A perfect ending to a perfect year...

In 1997, I spent Christmas at the South Pole. There was a lot taking place down there leading up to the big day; a lot I don't normally share with others (ex: being assigned to chip frozen sewage as a warning not to speak to the powers that be in a sexual harassment case--the chipping wasn't so bad, just the part when you went upstairs to eat and it melted). Work was tough and conditions were brutal. Many of those there, including myself, suffered from some form of cabin fever. In addition to this, I was beginning to feel homesick. In all my travels, this is the only time I have really been homesick.

We worked long hours in the Antarctic: six-ten hour days every week. In addition to our having Sundays off, we were rewarded three additional vacation days: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's (although I seem to remember working a Sunday to make up for New Year's). At any rate...Christmas was a needed break I was very much looking forward to.

I remember at one point we gathered into a large room in the Dome--the main building down there at the time. Being a day off, it was one of the rare occasions where we were able to come together, since we normally worked 3 separate shifts, as one large family. A couple of shipments of mail had come in and the decision had been made to wait until Christmas to pass out the goodies. Mail was always a welcomed relief from the stresses of life at the Pole and given the occasion (ie Christmas), the anticipation leading up to this was pretty high.

There were roughly 175 of us there that summer. As my co-workers tore into package after package of cookies, stocking caps, and knitted scarves from home, I sat there patiently waiting, hoping, that the next package would be mine, only accepting the hard truth that I had been forgotten when an announcement was made for the last package...and it was passed to someone else. Of the 175, I was literally the only person there not to receive a present.

I've experienced many things in my travels, but that sucked.

This year's Christmas may rival 1997. This has been a rough year for me. It started off on a rough note, one that seems to have set the tone for the entire year. I lost my father. I lost my home. And now I face Christmas.

My mom visited me for Thanksgiving. We had a very nice time and made plans at that time to spend Christmas together this year in Laramie. But due to the weather, I will be spending it alone. A situation I am not looking forward to (and Mom, please know I'm not pointing finger here, I understand why you're not coming, just venting my frustration with the weather and my situation in Laramie).

I returned from my weekly Denver weekend trip on Monday. Since then, I have made small talk with several of the baristas in town and with some Mormon missionaries who stopped by last night, but that's about it. I know of no one I would call a 'friend' who is left in town. Laramie is a college town and this is somewhat to be expected. Tomorrow I plan to visit one of the truck stops for a meal. Not because I am without food--I have plenty. Not because I am a horrible cook--I am, but I can make something as good as they can. But simply to see another human being. ugh.

A perfect ending to a perfect year. I can't wait for 2010 and pray God my life changes for the better in the coming year.