It's cooled down here, and the days have gotten shorter. With the arrival of shorter days it gets easy to feel a bit down, especially when you're thousands of miles away from everyone and everything that means anything to you and one of the most special times of the year is right around the corner. I realize I signed a contract and swore an oath, but does that strip me of any right to feel the way I do? I think not. I was here around this time last year, and I guess this year is a way of taking back the holiday time I just managed to get last year, which resulted in the only house-to-house move I can think of that could cause post-traumatic stress. I came home with just enough time to get my family ready to move back up to Georgia, and that pretty well obliterated any celebratory feelings I might have had about Christmas and New Year's. I'll tell the history of family separation due to my obligations one day, but for now let's leave it as people are feeling low here, and I'm among them. I know it could be worse, and given enough time I'll get over this. For now, however, it's easy to feel like the whole world sucks.

I think I got all the bad stuff out in the first chunk there, so let's look at the bright side. I'm physically fit, I have a good wife and daughter, I can play musical instruments, and I have good people on my side. I have a good wealth of understanding for the field of engineering, I'm able to laugh at a joke like "With great power comes great current squared times resistance," and I haven't lost my ability to question. I think the surest sign that one's will is destroyed is when they accept what they're told without question. It's funny for me to say this when I'm in the military. If something seems suspect or unlawful, then you can bet I'm questioning it. I won't allow myself to be stripped of my will, nor will I follow blindly.