year. I should be out of Iraq by then, even if it just means that I'm in Kuwait. Time will tell. There is a chance that I could end up stuck here until sometime around August. That would not be cool. (pun intended).

My intentions have bounced around quite a bit since I got here, changed jobs a few times, and got sick of the Iraqi quagmire. I have settled to about 90% likelihood that I will simply go back to my job at Eastern and apply to the Ohio University PhD in Instructional Technology.

For those of you who haven't noticed, my house is occupied, though I am out of the country. My mother and grandmother have moved in and are taking care of the place. It is possible that my mom may buy the house. Time will tell.
Chad

2007-03-03T13:54:00.000-05:00

Mail Call:

Well, the mail is still very bad here. I got a few nice things this week. First, a special thanks goes out to Jeanie Weeks for a GREAT care package. It was very tasty. Second, I got a package and a letter from Ann Henrie; both of which were sent in November. I also got a letter from Clyde and Marlene Kuhn that was sent in November. I am thankful that I got them at all.

The weather continues to be nice. February is definitely the month to visit Iraq. I am hoping to come home in a couple months, but there is always the chance that I will be extended, because my ability to draft PowerPoint is WAY better than the average guy's.
I am getting ready to go outside and see if I can catch part of the lunar eclipse that is tonight.
Maybe the Iraqis will see it as a sign that they all just need to get along. Hmmm, I doubt it.

Per chance that I should forget: Happy St. David's Day (March 1st) and Happy St. Patrick's Day. These are two of the many holidays that I have missed since being here. I will have to celebrate last year's and this year's St. Patty's Days.

2007-02-23T16:17:00.000-05:00

Warm today, and batty:

The thermometer said 78 today. I think it was a little high, but it was nice without a doubt. The bugs were out in force. I was wading through clouds of gnats to get to chow this evening. The funny thing was that the bugs were gone and the bats were out in force by the time I was walking back. These bats are without fear. They must have some really bang-up RADAR. They were flying within inches of my face and pulling up at the last second. They get much closer than the bats back home. More importantly, I think that they might know the locations of the WMDs. I'm going to pen one down tomorrow and threaten it with some holy water. We'll learn the truth.
A special thanks goes out to Jeanie Weeks for sending me a quality care package. I have re-gained a few of this months lost pounds due to some fantastic snacks and beef jerky that is worth its weight in pepper which is worth its weight in gold.

2007-02-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

Pass
Well, since my last post, I was given a four-day pass. To those who have no idea what I'm talking about, it simply means that I did not have to work for four days. These were the first and only four days that I had or will have off during my stay in Iraq. For those who are wondering "Didn't you take leave?" The answer is "Not yet." I am taking all of my leave as terminal leave.
I did pretty much nothing but sleep for the four days that I had off. I did eat at the Taco Bell trailer once. That's right, we have a little Taco Bell here. There is also a Burger King, but don't get confused into thinking that they are real. These are as much Taco Bell and Burger King as the Bob Evans trailer at the Meigs County Fair is a real Bob Evans family restaurant.
I do want to thank Diane, Dave, and the Three Amigos: Angie, Amy, and Carly. They were responsible for the three most recent care packages that I received. Diane's had some sugar free stuff in it that I had requested, and it was helping to stave off the sugar fix. The GIANT bag of peanut M&Ms that came from Angie, Amy, and Carly reversed all calorie reductions that I had managed in the month prior. Dave's package saved me from my own stench with some soap and deodorant. I think that I have enough now to hold me for the rest of my stay. Thanks again to all.

2007-01-27T14:01:00.000-05:00

Many thanks for chocolate chips and Silly Putty:

This week in Baghdad, it has warmed up to nearly 70 degrees. I walked a few miles this afternoon, and with no jacket on, I was sweating.

This week I got three care packages, one from the Cowdery family, one from Matt & Patty Michael, and one from Sina Murphy. I think that the Cowdery cookies were the best tasting things I've had in Iraq. One of the things that Matt sent me was Silly Putty. I was using it like a stress ball today, and had a thought. If I pressed the Silly Putty on classified information, then I wouldn't be able to take it out of the building until it had been officially declassified. Think about that one. Hearing from Sina was great. I'm making a mental (that's me) note right now to go visit when I get home.

