Day Six

According to the historical records, this is in fact the 7th day. But in this much more specific and present-tense circumstance, this is the sixth day of my summer cold. It was never really a sinus thing, it seems to have skipped from throat straight to ears with only a by-your-leave to the nasal passages. My left ear was pretty plugged for a couple of days, and while that seems to have slightly abated, some of the pressure and all of the ringing is still in the hizzouse. The quality of my focus is suffering, too. I actually took a couple of days off work, but this thing is whacking my ability to sleep soundly, go me!

Number 2 … you’ll have noted the new theme. I was tired of the old one, most especially the part where the body wasn’t wide enough for some pre-formatted text. I’ll probably end up writing my own theme one of these days, after I’m done with school … a scant four months from this upcoming Thursday, I’m just sayin’.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Cpl. Daniel L. Linnabary II, 23, of Hubert, North Carolina, died Aug. 6 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Petty Officer 3rd Class Clayton R. Beauchamp, of Weatherford, Texas, died Aug. 7 when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device while conducting a dismounted patrol in the Shaban District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
• Maj. Walter D. Gray, 38, of Conyers, Georgia, died Aug. 8 from injuries suffered during a suicide bomb attack in Kunar province, Afghanistan.
• Spc. Ethan J. Martin, 22, of Lewiston, Idaho, died Aug. 7 in Koragay, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered enemy small-arms fire.
• Maj. Thomas E. Kennedy, 35, of West Point, New York, died Aug. 8 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an insurgent who detonated a suicide vest.
• Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin J. Griffin, 45, of Laramie, Wyoming, died Aug. 8 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he encountered an insurgent who detonated a suicide vest.
• Master Sgt. Gregory R. Trent, 38, of Norton, Mass., died Aug. 8 in Bethesda, Maryland, from wounds suffered July 31 in Baktabad, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire.