IJMC - Twas the Weeks Before Christmas

I am curious what my "conservative friend" will think of this one...I was 
touched, and I pass it along for what it is...like it or not, your choice.

Now, onto something far more important...free stuff for me. One service I 
personally subscribe to is called SixDegrees. A silly little network that 
brings to life the idea of "six degrees of seperation". Why do you care? 
You probably do not...however, right now, they are offerring me free 
stuff for bringing them new members. Like, a RIO MP3 player, a DVD 
player, or best, a digital camera (I want one...). So, why does this 
involve you? Well, if I add 25 to 100 new members to my sixdegrees list, 
I get one of those items. So I am asking you, my subscribers, to help me. 
The service is free, and only sends out a few emails a month to 
subscribers. If I add you to the service, you count as one of my 25-100 
new members. You get to be one of my primary group and you we can all 
know each other...something like that.

So, if you are willing to help me get some free stuff, all you have to do 
is this: send me an email with your name and email address. I will submit 
you as a new member request. Sixdegrees will send you an email saying 
that "dave wants to add you as a friend". You reply to that, and voila, 
all is done. At that point, you can add 25-100 of your friends to 
sixdegrees and earn a free MP3 player, dvd, or digital camera too! So, 
are you willing to help me get something back for all the posts I send out?

Would it help if I begged?                                            -dave

<A HREF="mailto:ijmc@ijmc.com">Help Me Get A Free Electronic Toy!</A>





 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
  HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
  IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
  PLASTER AND STONE.

  I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
  WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
  AND TO SEE JUST WHO
  IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

  I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
  A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
  NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
  NOT EVEN A TREE.

  NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
  JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
  ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
  OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

  WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
  AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
  A SOBER THOUGHT
  CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

  FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
  IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
  I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
  ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

  THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
  SILENT, ALONE,
  CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
  IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

  THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
  THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
  NOT HOW I PICTURED
  A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

  WAS THIS THE HERO
  OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
  CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
  THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

  I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
  THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
  OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
  WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

  SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
  THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
  AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
  A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

  THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
  EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
  BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
  LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

  I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
  HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
  ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
  IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

  THE VERY THOUGHT
  BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
  I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
  AND STARTED TO CRY.

  THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
  AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
  "SANTA DON'T CRY,
  THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

  I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
  I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
  MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
  MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

  THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
  AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
  I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
  I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

  I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
  SO SILENT AND STILL
  AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
  FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

  I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
  ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
  THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
  SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

  THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
  WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
  WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
  IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

  ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
  AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
  "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
  AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

  This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The
following is his request. I think it is reasonable..... 

  PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people
as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S.  service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. 

  Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make
people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed
themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.