tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54043612012-01-23T19:59:08.718+01:00spiritual, emotional, intellectual, narrative, lyrical, political, humorous, ecstatic, random, etc...Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.comBlogger17061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-46241896616367462542012-01-23T19:22:00.003+01:002012-01-23T19:59:08.723+01:00

A couple weeks ago, I pushed some paperwork through to extend my time here in Italy. Again. My date to leave had been February 2013, putting me here for five years, which is the limit for single people. But for some reason, I decided to give it a shot anyway. I only asked for six months, instead of a full year, hoping I would slip through the cracks. After my Commander approved it last week,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-38857623770688892382012-01-22T14:35:00.002+01:002012-01-22T14:51:09.977+01:00

Last night started out innocently enough. I went to Sacile for a glass of wine in the piazza at Cafe Commercio. Mandy and David joined me, and then we all had dinner at Cellini's. The wine began flowing faster and faster. Mandy left after dinner, but Kristen and Renee showed up with a whole entourage as David and I walked to Bar Bicicletta. Things got a little fuzzy after that, but I do

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-47253279857340307592012-01-19T20:09:00.000+01:002012-01-22T14:19:55.521+01:00

My last PT test was in April, and since I scored well, I don't have to test again until April of this year. The only bad thing about that arrangement is how much I've let myself get out of shape. My running regiment has become sporadic, at best, and even though I'm my diet isn't bad, I tend to overindulge from time to time. I'm 15 pounds heavier than in April and a full 25 pound heavier than

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-49698652937577218202012-01-16T13:44:00.003+01:002012-01-22T14:54:48.592+01:00

Nassfeld, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Rodriguez, Boswell, Berg, Steven, and I spent the long weekend in Nassfeld, Austria. We left Friday after work and made the two-hour drive to our hotel, which was right on the slopes. When we went down to breakfast on Saturday morning, there was a little newsletter on our table giving information on the weather, meal times, and other goings-on in the

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-75242188171627327512012-01-13T12:42:00.000+01:002012-01-22T13:18:16.633+01:00

We're heading to Austria after work this afternoon to snowboard all weekend, so last night, I was packing some things in my truck. Unfortunately, I forgot to lock it after I was done, and this morning, when I got in to go to work, I realised someone had stolen my gas coupons. Again. And again, they didn't even touch my iPod, GPS, or anything else in my truck.Last time this happened, I felt

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-4342886508969662522012-01-08T14:24:00.001+01:002012-01-08T14:24:43.141+01:00

Me, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Last spring, I bought a new board when I was up in Germany. Soon after came new boots, bindings, and even a new jacket. Unfortunately, everything was shut down by the time I got back to Italy, so I haven't been able to try out any of my new gear. Until yesterday.Steven, Berg, and I headed up to Piancavallo for the day. It's been a very dry winter so far, and

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-34180302963655553462012-01-04T20:22:00.003+01:002012-01-04T20:48:40.081+01:00

Eiffel Tower, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.I'd been debating for the past couple months whether to do anything special for New Year's. I considered just laying around some more, but figured I'd regret it if I did. I had some friends from Germany going to Paris, and at last minute, decided to join them. I'm so glad I did.Arc de Triomphe, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.This was my first time

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-26700532669812601422011-12-31T11:33:00.002+01:002011-12-31T11:33:01.244+01:00

To say it’s been a good year for music would be an understatement. 2010 yielded some great things, but it wasn’t exactly overwhelming. There were some definite surprises this year (The Beastie Boys and The Roots are still putting out quality music! It’s already time for 90s nostalgia! Lady Gaga exists!), and some disappointments (No new Missy Elliott record. What was Lupe Fiasco thinking?

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-27444477865957519712011-12-28T17:59:00.000+01:002011-12-29T17:24:15.661+01:00

This is just about the smoothest week of work I've ever had. Hardly anyone is around, giving me plenty of time to catch up on projects that have somehow been put off for the past few weeks. One of my bosses (I have three) comes in every morning to chat over coffee, and we don't even discuss deadlines. I'm playing my radio a little louder and taking lunch whenever I feel like it. I'm trying to

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-89808126966191392072011-12-27T17:08:00.001+01:002012-01-04T20:11:48.169+01:00

Me, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Since yesterday was technically a holiday, and I'd done enough laying around all weekend, Robert, Nick, and I decided to head to Verona for the day. I hadn't been to Verona in over three years, and I'd forgotten what a great city it is to just walk around in.Nick and Me, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.I work with Robert, and Nick lives in Germany, but is

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-92117824495350253782011-12-25T14:47:00.000+01:002011-12-29T16:49:00.971+01:00

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I was talking to my parents online, and, as they do every Thanksgiving, they asked me for a Christmas list. I told them I’d work on something to e-mail them, and that they needed to do the same for me. But later that week, I thought how ridiculous it was for us to exchange gifts when I’m not even home for Christmas this year. I understand the whole point of gift

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-6673100401755620542011-12-23T13:20:00.001+01:002011-12-27T19:31:29.413+01:00

Christmas Party Crew, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Last night was our Christmas Party, and I have to say, it was pretty kickin'. We do a lot of fundraisers over the course of the year, and the Christmas Party is the reward for everyone's hard work. We sold over 400 tickets, even though capacity for the building was only 300. These are the benefits of working with the fire marshall.It's also

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-68590713553075792202011-12-21T17:11:00.002+01:002011-12-21T17:54:09.856+01:00

