Why isn't thanksgiving here yet?

So this is going to be a bunch of random stuff. Just wondering thoughts and events this week. I have 2 weeks till I get to go home for thanksgiving. That being said, it has a detrimental affect on your attitude and work ethic here at West Point. For a lot of us here, that is all we can think about, the chance to go home. I was lucky that I could "re-experience" the civilian world last weekend in New York City. However, once I got back it was same old same old with school work, drill, and everything else we cherish here at West Point. Lately I have felt very out of touch with my friends and family back home. I don't mean out of touch as in lack of communication but more like I am a world away. My life here is so different from what it was back home and very different from my friends lives. I spend more time in conversations with friends answering questions about here and the army than I do actually talking. My ability to communicate with people outside of here is important although sometimes distracting. It gives me a link to my old ways and society (that is the civilian world). I stay within in the same mile or 2 mile circle every week here unless I am lucky enough to have a trip section (as I did on Wednesday, more to follow). Its weird being so confined. Not only am I in the same area at all times but I have two roommates in a smallish room. Very little chance for privacy or complete silence. Also it pay to mention that everything (except the Hudson Valley, off-post) is dull, plain, and often gray. Same colors and same surroundings can really make you feel like you are stuck, kind of like a Twilight Zone (at least in an extreme situation.....of course I haven't experienced an whole winter here). West Point quite effectively mentally confuses you. It makes you act strange and think strange, at least given civilian reactions to us. We have so many mannerisms and jokes and traditions here that really throw you off when you get back to the civilian world. Honestly, half of me says I am a different person and the other half says I am not. Call me a nut, a looney or just plain F*%#ed up..........but I don't think it's a serious mental problem. Well before I overload my brain with these deep thoughts and confusing mental notes lets move to a different subject.

So we did have something pretty big happen here on Tuesday. CHUCK NORRIS came to West Point! I don't think the mess hall has ever been as loud as it was at lunch when they announced Chuck Norris. He then walked through the hall (I am not sure why) and lets just say it looked like a bunch of little girls at a Jonas Brothers concert (they're still popular w/ the young people right?). I'm pretty sure my finger grazed his hand as he was walking by ( I wasn't fortunate enough to get a full high five). After lunch he gave a briefing to the corps in Rob Aud. I took my video camera and taped the whole thing. It was pretty funny and entertaining. There was one thing that was a little unnecessary though; his wife stood up and told him to talk about how great Mike Huckabee is. You could tell that Chuck wanted to roundhouse kick her to the face (or at least skip the subject). He did a pretty good job of just talking bout his relationship with Huckabee instead of campaigning and promoting him (which I am pretty sure his wife wanted him to). Afterwards he was having a book signing at the bookstore. Sadly, the line was huge and I had a last hour class. I gave up my chance to simply shake his hand and introduce myself. Quite a shame, but I did pass my book off to a buddy in line so I still have his autograph. On Wednesday we didn't have school. ESPN was here to celebrate Veteran's Day and televise some of the 10k ruck march some of the corps was taking part in. My company, because it is awesome, managed to get a day long trip section (aka field trip) approved. In the morning we made our way to the Purple Heart Memorial and Museum. It was actually pretty cool and is located where Washington quelled the mutiny of the Continental Army after the Revolutionary War. We were there for about an hour and then headed off to Applebee's. We changed into civvies on the way and had a free meal. While there we saw plenty of West Point because they had ESPN on. After lunch we headed to the Palisades Mall. This mall was gigantic, 4 floors of everything. Sadly, I had no money to spend (gotta love NYC). I chilled and walked around the mall with some friends for four to five hours till we had to leave. Although it might not have sounded like fun, getting off post and getting into civvies was well worth it. We got back around 6:30 PM and had plenty of time for.........you guessed it, Homework. This weekend is going to be great as I am doing the bulk of my research paper for History, which is due Tuesday. It seems like all the teachers wanted to kill us before thanksgiving. Just turned in a math project, have an english paper, the history paper, a chem test, an IT lab, and who knows what else (I don't like to look ahead to much, that way I don't stress myself out or get myself down for the next week before it even starts).

Well, I guess this will do, my mind can only handle so much free writing at a time.....actually I just think I'm not creative or able to write. Oh well........