A Week Off

I'm taking this week off of work. I'll still check email from time to time, but mostly I'm going to do some chores around here, organize a bit of woodworking, and get caught up on my reading.

Wrapping up school: Late this week, the grade for the last course should drop. On the 30th, the degree should be conferred. Fun stuff, really.

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Our condolences to the families, friends, and units of these fallen warriors:

• Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas D. Checque, 28, of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, died of combat related injuries suffered Dec. 8, while supporting operations near Kabul, Afghanistan.
• Staff Sgt. Wesley R. Williams, 25, of New Carlisle, Ohio, died Dec. 10 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Staff Sgt. Nelson D. Trent, 37, of Austin, Texas, died Dec. 13 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. Michael J. Guillory, 28, of Pearl River, Louisiana, died Dec. 14 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
• Staff Sgt. Nicholas J. Reid, 26, of Rochester, New York, died Dec. 13 in Landstuhl, Germany from wounds suffered on Dec. 9, in Sperwan Village, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. 1st Class Kevin E. Lipari, 39, of Baldwin, New York, died Dec. 14 in Logar province, Afghanistan.