One of the reasons I neglected this blog for so long was because I was just really busy. I started a new position in July which often keeps me late. And in August, I started taking classes again through University of Maryland. The first half of the term, I took Accounting and Organisational Communication; the second half of the term, which I just finished, I took Nutrition and Macroeconomics.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-57711813213731919792011-12-19T21:32:00.002+01:002011-12-19T21:53:11.279+01:00

Saturday morning, I woke up with a little lower back pain. I've never had back problems before, so I figured I just slept on it wrong, and it would go away eventually. I even went for a run that afternoon. Sunday, it was considerably worse. Getting out of bed was excruciating, and putting on my shoes took ten minutes. I feel like a decrepit old man, and I'm angry at my body.I made an

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-16969597255936043812011-12-15T18:44:00.004+01:002011-12-15T19:26:45.087+01:00

Over the past few months, I've become a fan of the New York Times. Network news is unavailable and the cable news channels have all become parodies of themselves. Newspapers seem like they're held to a higher standard, and the NYT is the pinnacle of that standard.Recently, they started charging a monthly fee, and though I resisted at first, I decided I couldn't survive on NPR, Fox News, CNN,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-57711619649374204512011-12-14T20:31:00.003+01:002011-12-14T20:58:02.361+01:00

So, first I'd like to apologise for not posting for the past eight months. I'm not sure what happened, but I just kinda lost the passion for writing for a while. You can see from the archives that I'd kinda been slowing down anyway, and I guess I just needed some time away from it to realise how much I missed it.I considered abandoning this blog altogether and starting a different one, but I

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-21313889212321513172011-04-27T19:32:00.001+02:002011-05-29T19:38:32.473+02:00

Today was my first day back at work, and I found out that I'm going back up to Germany on Saturday for a week-long class. I was hoping to have a nice, quiet weekend to recover, but I guess that's not going to happen. I'm not really upset about going because it should be a good class and Germany is always fun. However, it delays the start-date for my new job, which is kinda frustrating.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-28147109796207786232011-04-26T19:20:00.001+02:002011-05-29T19:29:51.910+02:00

Rob, Nick, Alex, & Colin, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.I spent the past week in Spain and had a blast. Alex was a great tour guide, taking us all over Madrid, Malaga, and even up into the mountains for a couple days.Spain, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.The weather wasn't perfect, but we still got some beach time in.Ronda, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.We also took some trips further inland,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-40673675715022045012011-04-22T11:15:00.000+02:002011-05-29T19:21:51.903+02:00

Madrid, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.We're in Spain now, staying at Alex's apartment in Malaga. We arrived late last night after flying to Madrid for the day. Even though we only had one day there, I kinda fell in love with it. The Reina Sofia alone is worth a trip, but maybe I say that because I'm a Picasso lover.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-61666388054029841142011-04-20T07:02:00.002+02:002011-05-29T19:13:49.013+02:00

Colin, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Yesterday morning, we took the opportunity to sleep in a bit and recover from all the travelling from the past week.Venice, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.We took a late-morning train to Venice to explore the main sites, as well as hit a few I've never seen before, including the Scala Contarini del Bovolo.Venice, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.We made a trip

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-62973272938936503462011-04-18T09:27:00.002+02:002011-05-29T19:02:14.576+02:00

Colin, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.It would be an injustice to have visitors and not take them to the Cinque Terre. I've always said it's my favourite place in Italy, and even though it's starting to get really crowded in the summer, spring and autumn there are spectacular.Cinque Terre, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.We stayed in the same apartment I've stayed in a few other times. It met

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-75461654736054905552011-04-17T15:17:00.001+02:002011-05-29T18:47:57.178+02:00

Alex, Colin, & Nick, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Over the past couple of days, Rob, Alex, Colin, Nick, and I have travelled through Ravenna and Florence. I'd never been to Ravenna before and wasn't aware of its significance. There were gorgeous mosaics everywhere, making the whole city look like a big museum. It's crazy how cities that were so important years ago are hardly even heard of

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-39927250263649726242011-04-14T08:58:00.001+02:002011-05-29T15:10:59.981+02:00

Venice, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Colin and Nick flew in yesterday morning, and since Rob and Alex weren't due to arrive until last night, we decided to do a quick tour of Venice to hit some minor sites the other guys wouldn't care to miss.Venice, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Colin really wanted to see the Isola di San Michele, an island once used as a prison but is now the cemetery island

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-50929894570697141432011-04-10T10:21:00.000+02:002011-04-11T20:24:43.918+02:00

Today is my first real day off in a very long time. It was great to sleep in this morning, rustling around in my sheets and rolling over every time I heard the Church bells (which in Italy, is near constantly). I even indulged myself in some pancakes and a few episodes of The Simpsons.But the rest of my day will be spent cleaning. It's been too long since my house had a thorough scrubbing, top

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-60444806024519336482011-04-08T19:53:00.001+02:002011-04-11T20:02:42.225+02:00

IMG_0709, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Back in January, I went with Fred (one of our Italians) to Ghedi, a small base in central-north Italy. Their chow hall didn't have potable water, so it was my job to design a system to improve their water quality. All the parts came in while I was in Germany, so yesterday, Fred, Travis, and I went back to Ghedi to install it. I was kinda nervous about

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-76345605428998891212011-04-07T17:23:00.001+02:002011-04-11T19:49:57.182+02:00

