My Buddy Brigham

So, here's the big news:
I'M GOING TO UTAH!
Yep, I got an assignment on Wednesday, and it was finalized yesterday, so it's official. I will be leaving Misawa in December in a permanent change of station (PCS) move to Hill Air Force Base in Ogden (about 30 miles from Salt Lake City). First, the down side:
1) I won't be able to go to China with Paul and Trish. I'm bummed about missing China, but I'm even more bummed about missing it with Paul and Trish. They've become such great friends, and I feel our time together is so precious.
2) I'll miss the birth of Baby Dinkins. Damn, that's gonna be a cute baby.
3) I won't get to see Hiroshima next August.
4) No more onsening.
Now, the up side:
1) Salt Lake City is a big city with lots to do (i.e. movie theatres with NEW movies, restaurants with vegetarian entrees, malls with a Banana Republic, etc.).
2) They have the best snow on earth. (Their license plates say so.)
3) Low crime rate. Not as low as Japan, but lower than, say, Vegas.
4) Other various conveniences that come with living in the States that most people who've always lived in the States take for granted (i.e. not hitting 3,859 buttons on the phone to call my parents, being able to read road signs, actually HAVING road signs, etc.).
5) Only a 6 hour drive, or a $90 plane ride from Vegas.
Of course, I was kinda hoping to get another overseas assignment, but being around all those Mormons will almost be like living in another country, so I figure it's an even trade. I'm supposed to leave sometime in December. I'm hoping to spend another Christmas here in Japan, so I wrote December 30th as my requested departure date. Now for the scary part: three months of outprocessing hell.
Anyway, that's the big news. Take care. No worries. God Bless.