Ok, I’ve had a recovery day and I’m still tired.

I think I need another one. Boy I sure do miss weekends. At least then we’d have two days off in a row. I didn’t get everything that I wanted to accomplish today but when does that ever happen. Now it’s getting late again. It’ll soon be time for me to take a shower and go to bed. The one thing I do miss around here is television. Heck, we don’t even have a radio. At least there’s a radio station that we could listen to. It’s an AFN (Armed Forces Network) radio station. The DJ’s are here in Iraq somewhere. They mostly play like the top 40 and they chat a little about the news and events around Baghdad.


Got this photo from a buddy of mine that has been here for a while. These signs are everywhere.

I could see why one of the guys that have been here said that we’d get sick of movies. There’s nothing much else to watch. Heck, I’m already starting to build a collection. I’m sure I’ll have a big movie collection by the time my deployment is over. I just wish that the PX had a bigger selection. I was thinking of joining a movie club like Columbia House but I’m not sure if they ship packages to my address. I’m getting tired of movies too. I’ll have to start looking for television shows like The Simpsons, Star Trek, or X-Files for me to start watching. The only thing that sucks is AAFES, the ones that run the PX, are ripping us off with the high prices. And we really can’t shop anywhere else. Well, I guess we could but there really aren’t any stores around here with quality merchandise.

One last thing, I thought this was a nice poem. Especially around Christmas time. Got it sent to me in an e-mail. I hope you enjoy it.



I swept him up into my arms and held him oh so near And
kissed him on the forehead as I whispered in his ear.


"There's nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep
tonight
Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,


To worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
Instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall."


He looked at me as children do and said, "It's always
right,
To thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should
write."


And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
To thank the many far from home and this is what we wrote:


"God bless you all and keep you safe and speed your way
back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.


The gift you give you share with all, a present every
day, You give the gift of liberty and that we can't
repay."



Michael Marks: "I freely submit this poem for reprint
without reservation--this is an open and grateful tribute
to the men and women who serve every day to keep our
nation safe.