So it was 6:18 AM, and I didn't just wake up...in fact, I've been up since almost this time yesterday, and just got home from twelve hours on watch waiting for things to happen that didn't. Better that way, really. It was so quiet I ended up getting some 3D modelling done. In fact my only possible complaint was that the command center was a little chilly. I'm stuck here for the next couple of days before driving up home for a "late" Christmas.

With that in mind, I'd like to direct your attention eastward to a few fine ladies and gentleman in camo, who are presently up to their waists in dust reloading magazines that they just unloaded into some poor schmuck that'll never know what a Christmas is. If you'll head a good ways northwest of that, you'll find someone else standing on top of a ship in open cold weather doing the job that the radar should be doing, while his friend is several decks below in sweltering heat making sure the engines keep running. Meanwhile, some guy's flying a fighter plane around enjoying himself...kidding! Much love for the sky services too. And I'm not just talking about the US. This is Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, and any number of other countries that I've had both friends and siblings-in-arms from. Those of us that would take each others' places and die if called, or if we could.

Nah...I've got it easy this year. Much easier than I might've. So in reading this, don't think about me. Send your thoughts out to the rest. Wherever you're from, remember that someone, somewhere, has bought your holiday today. And in that closing, it is without care for anyone's particular religion, lack thereof, or offense that they'll take, that I say...thank God for all that we've got, because we were never obligated to have any of it. Value and cherish everything that this day, and all those to come, bring to you and your families.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone .