Last night Petty Officer First Class Lacey took me to the Navy Ball, a celebration of the 239th birthday of America's Seamen. But in my opinion, the Navy doesn't look a day over 230. The ball was like a cross between a prom and a wedding. It was in a Marriott ballroom, everyone was dressed up and there was a cocktail hour, a bunch of speeches, dinner and dancing. Of course the true measure of any party is the cake, and in that regard the Navy did not disappoint. Though if I had been in charge, I would have made sure there were submarine shaped sugar cookies too. And I have never been a DJ, so maybe I have no right to complain but lets just say this one left a lot to be desired. He played a lot of nonsense like that song where a guy just yells Shots! Shots! Shots! over and over. I don't know, maybe you have to ingest a lot of shots before you understand that one. But it was a fun night of dancing and laughing and I am happy to have had the chance to experience it. I have a lot of mixed feelings about 'Merica and the military. I wish arms were only for hugging and we could all be lovers instead of fighters. But I realize that the real world is not the Willy Wonka's chocolate factory I want it to be. And I have the utmost respect for all the men and women who serve our imperfect but ultimately perfectly loveable country.
Lyric of the moment: "What do you do with a drunken sailor? What do you do with a drunken sailor? What do you do with a drunken sailor, early in the morning?" (I remember learning this song in middle school music class, which looking back seems a little inappropriate. But maybe it was because that Shots! song hadn't come out yet. Or they were just preparing us for future careers in the Navy.)
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