While I am not a big fan of the Secretary of Defense, I think this is good article about his recent comments. This is a pretty good story, too.

Keep in mind that the Department of Defense can only spend what Congress allocates for it to spend.

Our buddy, John Kerry, as a Senator, among others, voted to authorize the President sending us here. Then, voted against giving the Pentagon the money to up armor those vehicles, buy the body armor for soldiers, etc.

Remember to show your appreciation appropriately ... at the voting booths in the future.

Well, according to what a friend told me, Fox News earlier today called this one of the three most dangerous cities in Iraq. Maybe they should have told the Iraqis that live around here that. They haven't seemed to figure out they are dangerous, yet. Maybe they are just trying to lull us into a sense of complacency ... ever since Saddam was captured a year ago November.

I guess what I am trying to say is don't believe everything you hear on the news, even if it is on Fox.

I am good, I guess. I've been in the Army over 15 years now. Done an unacompanied tour in Korea, and this is the first Christmas that I have not spent with my wife since we started dating. (Okay, we started dating in January of '85, and were married in June of the same year, but you get the point.)

As far as I am concerned, while it is December 25 here, according to the calendar, this is not Christmas. I, either, had my Christmas on my R&R, or will have it when I get back, or a combination of the two. (Not that I would ever be in denial, or anything.)

Today was my long day at work. So, I am on the computer after a 19 hour day at work. Tonight the music in the sports bar was done by our regular R&B/Hip-Hop DJ. He played some Christmas music at the start of the night. Then, immediately launched into a tune whose chorus featured the line "Deys Ho's in Da House, if you see 'em point 'em out". I didn't realize that was a Christmas carol. I can see where it relates to the spirit of giving, I guess.

Maybe it's a Kwanza thing.

Which brings us to Christmas music.

Being a musician is a seasonal job, in that, you play what is appropriate for the season. No matter how atrocious the music might be. There really is very little good Christmas music, and what little there is has been played to death. I should know. I have done a good bit of that playing myself. I have performed "Sleigh Ride" on trumpet, trombone, euphonium, and tuba. I've played it enough on euph to pretty much have the part memorized without trying.

At my first duty station, one year, the commander pulled out the music for the Christmas concert in mid-September. We rehearsed it, at least, 16 hours a week as a full group (this does not smaller groups that performed on the concert, or breaking the large ensemble into smaller sections to rehearse parts) until mid-December when the concert was.

It's situations like the one above that help you understand the story I am about to relate.

This is about one of my closest friends in high school. He was, later, one of the groomsmen in my wedding. We were in band and choir together, among other things. By the time we were in the last week of school before the Christmas break, between band, choir, and him working at the local radio station, he had heard, sung, or played about all the Christmas music he could take. One year, he found a Santa hat, and walked around school with it on. He would walk up to his close friends,his whole body clenched, and, with the most evil glare, between gritted teeth, growl, "Ho. Ho. F***ing Ho." and trundle off.

He became a Baptist minister, by the way.

It's, technically, my day off. I plan on sleeping in, doing some straightening around my area, doing fun stuff with my computer, and listening to "comfort music". I've been listening to a lot of music from my Jr. High/High School/early college days lately. I have found it to be very relaxing, even when it is Iron Maiden, or Judas Priest. (I'll update the sidebar later.)

Until I see you, or talk to you later, I hope you have a very Happy Holiday, and I hope Santa doesn't leave you a gift like the following:

December 8, 2004

Where to begin?

LetÂ’s see here.

Leave was great. Was home for Thanksgiving, the “boys” turning 9 years old, and my own birthday, as well.

One of my favorite things about being in Germany, from the little time that I have spent there, is the annual Christmas market downtown. We were able to go there, several times. Also, knocked out the bulk of our Christmas shopping at the market.

Went to all of my favorite restaurants, several of them, a couple of times. They recognized me at our favorite Italian place, welcomed me back, and congratulated Amy on my return.

Did no traveling. Did not really do any sight seeing. DidnÂ’t go to Garmisch, the Armed Forces Recreation center in Germany, that includes on itÂ’s grounds Berchtesgarden, and HitlerÂ’s old EagleÂ’s Nest.

Pretty much stayed around the apartment and just enjoyed being together as a family for a change.

It was absolutely fabulous.

But all good things must come to an end, and this did.

Traveling the Army way is interesting.

My trip back started by catching a bus on post in Bamberg at 0330 Tuesday morning. Yes, that is 3:30 AM. The bus was scheduled to head to Frankfurt at 4.

We had to be at the tent city on the air base by 7. They “manifested” us for our flight, and we did the “hurry up and wait” thing until about 10 in the morning. (Read that as I slept on the bus, and then, again, after they manifested us.)

The customs people showed up about 10 and went through everyoneÂ’s bags. Had to unpack, and re-pack everything.

IÂ’m not really sure of the purpose of that. What can you be carrying that is too dangerous to take to a combat zone? And, also, how practical is it to assume that someone might try to highjack the plane? I mean, come on. You are on a plane with roughly 200 soldiers. The only civilians are the flight crew. But, I still had to put my little pocket knife, and my leatherman in my checked bag. It was too dangerous to put in my carryon. Lord only knows what I could have done with those pliers on the plane, right? I might tighten something.

We were, finally, taken to the actual airport around noon. We, finally, took off about 3:30, and landed in Kuwait, at the civilian airport, at about 9:30 PM local time. I sat next to a field artillery lieutenant on the flight. When one of us wasn’t dozing off, we made small talk. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the little base he is stationed on, and I am sure that he is saying the same thing about what he learned about being a musician for the Army. It was nice. It helped kill the time. I would have preferred, at the time, to read my book, but I can save that for the time I have to kill on the rest of the trip. I think I surprised the LT a bit. His wife is a history teacher. The book that I am reading on the trip is “The Guns of August”. It is considered the definitive text on the causes of WWI, and the first few months of the war. I don’t think the LT expected an enlisted person to be tackling that kind of a book just for enjoyment.

I told the guy sitting next to me on the bus (not the LT) that we would be done with the trip to the base, and the little bit of in processing that they would have us do about midnight.

I was wrong.

It was 11:15 when we finished.

I was starving. The chow hall opened for midnight chow at, amazingly enough, at midnight. So, I went and had a decent meal. Came back to the section of the warehouse that they have put me, and most of the people heading back to where I am going, read some and crashed.

Our first formation for the next day was 11:00 AM. I wouldnÂ’t need to get up before 10:00.

To make a long story short (too late).

From that point on, it was a formation every 5-8 hours for about 36 hours. Supposedly, these formations were to put out information. The information at each of these formations, except the last one, was: "There is no information. The next formation is at .... whatever."

The flushing toilets that were available to us were all stopped up. The showers ran out of water the second day. I had forgotten my toothbrush and deodorant in Germany. But, I did get to play my new computer games, and read.

We left for Speicher the afternoon of the second full day that I was in Kuwait. Arrived about 6 that night, and by 10 I was back on Danger.

Had the next day off to unpack, and get myself together after traveling.

It's Tuesday night, and I have been back to work since Saturday.

After being in Kuwait, I appreciate this place.