Turkey Day

 Part of the Thanksgiving feast at Camp Eggers.  Yum.

Today is a day for remembering what you have and not taking those things for granted.  It's about family and fellowship and, of course, turkey.  I had fellowship with my friends.  My family is 7,000 miles away.  I actually skipped the turkey in favor of rather delicious ham.  The last check mark is giving thanks, so...

I am thankful for:

 

- 22 hours off work.  The duty day ended at 1500 on Thursday, and our customary morning off on Friday is still in effect.  That means I get ALMOST one whole day off.  What a luxury.

 

- My thoroughly awesome office mates.  We've been with each other 14 hours a day for almost 5 months and we still haven't killed each other.  We all share a similar sense of juvenile humor, which makes the day go by much easier and much faster.  I really don't think I could have picked a better group to spend my deployment with.

 

- Good security.  The only times I've had to wear my body armor were either voluntary or for a practice drill.  There have been very few incidents in Kabul during my time here, and none of them serious. 

 

- Friends that push me to work out.  Hitting the gym isn't something that do for fun in my spare time, and I don't have the discipline to stick with a routine that causes me pain on a regular basis.  Having buddies to push me to do better has been key to me getting in better shape.

 

- The forethought to load Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" on my iPod.  It just isn't Thanksgiving until I listen to that song.

 

- Freedom from Christmas songs.  I can't STAND to listen to Christmas music anytime before Thanksgiving or after New Year's.  My family, on the other hand, would listen to them all year long if allowed.  They are taking full advantage of my absence in this respect.  They even put up the tree last weekend.  Don't get used to it guys.  

 

- Quality Thanksgiving entertainment.  Namely, the Today Show on NBC broadcasting live from Camp Eggers.  It was pretty cool to walk past the cameras, the crowd of people trying to get on TV, the reporter, etc, then watch the scene on TV while eating dinner.  

Today Show correspondent Lester Holt prepping for a report from Camp Eggers.

 

- PS3s and 50" TVs.  Combined with people who have never played video games, hilarity ensues.  

- Only 17 days until my convoy leaves Camp Eggers!  Then begins the waiting game on flights to get home.  I have hope that I'll get home before Christmas, but trying not to get those hopes too high, as there is still a pretty good chance that I'll be in Kuwait instead.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Stay safe on the roads, stay sane on the shopping trips.

Out here.