2007-01-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

Camper:
This month has dragged along with little for me to write about. If all goes well, I'll have a camper this month. My mother found me a camper to buy. It is a 32' camper with two entrances. Now, if I only had a truck, I'd really be onto something. At some point, I would love to drive across the country staying at miscellaneous camping grounds along the way. I doubt that I would do that in a 32' camper, but one never knows. I think that for now, I'm going to look for a truck and for some land. I would like to find acreage to build on some day. For now, it could be just a place to have my camper. That is, if I get it. Stay tuned.

2007-01-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

Address:

First, I'd like to thank my friend Zito for sending me a package the other day. Second, I'd like to re-post my address. I've had a few requests in the last week for it, so here ya go:

1LT Chad Griffith
HHC DSTB 1CD (G9)
Unit 43027
Camp Liberty, Iraq
APO, AE 09344

2007-01-07T15:30:00.000-05:00

2006, a year in review:

January and February of 2006 were fairly uneventful. In January, I knew that I was going to be deployed and suspected that it may be to Afghanistan. Way back in 2005, I graduated from my military intelligence officer basic course and knew that it would just be a matter of time before I was mobilized. The Army assured me that I would go to its premier language school and learn Arabic before I deployed. Yeah, that never happened. I tried to enjoy my last month or so at Eastern and was reminded by the people there how great they really are. My coworkers, as well as the students, were very supportive. By the second week of February, my focus was narrowed to three things. I was going to enjoy myself, visit all of the friends and family that I could before leaving, and prep my affairs for an absence of up to two years. I had a good time.

Come March, I was at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I was there "training for war" and was fortunate enough to make it down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to see my mother and my aunt. Thanks to my inoculations at Fort Bragg I am immune to many of the world's most spectacular diseases. If any of you are unfortunate enough to need to be inoculated against smallpox in the near future, run and hide under the nearest bed. Holy crap, that one taught me the true meaning of "sick and tired." I got a few pair of the new Army Combat Uniform and some very nice equipment that was part of the rapid fielding initiative. That stuff included Rocky boots and Oakley sunglasses and other items regularly being purchased by soldiers with their own money to better equip themselves.

By the end of April I was in Baghdad. I had been the military intelligence staff officer for the 414 Civil Affairs Battalion while at Fort Bragg. After a few days in Baghdad, Camp liberty to be more specific, I was transferred to the Multinational Division Baghdad staff. There I was assigned to the civil affairs staff officer to the commanding general of the Fourth Infantry Division. I helped write orders directing brigade combat teams in civil affairs operations for a few months. When a particular one of those operations kicked off, I was sent down to the Fourth Brigade Combat Team of the Fourth Infantry Division to support them. I lived at Forward Operating Base Falcon and worked at an Iraqi town hall in the neighborhood of Doura. The Fourth Infantry Division was replaced by the First Cavalry Division and I was recalled from my liaison position. Back at Camp Liberty, I returned to work on the general staff. My new title was Civil Affairs Battle Captain, and I tracked civil military operations in and around Baghdad. I also wrote reports, scripts, and briefs for the division and corps commanders.

It was an eventful year, albeit not an enjoyable one. I learned many things in 2006 and suspected I will learn many more in 2007. I send my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported me thus far and my praise and respect to all those who served before me.

May God grant the nations of Man the ability to someday prevent such horrors from ever coming to be.

2006-12-30T16:50:00.000-05:00

Saddam Hussein hanged:

This morning, December 30, 2006, Saddam Hussein was hanged to death for the mass murder of his own people. I requested to be able to attend, and even volunteered to take an active role. The truth is that we didn't know what happened until everyone back home who happened. I personally suspected that they might do it on New Year's Day. Oh well, maybe I will get to hang the next ruthless dictator that we pull out of a spider hole, stay tuned.

