It is that time of year again...

So today was just a little bit of a waste. The tree is only half-way up. The Christmas lights are still in the garage (although I have purchased the requisite clips, so as not to damage the rental house), and my Christmas shopping is far from over. My to-do list is a page long and the end is nowhere in sight. My normally hyperactive, tree up before Thanksgiving, wife is less energetic this year, though it isn't her fault, and I should be picking up the slack...and I haven't.

So the answer to my current situation can only be...

COFFEE!!

I'm that guy. No coffee in the morning and I don't function. At all. I'm sure it's hereditary as my father drinks a full pot every morning. My habit is about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pot each day, but more often lately I've been having a large cuppa joe from one of the local shops...

It wasn't always this way...

In the middle of Gulf War I, it became my job to ensure the leadership chain above me (which, at that time, was everybody), was kept in coffee. We worked 12 hour shifts and had one day off every 6-7 days after working the first 45 days in country straight. About 10 days after arriving we started to run low on the shop's supply of coffee. I was sent to scavenge and/or "procure" using any tactics required, a suitable supply. After all, everyone knows the military runs on three things: Gas, bombs or bullets, and coffee!

After making friends with a supply troop I secured a reliable source of the "elixir of life" as I was fond of calling it back in the day, and secured myself an AF medal for contributing greatly to the war effort. My brother, if he ever happens to read this will probably think I was serious...at least for a second.

Time for a tangent...

You see, the AF is somewhat freer with the awarding of pretty colored ribbons for the troops than the Navy. My brother loves to rant about how we get ribbons for proper performance of a bowel movement in basic training. I've told him it wasn't quite that easy...I actually had to fill out a form to join the "Ribbon of the Month Club" and somehow I let my membership lapse...
Honestly, we do award a lot of ribbons. I personally have almost twice the number of ribbons my father received after his 21+ years of dedicated service. Most of them are of the right place at the right time variety. Not to say I haven't earned a few of those, I have, but the more they are given, the less they mean. Just my silly capt opinion.

Back to the original idea...

I'm behind the power curve for this holiday season and it is time for me to get off my ass and get to work.

So no more blogging tonight!

By the way...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I believe in saying Merry Christmas as well as Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, etc. Apparently there are those that don't...more's the pity...