IMG_0676, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.The size of my shop nearly doubled while I was gone because there are a bunch of guys here from other bases in Europe. Since we've been working so much and are finally getting some time off, I volunteered to take some of them to Venice yesterday. It would be a shame to spend time in Italy and not get to see at least one of the major sights. While

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-24301747106077499272011-04-06T11:29:00.000+02:002011-04-11T19:33:24.065+02:00

I had my PT test this morning, which is always a rather stressful thing. Even though I'm 99% sure I'll pass, I never know by how much. There are so many things that factor in and so many consequences if those factors get even a little out of whack.But...I went in there, did my best, and scored a 90.7. Even though my run time was a little slower, my push-ups and sit-ups were a lot higher and it

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-17151850143708392762011-04-03T15:25:00.000+02:002011-04-11T19:29:06.674+02:00

I'm sure everyone has heard about all the chaos in Libya going on, and thanks to geography, Aviano is playing a key part in said chaos. So when I got back early yesterday morning, I was told I'd be going back to work today. And we're working extra shifts. And we're working six days a week. Yippee!Still, it's great to be back home and see everyone and stuff. And seriously, when I got into my

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-49321492474356894132011-04-01T07:21:00.001+02:002011-04-11T19:24:48.046+02:00

IMG_0661, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.After six weeks, three speeches, two memorandums, eight multiple choice tests, two interpersonal meetings, and multiple facepunches, we graduated. Congratulations to Dennie and Pettaway for winning Distinguished Graduate Awards.IMG_0665, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.After the ceremony, a few of us headed to the club for some after-party drinks. It was

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-59884099902858321172011-03-27T11:01:00.001+02:002011-04-11T19:17:51.143+02:00

Josh, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.This is our last weekend together as a class before graduation, so we decided to get together for a little cook-out today. The weather has been gorgeous, and as luck would have it, as soon as we lit the grill, it started raining.Fern, Derrick, & Ryan, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Still, we made the best of it and ate tons of food and drank even more beer...

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-89192550870780427702011-03-26T10:32:00.001+01:002011-04-11T19:09:25.711+02:00

Jason & Rob, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.Last night, a bunch of classmates and I went to a popular restaurant known as "Big Emma's." I'd heard stories about it before, but was totally unprepared for the amount of food I was given. You know the expression, "I barely made a dent in it?" Well, that was truly the case with the mound of kasespatzle that was laid before me.Josh and Big Emma, a

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-2853030958776113532011-03-21T18:05:00.000+01:002011-04-11T18:14:50.037+02:00

Rob, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.For our class project, we went up to Belgium yesterday to help restore an old WWII fort called Neufchateau. It was a really interesting place with tons of stories.Neufchateau Fort, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.There were two miles of tunnels beneath the fort, some as far underground as 35 meters. Our part consisted mainly of moving a bunch of heavy stuff

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-41854362555853217632011-03-19T12:51:00.001+01:002011-04-11T18:00:09.863+02:00

Things are moving along nicely here, and there's less than two weeks left in the course. The last few days are going to be particularly brutal, since that's when the bulk of all the tests are administered. Our class has really pulled together, though, and we're genuinely looking out for each other, making sure everyone understands the material and no one gets left behind. I'm lucky to be in a

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-49583907414191196202011-03-17T17:48:00.001+01:002011-04-11T18:01:55.796+02:00

Rob, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.People may think the NCO Academy is all work and no play, but this is the kind of shenanigans we engage in on a daily basis.Josh, a photo by currtdawg on Flickr.I don't really want to go into what this project was, but rest assured, there's a reason we look like thieves. Thieves of AWESOME!

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-71259064034247251462011-03-12T09:03:00.001+01:002011-03-19T10:13:57.333+01:00

After seeing all the footage of yesterday's earthquake and tsunami, I couldn't help but think of all the great times I had in Japan. I'll always have a place in my heart for the Japanese people, and I have no doubt, even as the death toll rises, they'll pull together and make it through this tragedy. My prayers go out to their entire nation.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-47634256378377438612011-03-06T14:36:00.001+01:002011-03-19T10:03:39.763+01:00

I won't lie. Class is rough. We're only in the physical classroom from 7 AM to 3:15 PM on weekdays, but evenings and weekends consist of lots of reading and preparing for the next lesson. Our instructor, TSgt Hall, has a way of making even the most boring lessons entertaining. Class discussions, though sometimes veering off-track, are always lively and often humorous.The next two weeks are

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-84411163409262500212011-02-28T19:56:00.003+01:002011-02-28T20:08:08.421+01:00

I found out today my extension was approved, and I'll now be staying in Italy until February 2013. True, I once had some skepticism about staying here longer, but it seems like every day I'm out in the small towns of Italy, drinking caffe' and communing with the locals, I want to stay here more and more.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-22548502993376545362011-02-26T16:14:00.000+01:002011-02-27T10:10:53.809+01:00

The Kaiserslautern community is pretty big, especially compared to Aviano. They have a huge shopping centre here with tons of stores and restaurants, and it's almost like being back in America. Josh, one of my classmates who's also from Aviano, and I did a little shopping today and ended up spending quite a bit. He bought a new bike, and I picked up a Burton Blunt 159 Wide plus a new jacket.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-24430074870952317692011-02-23T16:42:00.001+01:002011-02-27T09:47:48.859+01:00

