White Christmas

It is looking like I'll have a white Christmas here in Moscow. It has been snowing off and on for the last two days and it has left a decent coating on the streets, sidewalks, trees, etc. Though I'm sad that I won't be home with my family for Christmas, I am confident that I will have a good one with my roommates. For each of us it will be our first Christmas away from home, but we've worked together pretty well to plan what should be a good time; we agreed on no gifts, but a good dinner, some Christmas songs, and the drinking of a lot of Gluhwein planned. Our home internet has been dead for over 2 weeks, but in the act of some sort of miracle it started working (and then died again) and completed the download of A Christmas Story and almost finished It's a Wonderful Life-I'm hoping for another internet miracle tonight. Anyways, I don't really have anything to say, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas, tell you all to be safe and enjoy the time, remember the true meaning of Christmas and don't cry if you don't get that ipod or whatever, be happy with what you have because most have so much less. Also keep in mind your friends who are suffering and going through rough times, I have some friends undergoing cancer treatments so pray for them, remember the homeless and the lonely, those with nowhere to go and nobody to be with. Regardless of your political views, remember the soldiers overseas, some surrounded by hate who can't be with their families. I think Christmas is a time to be thankful for what you have and to work to help others, not a time to be selfish; if you're stuck in Moscow, be happy you have good friends; if you're stuck in Cincinnati, be happy you're not with Joe Dees in Moscow. Just don't get down on yourselves, feel good and spread the cheer. Well I hope all of your Christmas wishes come true, my only wish is to see that big dog, but I'm willing to wait for something so good.

Post Christmas update: Everything went really well and was a lot of fun. We all drank more than our share and ate until we were full, we sang Christmas songs and even did some dancing. I hope everybody out there had as good of a Christmas as me. I even got my "miracle" and watched It's a Wonderful Life, which like always made me bawl my eyes out-so good. The strangest part of it all was how it felt like Christmas in my heart, but walking around outside the city was still just as angry and busy as ever-"do they know it's Christmas time at all?"