This or That?

Today I had a “whoa!” moment. And I’m not talking about when I was running at a 7.0 on the treadmill and the ship took a little roll and I grabbed onto the bar and went “whoa” so I didn’t fall off. No, not that kind of whoa.

Today I merrily skipped to the vending machine to have my allotted one a day Coke Light (no, the Navy isn’t rationing our C.L. allocation, but rather I am limiting myself to one a day to keep up my health- with it being so cold I need plenty of tea and water to keep me healthy and plenty of water to keep me hydrated for my daily treadmill sessions and definitely don’t need too much caffeine- in fact, I need something to calm my excitement so I sleep more soundly through the night. Channel fever 26 days out? Oh dear- it’s gonna be a long month!)

So, anyways, there I was, in the Zulu module, where we stand watch when I absent-mindedly crack open a nice cold artificially sweetened diet soda. KPPPPYSSHHHH. (that’s the sound of me cracking open a cold one) when I stop in my tracks and think to myself “that didn’t sound right…”

I looked down and noticed what I had in my hand was not a Middle Eastern born and bred Coke Light, splashed with un-readable Arabic, with its environmentally UN-friendly removable tab (seriously? Who thought of that? How inconvenient!). What I had in my hand rather, was a good ole American, Capitalist produced, and red, white, and blue as the colors we fly on the NIMITZ, Diet Coke. With a non-removable, more environmentally friendly (what do you do with that tab? Who is within a trash can range when opening a soda? What do you do with that tab? Put it in your pocket? Throw it on the floor? Try not to cut yourself with it? Hello- this is 2010! Get with the trend, Middle Eastern Coke Producer!) tab. A KPPPYYYYSSSHHH sound producing Diet Coke.

Now, if you know me, you know I LOVEEEEEEE Coke Light. I love it as much as I love a cold glass of 1% milk with breakfast or a skinny vanilla latte when it’s cold outside (not that I know what that’s like anymore) or a crisp glass of Sauvignon Blanc on a warm day. One of my favorite things about traveling abroad (aside from the food), is the plentiful abundance of Coke Light. I love Coke Light like all good Americans love baseball and apple pie (neither of which I am really a fan of, but I’m still a good American, I swear). But today in the Zulu module, being only 26 (I think it’s actually now 25 days, given that it’s past 3:30 in the morning--- clearly I shouldn’t have had that Diet Coke!!!) days from home, that Diet Coke, was the most glorious taste and sight I think I’ve ever seen or tasted. It tasty of home sweet home and America and capitalism and freedom and 3G access for all and all of the other little idiosyncrasies that you never really realize are so important to you or that you would ever miss until you completely pick up and exit American society for 6 months at a time.

And with that, I think it’s time that I hit the hay. I know that was totally pointless and rambling but I couldn’t help but share. Also note, the Diet Coke photo illustrates a proper can opener tab. I can’t find any picture of the other kind, but I think you know what I’m talking about.