Veteran's Day from a Veteran's Point of View

Happy Veteran’s Day to all those who have served, or are currently serving, in the Armed Forces.  From the Revolutionary War right on up to the present day, our veterans have always been there to answer the call. It is with deep and profound gratitude that I say a humble “Thank You” to all of them – past, present, and future.

On Veteran’s Day I also feel a different kind of gratitude. I am incredibly grateful for the eight years that I served in the Army. It made me understand what I was capable of and made me realize my own strength. The person that I was while I was in the Army was the best that I have ever been.  The Army enabled me to have experiences that I never would have had otherwise. It turned me from a small town girl into a citizen of the world. It brought me life-long friendships and introduced me to the love of my life.  I would not have the life that I have today if it was not for those incredible eight years.

So, to Uncle Sam I say a heartfelt “Thank You” and to all my friends and comrades from the old days – Hooah!

Texas goes Midwest

I’ve been neglecting this blog lately because there are big changes taking place in my life, and I couldn’t talk about them publicly just yet.  The hubster and I are moving to Ohio.  That is where he is originally from, and I have really fallen in love with it over the years. 

I am very excited to make this move.  I’m looking forward to apple picking, watching leaves change, and having actual seasons.  Not to mention, we will be living close to his family so we will get to have family holidays and get-togethers.  My nephews are still really young, so seeing the holidays thru their eyes is going to be such a thrill.

That being said, I am going to miss my own family in Texas. Unfortunately, with Texas being such a big state, even though we are in the same state we don’t live anywhere close enough to really be a part of each other’s daily lives.

So, now I get to start figuring out how to integrate my Texas roots with my Midwest future. I’m guessing the folks in Ohio can get used to my chicken fried steak and sweet tea.

Signs and Superstitions

No other day sparks as much talk of superstitions as Friday the 13^th.  The water cooler talk this morning was all about black cats & broken mirrors, even though very few people will admit to being superstitious.  

I am not a superstitious person.  I have owned black cats multiple times in my life, but I have never considered them unlucky. Unless you count the bad luck of having to scoop the kitty litter box.  I try not to walk under ladders, but that has more to do with fear of falling paint cans than fear of bad luck.   I do cross my fingers for luck, but that is because of habit, not belief.

Although I don’t believe in superstitions, I am a very firm believer in signs.  I believe that sometimes there are things that you are meant to do and if you look closely the universe will let you know.  Heck, sometimes you don’t even have to look that closely.  Have you ever thought about relocating and suddenly the name of the town you are thinking of starts coming up everywhere you turn?  Have you thought of adopting a pet, then a stray kitten turns up on your patio? 

Sure, some people say that those kinds of things are just a coincidence.   But I believe in the magic and wonder of life and I choose to believe that there are road signs from the universe that propel us towards where we need to be.

Where Were You That Day?

It seems like every generation has their defining tragedy.  That one moment when everyone seems to remember exactly where they were and what they were doing.  For my parent’s generation it was the Kennedy assassination.  For my generation it is 9/11.

This morning at work everyone has been talking about what they were doing when they learned the towers had been hit. It is amazing that after twelve years the memories are still so crystal clear.  

I learned about it when a co-worker came out of his office and said that one of the World Trade Center towers had been hit by a plane, but that nobody knew whether it was an accident or an attack.  A few minutes later he came back out, his face completely drained of color, and said that another plane had hit the second tower.  At that moment we knew the terrible truth.  I remember the whole office going silent, completely in shock.  After that there was a flurry of activity with everyone trying to get on the internet or crowding into the offices that had radios.  I remember the frustration of not knowing what was happening, and the fear of not knowing what was to come.   Mostly I remember this terrible feeling of sorrow and vulnerability.  It was unlike anything I have ever experienced, before or since.

Embracing My Inner Geek

I used to think that it was a bad thing to be a geek.  I may have been married to a geek, but I most certainly did not consider myself to be one.  I rolled my eyes at his comic books and super hero movies.  Seriously, wasn’t he supposed to be a grown-up?

I was rather horrified when I secretly started to enjoy sci-fi movies.  I had laughed at the very idea of movies like “Starship Troopers”, but now I had not only seen it, I had enjoyed it.  The horror!  I could never let anyone know this!  I must stay safely in the geek closet.

Then came the day that hubby told me that Dina Meyer, one of the stars of “Starship Troopers” was going to be at our local Comic Con.  Ever since I saw ST she had been one of my favorite actresses.  I very much wanted to meet her, but how could I go to a Comic Con?  Those things were for geeks and I most certainly was not one!  Of course, I couldn’t pass it up so I decided to go.  I was fully prepared to be amused by the silly people in their silly costumes.

What happened that day amazed me.  I was completely stunned by the people that were at that Comic Con.  I had never been around a group of people that were so immediately accepting.  There were no strangers there.  It didn’t matter that you had never met, they were immediately ready to strike up a conversation.  Perfect strangers were trading tips on which lines were the longest and which celebrity guests were the nicest.  The cosplayers (the “silly costume people”) were willing to pose for photos for as long as anyone wanted.  The sheer level of work that went into some of those costumes, not to mention the practice it must have taken to get down the appropriate mannerisms and poses, was staggering.

Another thing that I found extremely moving was the level of acceptance. It didn’t matter if a person was fat, thin, tall, or short. It didn’t matter if you wore glasses, had acne, or were a super model.  These people just accepted that everyone was there because of a shared passion. For someone who had once judged this culture, I was beyond humbled.

By the end of the day, I had completely changed my tune about geek culture.  Instead of snickering, I embraced.  My twitter feed started filling up with people like Will Wheaton. I’ve since gone to two other Cons.  One was by myself and the other hubby and I traveled all the way to Chicago for.  I have met some amazing people and had some terrific experiences.  So, am I a geek?  You bet!

An Unconventional Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of San Antonio, there lived a curly-headed princess.  (Well, she was actually a soldier, but the story is much more romantic if she is a princess.)  She fell in love with a kind, handsome prince. (You guessed it, he was a soldier too.)  They fell in love and wanted to share their lives together, but were in no hurry to make things legal. 

Then one day a ferocious dragon attacked.  (She got orders to go to Fort Drum.)  The prince and princess knew that only the power of true love could save them, so they decided it was time to get married.  On the day the marriage was to take place they ventured out in the midst of a powerful thunderstorm in search of a justice of the peace.  They finally found the JP in a converted jail house. So, in the midst of a raging storm, while standing in a former jail, the prince and princess exchanged their vows. (The wise JP included a wonderful clause in the prince’s vows.  He had to promise to bring the princess presents even when it wasn’t a holiday.)  Once the vows were said the dragon was slain and they went off to Fort Drum together. 

They went on to have many wonderful adventures and have enjoyed living their unconventional fairy tale ever since.  Their happily-ever-after is still continuing.

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful hubby.  On that stormy day 18 years ago I did not think I could love you more than I did at that moment.  I have been proven wrong every day since.

Going Public With The Blog

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I have been debating with myself for awhile if I wanted to keep this blog as my own little on-line diary, or if I wanted to go public with it. As you can tell from the link above, I have decided to go public.  You can now follow me on Bloglovin.

I have no intention of using this blog as anything more than a hobby. I don't plan on pursuing advertisers or sponsors, and I don't consider it to be a secondary career. However, I know I can't be the only middle-aged, plus-sized woman in the world who is trying to find a way to manage life a little more successfully.  If any of my experiences can help someone, I feel it is my duty to do so.

So, here I am world.