War shopping

Rossana and I went into our bank the other day to deposit some checks. As we wait we notice a large plastic box. Next to the box are photocopied lists. These lists are things that U.S. Soldiers in Iraq have requested as they are in short supply.

I idly glanced over the list. Some of the things on their should not be.

Toothpaste
Sunglasses
Tampons
WTF???

I wanted to put the list down. I don't like this war. I knew that things weren't going to go well for us even before we took pictures of naked Iraqis we were torturing.

But fuck. The overwhelming majority of people serving over there are good people trapped by the decisions of a moron commander-in-chief. Its just not their fault.

I looked around on Google and started finding stories about soldiers families taking up collections so that their sons and daughters would have the basic necessities for serving in a desert war theater. Some had paid for their kids body armor.

WTF?????

We found ourselves at Big Lots, filling a shopping cart with things from the list. Things I wouldn't go camping without, let alone fight a war. How are you supposed to feel about that? It leaves one a little conflicted, but these guys deserve what comfort they can get during this holiday season. Especially since some of them won't be coming home except in flag draped caskets.

'Cause I got a golden ti-cket!'

My new passport arrived today and with it the promise of leaving the country whenever I damn well please. My wife's has yet to show up however and this led to a long hard look at me. I had to swear that I wouldn't pack up all my shit and leave for outer mongolia tonight without her. I promissed, and domestic bliss was re-established.

The new passport has my ugly mug digitally printed onto the first page, makeing forgery either much easier or much harder. There is now a very complex little hologram coating on the page. Why am I mentioning this? No reason... no reason at all...