A big suicide vehicle bomb exploded in the area near Baghdad. It wounded a lot of people and killed one American soldier.

Plenty of irritation around the camp today. Most of the American and Iraqi forces on camp have started to get on each other's nerves. The close living conditions, lack of some creature comforts, the boredom, the frustration, and the real or imagined danger all add up to hostility.

That is what the life around here is like. A slow daily grind that just eats at you as life moves on. Of course, this can be punctuated by the quick-moving times of danger and moving around on patrols. I know that other service members and family members know what I mean. Every day I wake up, glance at the clock, think about going back to sleep, pull myself out of bed, and then look at the calendar and my countdown clock (still haven't manipulated my html code yet, Eunuch). The days run together, and it is now almost Christmas. Merry Christmas. Bah, Humbug. Doesn't feel like Christmas today.

Plus add in the conflict. Yes, the conflict that lies just below the surface and bubbles up every so often in flash arguments. Everyone here is a hero and the next best thing to sliced bread. Throw all these people together in a mini-pressure cooker--fun fun fun.

So off it goes onto another day of tedium. Hey, I'm 45 minutes into another day of mind-numbing existence. The normal routine seems especially deadening today. Too many days to count until freedom from this existence.

A big rat trapped himself between the window and the sandbags outside. That provided 30 minutes of fun in an otherwise dull and lifeless day that crept along, never ending.