I missed Amanda’s birthday on July 3rd. Amanda, my present to you is publicly telling your favorite story. Everyone, one time Amanda and I were in a security meeting in for IMC-Baghdad personnel. I was probably being loquacious, as most meetings bring out a sort of petulance and rebellion in me. I was sitting on a couch with Amanda on one side of me, and a quiet Eritrean engineer on my other. I had my right foot stuck straight up in the air because I had sprained it that day playing soccer with some soldiers in the Green Zone. I think Amanda made me laugh about something and then, with my legs in the air, I ripped a huge fart! I didn’t know what to do or say, so I didn’t say anything but Amanda and I just laughed like crazy. To this day I don’t know if Gideon heard it, because he didn’t say a word or react at all. Not the funniest story, but its one of Amanda’s favorites, along with the one where I was so mad she was going to evacuate without me I cried.