Trinity says that she used to "adopt" service members a lot, and the idea had really started to appeal to me. I've always wanted to work on a series of essays that were like my own bent version of Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon stories. Not dirty or anything, just my skewed view of what happens around me. Well, sort of like this diary without the date reports. I figured that might be fairly entertaining for the troops. At least more entertaining than reading the back of an MRE package (which, I think, is blank).

Corresponding with someone who's far afield and in harm's way just appeals to me. I know that when my dad was a Marine in Korea, his letters home were a very big deal. His hometown newspaper would publish them. Though he didn't describe where his company (Fox/27th) was or what they were doing, he could describe what the conditions were like and what was going through his head, and he couched it with his subtle Grouse-like sense of humor.

He wrote home about things like strategies for always keeping one pair of dry socks. He didn't write about the bad stuff.

I'd write about the weather changing, and how the late-afternoon October sunlight on the buildings downtown can make even Atlanta feel a little like New England in the fall. I'd write about building our first fire of the season in the fireplace. About how Deb can build a better fire than I can and how she obsessively tends it and feeds all through the evening, even though we have to stay up until it's mostly burned down. I'd write about the way Angel flops down on her back for a belly rub the way the frat guys flopped on the floor in "Animal House" during the toga party scene. I'd write about the upcoming neighborhood gumbo party where the hosts, John and Randy, mix up a 10-gallon vat of gumbo and a bushel of rice and pile up the dining room table with party food and goodies. Last year we nearly laughed 'til we peed our pants watching the hosts' dog herd a toddler around the living room.

So, maybe I can't send anything right now. But maybe I could start writing anyway. I think they're still delivering specifically addressed mail, so if anyone out there has a friend or relative assigned overseas who might appreciate a line from Badsnake, let me know.

Moving on - 12:11 p.m. , 2007-08-14

Where the hell have I been? - 12:10 p.m. , 2007-02-19

Holy shit! - 2:24 p.m. , 2006-01-11

Stuffing recipe - 6:17 p.m. , 2005-12-13

Good Life Update - 10:22 a.m. , 2005-11-11