Class looks like it's going to be...interesting. There are about 150 students in the class with 15 people in my flight from different bases in different jobs. There's a lot of reading involved, along with papers, speeches, case studies, role playing, and tests. It seems kind of overwhelming right now, but I'm sure, once I get into the swing of things, the next six weeks should fly by. The

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-33094726776805451662011-02-20T22:39:00.000+01:002011-02-27T09:42:51.650+01:00

After 10 hours of driving, I finally arrived to Kapaun Air Station near Kaiserslautern, Germany. It shouldn't have taken that long, but there was snow and construction. Thankfully, tomorrow is a holiday, so class doesn't start until Tuesday, giving me time to get settled in and rest up a bit. It's gonna be a rough six weeks, but I'm doing my best to step up.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-10445853016616896712011-02-17T12:36:00.001+01:002011-02-27T09:38:57.171+01:00

Re-EnlistmentOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThis morning, I re-enlisted for another four years. I was going to wait until later in the year, but since I'm going to be spending six weeks up in Germany, this was the best way to ensure retainability and give me a better chance at extending in Italy.The ceremony took place at the top of the water tower on the flightline, and my friend Casey

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-11860475813656243102011-02-11T18:12:00.002+01:002011-02-27T09:30:27.430+01:00

It's been nearly three weeks since I put in my paperwork to extend in Italy, and I've been going over to the personnel office about twice a week to check for updates on my status. The people over there keep telling me they haven't heard anything, and that when they do, they'll let me know. Unfortunately, the people who work in personnel don't have a great track record of keeping up with

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-59091202003955368322011-02-07T19:21:00.000+01:002011-02-27T09:21:35.408+01:00

StanOriginally uploaded by currtdawgLast night was the Super Bowl, and like most people around here, I wasn't too concerned with who won. I was kinda pulling for Green Bay, but really I was just against Pittsburgh because I don't like Ben Roethlisberger.Anyway, the game didn't start until 12:30 AM here, and Stan had a party at his place. We hung out, ate junk food, and watched the game. But

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-30463680243194353732011-02-06T13:05:00.001+01:002011-02-27T09:10:56.071+01:00

Cortina D'AmpezzoOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThis weekend, Steven, Berg, and I went up to Cortina D'Ampezzo. It's a little resort town nestled in the Alps of northern Italy. I'd driven near there before, but we were unprepared for how gorgeous everything was.Cortina D'AmpezzoOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThe weather was a little warm, but the snow was perfect. And it was surprisingly not

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-39906780702394855652011-01-27T18:55:00.001+01:002011-02-27T08:59:03.111+01:00

I found out today that in less than a month, I'll be heading up to Germany for a six-week class. It's all about becoming a better leader and professionalism and Air Force heritage and blah, blah, blah. I'm not really looking forward to it, but it's something everyone at my rank has to endure. I'll be there with about 150 other Tech Sergeants from all over Europe. Usually, even though I'm not

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-47932153803532818162011-01-24T17:44:00.000+01:002011-02-27T07:50:18.317+01:00

On Friday, I did something high-school-ish and unprofessional and totally got called out. It ate at me all weekend, and this morning, I apologised to the guy I wronged. He could have been a richard about it, but he was really cool and I feel a lot better. It's amazing how cathartic confession is.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-20497080155440077632011-01-22T19:03:00.000+01:002011-01-27T19:04:24.028+01:00

Changing My BrakesOriginally uploaded by currtdawgI've been driving Dan's little Volkswagon around for the past two weeks, but finally, my brake parts came in. This morning, Mike helped me put them on, which in itself, wasn't too difficult. However, I was sent the wrong parts (thanks, Autozone), so we had to drive around looking for parts for an American vehicle in Italy. By pure luck, we

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-61851305030840038242011-01-21T12:31:00.003+01:002011-01-27T18:58:19.022+01:00

Earlier this week, my form came down that allows me to choose if I want to try to stay in Italy longer. As it stands now, I'll leave in February 2012. My goal all along has been to stay as long as possible, but certain policies prevent me from staying over five years. This means the longest I can extend for again is another year, and for the next few weeks, I'm going to jump through a series

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-24636228175908780002011-01-19T18:38:00.000+01:002011-01-27T18:42:28.183+01:00

It's been a long time, but last night, I went back to Bingo at the club on base. I sat with my new friend Jonathan, and across from Claire and Keirsten, who had me in stitches the whole night. I didn't win anything, but this could easily become a weekly event.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-78298171594572396412011-01-18T18:13:00.001+01:002011-01-27T18:36:28.685+01:00

EricOriginally uploaded by currtdawgFor the long weekend, Eric and I decided to head down to Florence. He'd never been, and I love showing people around, plus the forecast called for temperatures in the 60s. We were in.One of the great things about Italy is no matter how many times I've been to some historic place, whenever I go back, I always find something new, and this time was no

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-91723196519571413062011-01-13T11:57:00.001+01:002011-01-27T18:05:44.564+01:00

Aaron, a guy in my shop, is leaving Italy on Saturday and moving to sunny Florida. As kind of a going away present, I told him I'd make dinner for him and his friends last night.So, long story short, I'm hung over as hell today. To add insult to injury, I shot this text to Steven last night after everyone left (though I have no recollection of it):Jyst fell down tge stairs. If o have bruisess

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-23467978439506390302011-01-09T13:45:00.002+01:002011-01-27T17:56:50.108+01:00

