We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hannukah

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It is 5:55 am and sleep escapes me. Many would say "impossible" as I once was gifted with the ability to sleep in the top rack of the helo chief's quarters right under the arresting gear (between the 2 and 3 wires I think). Basically pretend you are sleeping under the runway at O'Hare. Tonight for some reason I was waking up every hour on the hour from 11pm on. Oh well, cup of tea blog a little then see what happens.

Thanksgiving is upon us and the stores are once again giving no thanks but hoping for a black friday shot in the financial arm. Some stores are even opening before friday gets there. just makes me wonder if any of it is worth anything. I think that IF I can get to sleep thursday night at a reasonable time, I might just boycott the whole commercialized thing and wait till saturday afternoon. How I miss TG & Y this time of year.......

Trying to understand the basics of life.....

Actually, after reading Ecclesiastes (that is how the spell checker spells it, though I wonder) I have to agree with The Preacher, the basics of life are mere vanities. If we follow the guide, we should be alright at the end of the trip but how many of us travel that way? Most of the time we get off the course we set out on and BAM, we wind up somewhere unexpected. As The Hub used to say, and I quote "Oh Very Well."  (that would be Senior Chief Hubble, for the uninitiated)

For example, I joined the Navy in '71 planning to do 6 years and getting out and working for one of the oil companies as an electronics ( radio ) tech. Would have doubled my salary but would have never made a trip to Okinawa, Iceland, Spain or Sicily, not to mention Israel, Italy, or the south of France. Nor would I have seen any of the "Spanish Riviera." Such is life, 22 years later. 

Mind, traveling on the government nickle is ok, but you wind up with lovely things like "Shore Patrol" or flight deck duty { if you have never been there, you really can't imagine. The Discovery Channel has a couple of shows on carrier duty, but they can't put the taste of burning jet fuel in your nose and noise that is greater than a Grateful Dead concert. And they don't really cover liberty launches and 12 on / 12 off 7 days a week. } I'll have to warm up the old scanners and select a few pics. More later as it is now bedtime.....  

First round down and one to go.

Long night that started early this morning. I'm not sure where things go from here but as long as I can make a left turn at Albuquerque it will be alright. More long tomorrow. Truly Sueliemani, it is vanity.