Boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!
Coors Christmas (without the beer)
Christmas Eve in Iraq.
At the start of the evening, I figured I needed to write a post about Christmas overseas – more to the point, Christmas at war.
Through the last few hours at work, while walking home, and while fiddling with the site code I thought about it. What was it like? How could I explain it to everyone?
You know what? It’s just another day. The alarm clock will still buzz, the groans will still be muttered. Showers will still be cold. Boots will still be muddy.
There is a big hoo-hah planned at the chow hall for lunch, so that’s awesome. There will be all sorts of crap to feast on – including sparkling grape juice, a secret lust of mine. Mmmmmmmm, grapey goodness.
Other than that, I can’t give you much sweeping narration. Some of the troops have put up small Christmas trees, cards and the boxes of candy families send from the states. But it’ll be a pretty standard workday. No biggie.
They’re showing “White Christmas” on the Armed Forces Network. The TV spot shows that famous scene with Bing Crosby singing the title song.
I thought it was a strange choice to show a bunch of soldiers looking glum and sad while some sap sings about missing a holiday…
Then it sort of came to me. That’s why we don’t think about it all much. That’s what Christmas in Iraq is like.
It’s all about not stopping to remember. And if you do slow down for a second, you’ll have a seat, prop your face on a hand and look toward the ground, remembering the movie that reminds you about remembering.
Thanks Bing…jerk.
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Talking Salmons 
yup – i know the commercial of which you speak…they play it continuously and it is a VERY odd choice…whatever…love the pics down the right – it’s definetly uber…
Boy oh boy oh boy; next Christmas (and all the subsequent ones) will be soooo much better than this one, because you will have this one to compare it to! Still going to wish you a good Christmas day that’s calm, full of good eats, and safe!
Hey buddy, just wanted to say Merry Christmas! Sorry you’re not home with family, but I just wanted to take a minute and tell ya I’m praying for ya and hope all is well.
Beth: Thanks, kiddo! You’re right, I’ll have a damn good time next year. That’s what’s good about these sorts of things.
I never thought I could miss the states. I guess I never thought about all the stuff we have.
ZNB: Back at ‘cha, bro. Miss you lots, my man. Keep on doing your thing. Thanks for the thoughts.
I have a really hard time coping in December. I ran away from home two days after Christmas, my sister’s bday is earlier in the month, my marriage fell apart (that’s not so huge a thing, we’re as thick as thieves and he’s a tops bloke), and I don’t exist to my family anymore.
I seriously fucking hate this month. Argh. Remembering kills me like nothing else.
Take care, Josh.