My first week back at work was pretty good. It wasn't too difficult getting back into the swing of things, and even though I don't always love my job, I'm very comfortable there. The best part is we have our old boss back and morale seems to have improved due to his presence. Unfortunately, he'll be leaving Aviano in a few months, but I'm sure we'll get by without him.After a month of being

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-37392966561762219762011-01-03T14:29:00.002+01:002011-01-27T17:34:28.720+01:00

I'm back in Italy, safe and sound. The vacation was amazing, and obviously God was smiling on me, as I had absolutely no travel delays or issues, despite all the crazy weather around the US. But now, it's back to reality.Mike picked me up from the airport (Thanks, Mike!) and on the drive home, it became obvious I'm going to need new brakes on my truck very soon. I also have a mountain of

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-87002743360834672212011-01-02T18:53:00.000+01:002011-01-27T16:56:51.812+01:00

Me & ScottOriginally uploaded by currtdawgUtah was spectacular. I saw so many people, ate at all my favourite places, and even got a day of boarding in at Brighton with Scott.NYE at Brian'sOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThe apex of my vacation was New Year's Eve. Brian threw a thrasher of a party with plenty of drinking, dancing, and hot-tubbing. Even though I only spent five days there, it

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-56668857324844400822010-12-31T07:39:00.002+01:002011-01-30T09:36:36.618+01:00

It's been quite a year for music, but maybe I'm just saying that because I bought a new computer a year ago since my old one had no space left, which enabled me to go crazy like a kid in an iTunes store. And, boy, did I. There was a lot of quality enjoyable music this year, but these are the ten records I really identified and became obsessed with:Love Remains by How To Dress Well - Last year,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-32268109337968308992010-12-28T11:09:00.001+01:002011-01-15T18:33:44.817+01:00

Me & JessOriginally uploaded by currtdawgI just spent the past two days laughing my butt of in Colorado. It might be easy to blame it on the altitude, but I really think it was the presence of Jess, who, along with Cheyenne, picked me up at the airport Sunday afternoon and immediately placed a King Tut button on my jacket. If you want to know the rest of that story, you'll have to ask them.Me,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-78350016417651722102010-12-26T08:27:00.001+01:002011-01-13T19:01:11.791+01:00

White ChristmasOriginally uploaded by currtdawgIt began snowing Friday afternoon, and by Christmas morning, our house had a nice white blanket. It made my first Christmas at home since 2007 even better.Christmas MorningOriginally uploaded by currtdawgAfter waking up yesterday morning, we headed to Don and Sharon's to share breakfast with their whole family and watch Nate, Ian, Keagan, and Vivian

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-2110688121588814082010-12-22T14:37:00.001+01:002011-01-07T22:20:59.592+01:00

Everett & RoxyOriginally uploaded by currtdawgI spent the past few days in St. Louis, where I hung out with some old friends from my days in Japan. I made the three-hour drive to Paul and Trish's house in St. Charles and saw Roxy and Everett, who have grown so much since the last time I saw them three years ago. And exponentially more adorable, as well.Me, Don, & PaulOriginally uploaded by

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-55460236985854634692010-12-14T09:33:00.000+01:002010-12-16T16:48:19.911+01:00

Me and DanOriginally uploaded by currtdawgMy first stop in the States was a couple days in the DC area with my good friend Dan. He picked me up from the airport Saturday afternoon and we immediately went on the hunt for Mexican food, something sorely lacking in Italy. That night, we went to see the Washington Capitals (featuring Alex Ovechkin, arguably the best player in the NHL) take on the

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-60866271264539068682010-12-10T23:07:00.000+01:002010-12-10T23:08:55.473+01:00

So the big job thing kinda fell through. Well, not completely. It's just been delayed a few months. Since I'm going to be in the States for a few weeks and have a six-week class in Germany beginning in February, they've decided that it would be best to wait until I'm back for good to start the whole thing. Sure, I'm disappointed, but I'm also a little relieved that A) I have a little more

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-55229394322441600832010-12-07T17:31:00.000+01:002010-12-08T19:50:01.154+01:00

Today, I got a call from my superintendent who asked me to come see him in his office. A little worried, I headed over and when I arrived, the first thing he said was, "How much do you like working in your shop?"Basically, the ops chief wants to set up a special team of craftsmen from each shop to work on certain buildings on base, and they need an NCO to lead said team. For several minutes, we

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-2923206131891681022010-12-06T20:27:00.001+01:002010-12-08T19:31:37.045+01:00

This school term is only seven weeks long, so there's a lot of cramming going on. I had my writing mid-term a couple weeks ago, and my computer mid-term on Thursday. I scored a perfect 100 on my writing exam, and a 92 in computers. I'm pretty stoked about both, but since I fly back to the States on Saturday, this will be my last week of classes. I have one more paper to write (hopefully

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-37809287395816054642010-12-03T19:15:00.002+01:002010-12-08T19:27:04.740+01:00

I'm a pretty calm guy, but I about lost my temper at work today. Things haven't been exactly smooth lately, but they've been moving along well enough. I'm lucky in that I take care of my own jobs and programs; nobody micromanages me, and I'm left to my own devices. But when something out-of-the-ordinary happens, it's always the same people in our shop doing the work to get things back to

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-36613010798021376732010-11-30T21:46:00.001+01:002010-12-08T19:15:42.059+01:00