2006-12-25T14:07:00.000-05:00

Christmas Thanx

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to everyone (on the planet.) This week has been a good one for morale. I got a bunch of packages! I want to send out a big Christmas THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me a package since I have been here. I want to send out a special thanks to those whose packages that I received this week: Andy and Kelly Nichols, Jared and Kim Spencer, Michelle Donovan, Khalia Williams, Tuppers Plains Christian Church of Christ, and Eastern Elementary School via Sam Thompson. I literally got so much stuff from Eastern that we will be working on it into the new year. Thanks again.

2006-12-19T15:05:00.000-05:00

USO Tour:

Tonight, I have two things to report. First, my father just purchased a new house. Good job Dad. He emailed me to let me know that a man was killed and left dead in clear view of his window. Way to pick that new neighborhood. Second, I just got back from a USO concert. It was the a Sergeant Major of the Army Hope and Freedom Tour 2006 featuring The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Al Franken, The Washington Projects, Keni Thomas, Leeann Tweeden, Mark Wills, Shevy Smith, and Darryl Worley. It was a great time. I am really glad that I took the time to go.

2006-12-11T15:05:00.000-05:00

Birthday and such:
Well, since my last post, I've had a birthday. I am now 32 years old, and don't feel a year over 31. It was really a pretty good birthday, in that I had a bunch of people either send cards, send emails, or post via Myspace. Oh, and I can't forget those who posted messages on the Frogtails forum. Speaking of them, I would like to send a special thanks to Diane for the care package that she sent me. The peanut butter Softbatch cookies went over especially well. I would also like to thank Kathy Stone. She has sent a few packages now, and each has been very nice. The last one had some small blankets which will be handy as it is now about 37 degrees out (F). Thanks again to all for the birthday greetings. Oh, I also got a timely birthday present/care package from Andy and Kelly Nichols, thank you very much. The jerky is a Godsend.

2006-11-28T15:16:00.000-05:00

Letters from "home":
I got a package of letters from the Martin Luther King Elementary School in Utica, NY today. They were very nice U.S. flags that had been colored by the children. On the back of each page was a short letter. Utica, NY is (was) the hometown of the 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, my current unit. It is nice that someone from there has shared my information with one of the local elementary schools.

2006-11-28T15:12:00.000-05:00

Pictures of Iraq:
I know that I said in an email to many of you that I would post pictures of my Iraqi adventures here. That was a failure. This is not a picture friendly blog. Anyway, if you would like to see some pictures of my playtime in the desert, they are posted at my Picasa (service by Google) site at http://picasaweb.google.com/hrunting74/IraqiAdventure .

2006-11-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

October ended with great weather, and November has been nice. I think that the rest of the year is not worth vacationing in Baghdad. Today was cool in the pre-dawn morning and many of the soldiers I saw were wearing jackets. The rainy season will start soon. I'm not looking forward to a 30 minute walk to work in the rain and mud every day.

2006-11-09T11:10:00.000-05:00

Election Changes:
Well, there it is folks. The Democrats have taken the House, the Senate is up for grabs, and the Sec Def has resigned. There are definitely some changes on the horizon.

2006-11-05T12:14:00.000-05:00

Six Months in Baghdad:
I've now been in Baghdad for over six months. I think that if it were six years, I would still not fully understand more than a small portion of the complexities that make up the political and cultural landscape here. With that said, we have seen the Iraqi government take its first steps as a democratically elected entity, we have seen Al Zarqawi fall and Hussein convicted by the international community. If these things are seen as accomplishments, they must be weighed against their costs.

2006-10-26T14:13:00.000-04:00

The better mosquito:
Nature should have developed a better mosquito by now. Natural selection should certainly have caused a mosquito that has a painless bite and leaves no itchy welt. This would be a simple mutation when compared with something like...the eight-eye visual system of spiders or the Wolf's sense of smell. A mosquito with a painless bite would definitely live longer, feed more, and have a greater chance to reproduce.

2006-10-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

Civil Affairs Officer:

I am working as a civil affairs officer. The basic concept of my job is assisting the democratic government of Iraq to function independently by aiding them in the development of their infrastructure and local governance.

2006-10-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

Recent comments by Japan's government about their constitution limiting their military reminded me how weak many nations' defenses are. Many countries, including France and Germany, have limited their military spending and pushed socialist programs. The money spent on social programs in lieu of military programs is possible due to the US acting as a world police force.