Hello from Iraq!

[1fever]

This website is fantastic! I love fitness and research it constantly. I work out 3-5 times a week and subscribe to the Paleo Diet. I have friends in the fitnes realm that I love to hike with, go to the beach with, and do tons of outdoors stuff with. But, then I bring up my borderline addiction to video games (specifically WoW), sci fi, fantasy books, and computers. What do I get from these friends about this stuff? Looks of disdain and judgement. And its even worse in my job as a US Army Officer. So I have another set of friends. Those that love WoW and I get to pwn on Call of Duty. Of course they have no interest in outdoors stuff. So I live a double life. I read through this site and its awesome Star Wars references mixed with strength training, fricken sweet.

Anyway, a little about me. I was born and raised in Boise, ID. Grew up playing college baseball and a ton of video games. Became good enough at one of them to get a college scholarship, sadly it wasn't video games. But I went to three schools; Shasta College, New Mexico Highlands University, and Boise State University. After college I got married and had a son named Trajan (after the Roman Emperor) in 2009. Joined the Army in 2008 and went through Officer Candidate School. Got lucky enough to be stationed in Hawaii where the internet connection is kind of iffy but passable. Lets just say I pay alot to get good broadband. Currently, I am deployed to Iraq in the Diyala Province but should be home in June of 2011. I am working on my MA in Justice administration through U of Louisville and will be submitting my packet to the FBI in about a year. I love WoW, Xbox, computers, Muay Thai, hiking, shopping, and college football (GO Boise State). Hopefully, this is sufficient enough info to have someone steal my identity. J/K please don't. Anyway, look forward to visiting NF in the future.

[kahn265]

Welcome to the boards!

Be safe!

[Brometheus]

Welcome to the board

And in agreement with kahn265, stay safe!

[Plex]

Howdy 1fever and welcome to the Rebellion!

Gratso on making through OCS. I hear they sweat you something rough.

And WAR DAMN EAGLE. *cough* 'scuse me.

Keep yourself and those under you safe.

[1fever]

Thanks for the well wishes and Plex I think the sun has set on the SEC at least for the next few years. But I'm just a hater.

[Alethea]

Heya, welcome! What're your favorite fantasy books? And anyone who names their son after a roman emperor is allright in my books.

[1fever]

I have read all of George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books and can't wait until Dance with Dragons comes out in a few months (hopefully). The wait has been excrutiating. Read 2 of the 3 from the Shinnara Trilogy but that was just, meh. And of course Lord of the Rings plus some others here or there. Started the Wheel of Time series but my job here in Iraq limits my reading time. Waiting for HBO's series on Song of Ice and Fire so I can scoff at it and say the books are better, but I'm hopeful its good. We are hoping to have a daughter soon so we can name her Aurelia.

[Alethea]

Sweet. The Wheel of Time series is a fantastic story, but I hate the books. Jordan is a bit too in love with his own voice, and the story gets bogged down around book 5. I wish there was some way to condense them for new readers. I read Shanara before I read LotR, so I adored it. Allanon could kick Gandolfs ass.

[werwolf]

Welcome sir! Enjoy the nerdy fitnessy goodness you'll find here.

I love your son's name. I've always been partial to the Roman name Lucius. And, of course, nothing beats Octavian.

[1fever]

Thanks...my wife doesn't like Octavian but I did convince her of a variant of it...she likes Tavian

[werwolf]

Thanks...my wife doesn't like Octavian but I did convince her of a variant of it...she likes Tavian

If you name the next one Varus you can amuse yourself by demanding your legions back!

[dustinwh]

Welcome! Thank you for your service to our country! Is it difficult eating paleo in the army? I am probably going to join up after graduating college and I am paleo/primal, and have wondered if it was possible to keep with the primal lifestyle in the military.

[1fever]

No not at all. If you are E-5 and above you usually don't live in barracks and are responsible for your own food...so pretty much keep doing what you are doing. If you live in the Barracks you get a meal card to a DFAC which is essentially like a buffet. But like a buffet they have healthy food and really unhealthy food. There is always fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables, salad bars, ample lean meats like chicken, steak, fish etc. and a short order line which is a junk food like burgers, fries, onion rings chicken strips. Tons of variety. Stay away from the dessert bar because it is quite hard to resist. While deployed the food is even better because it is a morale booster. Nothing is better then an Army breakfast...they have eggs made to order with just about anything you want in em. But it is still Army food so some is great tasting but some is bad tasting. Mostly its good though...for free anyway.

Where the problem comes is in the field doing training where you eat MREs, which despite what people think are actually not bad tasting...but they are bad for you. They are made for energy production for long missions which means many calories and many carbs. One MRE can contain upwards of 2000 calories. The idea is your physical exersion goes up, which usually it does. But even then you have to decide to eat the M&M's that come with them. I will tell you no matter what diet you are on, if you are hating life in the field because its raining and cold and you've only slept 4 of the last 48 hrs while marching 20 miles with a 70 lb pack in a simulated attack, that candy is a morale saver, so you eat it and don't think twice about it. You also get mermites in the field which are decidedly un-paleo. Those are a set hot field meal where you get what you get. Take it or leave it. You'll take it cuz you are starving. Otherwise the Army sets you up for dietary success but it also sets you up for dietary failure. They feel you are an adult and can control yourself usually.

[WilsonD73]

First, thank you for your service, 1fever.

Second, there's a new series that starts with a book called "Name of the Wind" that I've heard is really good. I haven't yet read it myself, but it's in my "to be read" list. You might want to check that out.

Third, and most importantly: Alliance, Horde, or both?

[1fever]

Horde all the way...and I will look into the book...

[Plex]

Lok'tar Ogar

[1fever]

Lok'tar Ogar

Victory or Death. For the Horde!

[hotacidbath]

I definitely recommend looking into The Name of the Wind by Pat Rothfuss, but I might be biased cause he goes to the same comic shop as me and is a pretty cool dude. He also wrote for my college paper before he hit it big, and his column was the best part of it each week.

How was it joining after college? I really want to join the Army (medic), but am a bit concerned with being in boot at 23 or 24 with a bunch of 18-year-olds.

Stay safe and I'm glad to hear that there are some nerds in the military.

[1fever]

Nah...don't worry about the 18 yr olds..there are more older guys then you think...I was 24 in Basic Training and we had ranges from 36 all the way down to 18. You are all just trying to survive. If you go medic you will more then likely end up at Fort Sill, Ok for Basic. My brother went there and is a medic. And actually there are alot of nerds in the military, we are just mostly in shape too. You should see the WoW following here and the XBOX LAN parties. I would say if you are getting a degree then look into OCS. The Officer route is a pretty good life.