I'm an idiot. Just like I've done several times before, I seem to have become infatuated with someone who is completely unattainable. I don't know the formula for why this occurs (and seems to happen again and again). I get blindsided and find myself waist-deep in emotions I wish I had better control over. It would be great if there were something tangible I could blame (i.e. wine, work,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-73739188964749302342010-11-28T19:02:00.002+01:002010-12-08T19:06:11.420+01:00

IMG_4711Originally uploaded by currtdawgI just returned from a wonderful weekend down on the Umbria-Tuscany border with Mary, Casey, Kathy, Mey, Mike, Chris, and Will. This is the huge 18th century, fully-stocked, country house we rented, and it was amazing.IMG_4705Originally uploaded by currtdawgThis is the valley it overlooked on Thanksgiving morning. Breathtaking.Mary & CaseyOriginally

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-21655794180813001482010-11-22T18:30:00.000+01:002010-12-01T18:31:39.220+01:00

DanOriginally uploaded by currtdawgDan moved in with me on Tuesday so he wouldn't have to stay in lodging, and this morning, I took him to the airport. He's leaving Italy and on his way to New Mexico. He'll be dearly missed by everyone here, but I know someday, somehow, our paths will cross again. Good luck, Danny!

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-67307349446012869192010-11-14T18:03:00.003+01:002010-12-01T18:15:15.739+01:00

I won't lie. These two classes are kicking my butt. Actually, neither class is very difficult, and one of them is a breeze. But the other one is very time consuming and a bit overwhelming. Since Thursday was Veteran's Day, I decided to take Friday off and make it a four-day weekend. The goal was to catch up on all my homework and papers, and it was definitely the right decision. I feel

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-29965049889980514132010-11-08T21:08:00.001+01:002010-11-21T11:31:57.978+01:00

IMG_0242Originally uploaded by currtdawgEric and I went to Bologna this weekend with the intention of attending a festival, hitting up bars and clubs, and dancing all night. We took the train down and arrived Saturday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and then trekked around the city just to see the sights.IMG_0244Originally uploaded by currtdawgBologna is one of those cities that blends the

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-64590090535286972872010-11-04T18:32:00.000+01:002010-11-21T11:03:20.253+01:00

When my alarm goes off in the morning, I usually lay in bed a little while longer, savouring the warmth, mentally planning my day, and playing with my phone. After a few minutes, I drag myself out onto the cold floor and begin preparations for my day. It was particularly chilly this morning, making it extra hard to get up. I couldn't find my slippers and my feet were freezing. After going

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-60090860902704100682010-10-30T17:02:00.000+02:002010-10-30T22:02:47.264+02:00

Wine RackOriginally uploaded by currtdawgToday was the fourth Saturday in a row I went winery-hopping. Lately, I've felt the need to stock up on as much wine as possible, both in quantity and variety. Also, I had this new wine rack custom made, and it was finally delivered this week. It looks great, and it's fully stocked. However, since I've bought so much wine this month, I could easily

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-8046995346282771082010-10-25T18:28:00.001+02:002010-10-30T21:44:57.565+02:00

IMG_4698Originally uploaded by currtdawgYesterday, Eric and I drove to Venzone for their annual Festa della Zucca (Pumpkin Festival). Venzone has an old-town around which its ancient walls still stand, so they celebrate their medieval roots as much as they do the pumpkins. Seeing all the locals in medieval garb was a hoot, and the theatrics of the whole day were priceless, especially the part

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-52227616517359213842010-10-21T20:58:00.001+02:002010-10-28T19:11:43.062+02:00

The Air Force has adopted new, stricter PT standards this year, and today, I had my first PT test under these new standards. I have to admit I was a little nervous I'd even pass at all. I wasn't concerned about my waist measurement or my run, but there are now minimum requirements for push-ups and sit-ups, and strength has never been my, um, strength.I've been doing push-ups and sit-ups on my

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-77343834455173055902010-10-20T18:51:00.000+02:002010-10-28T18:58:22.114+02:00

I'm slowly starting to take college courses again. Since the University of Maryland has a satellite campus on base, I've been going through them. This time around, I'm going for a business degree, which shouldn't take me too long, hopefully.Last term, I took Library Science, which basically teaches one how to Google something. But, it's a basic requirement for a degree, so I gotta take it.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-91217736212248333222010-10-18T16:32:00.001+02:002010-10-28T18:52:03.758+02:00

We had a water break today. Actually, we knew about it last week, but it wasn't too bad, and today was the first day we could get a Dirt Boy out there to dig for us. It was just bubbling up out of the ground a little bit, and we were hoping it wouldn't be too severe; but after we dug it up, it ended up being a lot worse. To compound our frustration, the nearest shut-off valve was over a fence

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-84483898531891208332010-10-16T12:09:00.002+02:002010-10-17T08:18:12.142+02:00

I know my posts have been increasingly sporadic lately, and I apologise. But really, there hasn't been anything going on blog-worthy the past few weeks. Work is going smooth, and my social life is pretty temperate. I'm pretty much over the cold I had earlier this week. I could write stuff on a daily basis, but it would only bore everyone and possibly burn me out on the whole blogging thing,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-23677068026684957872010-10-11T13:06:00.002+02:002010-10-11T13:23:06.134+02:00

I'm typing this from my couch, from which I haven't moved since Sunday morning. I was feeling kinda nasty Saturday night, and yesterday morning, I woke up unable to breathe with a sore throat. I've been horizontal on my couch non-stop, reading, playing iPhone games, and watching Modern Family to keep myself occupied. I'm feeling better today, so work tomorrow shouldn't be too much of a

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-87433691991369244402010-10-10T08:03:00.001+02:002010-10-11T13:05:50.627+02:00

ButtrioOriginally uploaded by currtdawgYesterday, Dan and I got up really early and drove east, past Udine, deep into Friuli wine country. Our destination was a town called Buttrio, which has half a dozen wineries within a stone's throw of each other. It was kind of a gamble, as finding family-owned businesses open on the weekend is hit-and-miss. Luckily, we caught three with open doors...

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-23356066658522244292010-10-07T18:44:00.000+02:002010-10-10T09:45:42.994+02:00

DanOriginally uploaded by currtdawgAbout a month before I came back from my deployment, Dan left for Iraq. He made his triumphant return to Italy on Monday, and there has been much rejoicing since. This rejoicing is mostly in the form of food and wine and laying around watching movies.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-85665285596989054162010-10-04T19:16:00.002+02:002010-10-05T19:51:22.943+02:00

Me & MarOriginally uploaded by currtdawgAfter the insanity of last year's Oktoberfest, the expectations were high for this, the 200th Anniversary of the giant Bavarian festival. Mark and I left Friday evening, and arrived in Munich Saturday morning, just in time to line up for the tents.Kai, Anna, Maria, & MeOriginally uploaded by currtdawgWe wandered around the fairgrounds and somehow found

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-15389114687823032622010-09-29T19:08:00.003+02:002010-09-29T19:08:18.408+02:00

MikeOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThe merging of the utilities and fuels career fields has been pretty smooth, as far as our shop is concerned. Since there are a lot more utilities jobs than fuels jobs, I haven't had to branch out much. But today, I was riding around with Diaz, and we happened upon a malfunctioning fuel valve with Mike.It wasn't terribly difficult, as I had Mike telling me

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-65404492158182093112010-09-25T12:42:00.002+02:002010-09-25T12:56:04.481+02:00

About ten days ago, Mark had his wisdom teeth removed, and in three days, his face had swollen to the size of a volleyball. Pam took him to the ER Saturday afternoon, and he finally went home Thursday. He was in a lot of pain, and I spent a few evenings this week visiting him, bringing him stuff, and trying to cheer him up.He came over last night, looking much better, so we tossed back a couple

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-80700224556211685562010-09-23T06:34:00.002+02:002010-09-25T09:57:07.862+02:00

We had a really mild summer this year. The only time I ever turn on my air conditioning is if it's a really hot night and I can't sleep; and this year, I only used it twice. There's just something about sleeping with my windows open and a breeze blowing through.Even though it's getting a little cooler in the evenings, I don't want to give up the night air just yet, so I've already put an extra

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-22236342983156638482010-09-20T19:23:00.001+02:002010-09-25T09:28:20.827+02:00

Festa dei FunghiOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThis weekend was Budoia's annual Festa dei Funghi (Mushroom Festival), so several of us took the afternoon to walk around the town, checking out the booths selling crafts, wine, sweets, and, of course, mushrooms. It's just a small town festival, but people come from all over Italy, even Sicily, to check it out.MikeOriginally uploaded by

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-779015589438096772010-09-19T12:39:00.001+02:002010-09-25T12:46:01.579+02:00

MeOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThis morning was the 4th annual Aviano Marathon, and while I still have no desire to run 26 miles, I enjoy competing in the shorter treks, such as the 10K. JoAnn, Corey, Johnny, and I did it a couple years ago, and I kinda skipped last year, despite my original intention to run the 1/2 marathon. I couldn't convince any of my friends to run with me this year,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-21001963388164115252010-09-18T08:42:00.002+02:002010-09-24T19:06:59.543+02:00

I couldn't just stop with the couch, you know? I had to go the whole nine yards, and revamp my whole living room. So I got rid of my stone age television and purchased a Panasonic 50" Plasma Television. Unfortunately, I had to take down my Picasso because I wanted it mounted on the wall, and there wasn't any place left. Regardless, this will make the aforementioned movie nights even

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-74260027178061759032010-09-15T18:17:00.000+02:002010-09-24T18:18:42.194+02:00

My CouchOriginally uploaded by currtdawgAfter two months of waiting, my new sofa was finally delivered today. My old couch was possibly the best napping place on the planet; however, it was pretty old and I wanted to get something new that I can have for a long time.Italians custom make their furniture, and luckily for me, my landlord also owns a furniture store, so he totally cut me a deal.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-45856215943218075832010-09-13T17:34:00.006+02:002010-09-24T17:42:23.023+02:00

After the fun of the dig last week, it seems my next few weeks will be stuck at a desk. I was in the middle of a performance report today when a second one was dropped in my lap. I can usually get a head start for the troops I write on, as I know when they're due. However, today's report was unexpected because it's for a guy whose supervisor is deployed. I can only stare at the computer

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-27568099303552327812010-09-08T17:36:00.000+02:002010-09-08T17:36:00.527+02:00

Diaz, Estrada, & DougOriginally uploaded by currtdawgThe water break that happened last week was a huge deal, affecting a good portion of the base. Excavating was the hardest part, as the entire line was encased in concrete, so even after we located it, we had to chisel it out. We managed to isolate the break and restore pressure last week, but completing the entire repair has been an odyssey,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-17679923192032280472010-09-07T18:54:00.001+02:002010-09-07T18:54:00.203+02:00

Lago di Santa CroceOriginally uploaded by currtdawgLast week, during our hike, Mike and I saw a trail map that included a lake called Lago di Santa Croce. It looked big and not too far away, so we decided over the long weekend, we'd go check it out. Yesterday morning, Andrea, Mike, and I punched our destination into the GPS and took the most scenic route, through green, curvy mountain passes,

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-51636407034544476152010-09-06T19:27:00.002+02:002010-09-06T19:42:12.206+02:00

It's been forever since I played beer pong, and when Travis invited me over for a cookout last night, I didn't know what was in store.After Aaron, Steven, and Berg showed up, the party eventually moved into the basement where the set-up awaited. Like I said, I hadn't played in a while, and my first match was pretty rusty, but once I got the hang of it again, I pretty much kicked butt. I

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-80375053045519206922010-09-04T11:04:00.004+02:002010-09-07T20:11:19.310+02:00

As of this month, it's been three years since I saw Modest Mouse and Arcade Fire back in Utah, only not at the same time. I've been a Modest Mouse fan for ages, and seeing Arcade Fire live made me into a fan. So there was no way I was going to pass up a festival where they were dual headliners, especially in a city as close as Bologna, which was only three hours away by train.FanfarloOriginally

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-73529421508394004982010-09-03T19:29:00.001+02:002010-09-06T17:41:25.357+02:00

BolognaOriginally uploaded by currtdawgI took the train to Bologna yesterday for a concert last night (which will be reviewed soon). The main reason I went was for the show, but I've been wanting to check out Bologna for a long time. It has a reputation as one of Italy's more beautiful cities with a rich history and the oldest university in the world.BolognaOriginally uploaded by currtdawgI

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-20855233363487124822010-08-31T17:43:00.000+02:002010-09-03T19:10:50.989+02:00

The post-cruise depression hasn't lifted. I just want to be back on the boat, relaxing, dancing, gambling, drinking, and laughing with everyone. Everyone I've e-mailed feels the same way. The cruise line should seriously spring for therapy.Luckily, this is going to be a good week at work. There was a big water break over the weekend, so I've got something to keep me busy all week. Or at

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-54700308079829836982010-08-30T19:09:00.001+02:002010-09-03T19:15:47.944+02:00

IMG_0028Originally uploaded by currtdawgOn Sunday, Mike and I decided to take a random hike on some trails between Budoia and Polcenigo. I can't believe I've lived here for over two years, and haven't trekked down these paths that are less than a mile from my house. It was a wonderful Sunday afternoon, and the hike put us both in a great mood. I took a few pictures, all with my new iPhone, and

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-53287776476491748752010-08-28T18:21:00.002+02:002010-09-03T18:41:50.654+02:00

My phone has been acting up for the past few weeks, ever since I was on a dig in the rain and it got a little damp. It's not totally unusable, but it cuts out and the most inopportune times. And I'd hate to be stranded somewhere when all its buttons decide not to work.As this also coincides with my contract renewal with Vodafone, I took this as a clear sign from God that I should pick up the

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-27165824818622279072010-08-27T14:20:00.001+02:002010-09-03T18:20:55.220+02:00

Departing VeniceOriginally uploaded by currtdawgCheyenne dropped off Scott and I at the port last Monday, and after picking up our room keys, we walked down the gangway and onto the ship. We were handed glasses of champagne, but we almost didn't notice because as we walked in, we stood in the middle of an amazing lobby that put any hotel to shame. It was insane. We could barely contain our

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-54446033719698771702010-08-25T20:11:00.000+02:002010-08-27T18:13:32.524+02:00

Just wanted to let everyone know I'm back home in Italy, with wobbly legs and a ton of laundry. The cruise was amazing, and Scott is the best travel companion ever. I have tons of gorgeous pictures to post and hope to get around to it this weekend. Stay tuned!

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-25056254559828423382010-08-12T21:32:00.000+02:002010-08-13T16:53:33.021+02:00

My friend Mark flew in Monday night and he's staying with me all week. Even though I've had to work, we've had a good time checking out northern Italy in the evening, feasting on great food and wine. Yesterday, he took a day trip to Verona, and earlier this evening, we went to Alla Fontaniva, a restaurant Cheyenne introduced to me that's quickly becoming one of my favourites.Tomorrow, Scott M.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-90512922937239732752010-08-09T06:00:00.000+02:002010-08-11T09:55:37.438+02:00

Me, circa 2010Originally uploaded by currtdawgThe past year seems to have flown by, even more so than normal, probably because I spent the better half of it in the desert. And even though I've met some great people, seen some amazing places, and learned a few things here and there, I don't really feel I've gained any wisdom, worldly or otherwise. In a way, I feel more bitter and short-tempered.

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404361.post-63334190351137407872010-08-07T08:45:00.000+02:002010-08-08T09:52:34.656+02:00

Chelsey & CheyenneOriginally uploaded by currtdawgLast night, I came home from work and wanted nothing but to lay on my couch, gorge myself on leftovers, and watch a movie. I had just started when Cheyenne called and said, "Curtis, you WILL come over." Who am I to argue?So I met Cheyenne, Chelsey, and Mike in Sacile and we strolled around, stopping in random bars for a glass of wine. A lot of

Curtis Suttonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07400445130935534861noreply@blogger.com0