Raven at CMZoo
Shadow, my princess
Parker (dead doggy after a long hike)Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Just for fun (even on Wordless Wednesday..)
1.What color are your socks right? two-toned blue
2.What are you listening to right now? discourse of my kids & my father while they're washing dishes
3.What was the last thing you ate? just ate cinnimon dessert pizza (sorry)
4.Can you drive a stick shift? I learned on a duce (old Army two & one-half ton truck)
5.Last person you spoke to on the phone? my hubby
6.Do you like the person who sent this to you? N/A-I read her blog!
7.How old are you today? 42
8.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Olympic figure skating and gymnastics
9.What is your favorite drink? black tea with honey or a nectar
10.Have you ever dyed your hair? can't live without it
11.Favorite food? smoked salmon that only my hubby can make!
12.What is the last movie you watched? The Blind Side
13.Favorite day of the year? Close tie between 4th of July and the Renaissance Festival!
14.How do you vent? Talk to my hubby, write, meditate, or sing
15.What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie
16.What is your favorite season? Spring
17.Cherries or blueberries? Both; use in cereal, smoothies, etc
18.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure, why not
19.Who is the most likely to respond? not sure-ditto
20.Who is least likely to respond? is this really important?
21.Living situation: In my beautiful house, my hubby, my two sons, my princess cat Shadow and my lioness kitten, Solstice, husky Sienna, and currently, Grandpa is with us
22.When was the last time you cried? must we air dirty laundry?.. Christmas night (drunk sister acting inappropriate)
23.What is on the floor of your closet right now? which closet? LR just has shoes, toys, and vaccuum
24.Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Lisa G.
25.What did you do last night? masters degree homework
26.What are you most afraid of? Spiders, failure...let's see, boats
27.Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Swiss cheese & mushrooms
28.Favorite dog breed? Huskies, Goldens, Australian Shephards
29.Favorite day of the week? I don't have one these days
30.How many states have you lived in? 10 (if military training counts)
31.Diamonds or pearls? I used to think rocks belonged on the side of a mountain, but, I truly adore my wedding ring, do diamonds
32.What is your favorite flower? Cala lillies... lilacs...gerbera daisies... must I choose?
Find previous person's list at Laughs & Frustrations of a Proud Army Wife
2.What are you listening to right now? discourse of my kids & my father while they're washing dishes
3.What was the last thing you ate? just ate cinnimon dessert pizza (sorry)
4.Can you drive a stick shift? I learned on a duce (old Army two & one-half ton truck)
5.Last person you spoke to on the phone? my hubby
6.Do you like the person who sent this to you? N/A-I read her blog!
7.How old are you today? 42
8.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Olympic figure skating and gymnastics
9.What is your favorite drink? black tea with honey or a nectar
10.Have you ever dyed your hair? can't live without it
11.Favorite food? smoked salmon that only my hubby can make!
12.What is the last movie you watched? The Blind Side
13.Favorite day of the year? Close tie between 4th of July and the Renaissance Festival!
14.How do you vent? Talk to my hubby, write, meditate, or sing
15.What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie
16.What is your favorite season? Spring
17.Cherries or blueberries? Both; use in cereal, smoothies, etc
18.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure, why not
19.Who is the most likely to respond? not sure-ditto
20.Who is least likely to respond? is this really important?
21.Living situation: In my beautiful house, my hubby, my two sons, my princess cat Shadow and my lioness kitten, Solstice, husky Sienna, and currently, Grandpa is with us
22.When was the last time you cried? must we air dirty laundry?.. Christmas night (drunk sister acting inappropriate)
23.What is on the floor of your closet right now? which closet? LR just has shoes, toys, and vaccuum
24.Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Lisa G.
25.What did you do last night? masters degree homework
26.What are you most afraid of? Spiders, failure...let's see, boats
27.Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Swiss cheese & mushrooms
28.Favorite dog breed? Huskies, Goldens, Australian Shephards
29.Favorite day of the week? I don't have one these days
30.How many states have you lived in? 10 (if military training counts)
31.Diamonds or pearls? I used to think rocks belonged on the side of a mountain, but, I truly adore my wedding ring, do diamonds
32.What is your favorite flower? Cala lillies... lilacs...gerbera daisies... must I choose?
Find previous person's list at Laughs & Frustrations of a Proud Army Wife
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Is Facebook a Blessing or a Curse?
There seem to be mixed responses among military wives at Is Facebook a Blessing or a Curse?. Here is my feeling on the matter:
The issue is how we cope through their absence. My husband, now over 20 years of service, is leaving in a few months (not including a year in Korea). We have had separations with and without the use of any internet technology.
How we manage during these times is a matter of choice. Our responses are often a result of our own insecurities ("why is he posting on someone else's wall and not mine?”), which will eat us alive. Do not let unfounded insecurities not only paralyze you.
In a healthy relationship, you will have a life outside of that relationship - if I have 5 minutes to post on someone else's wall, why can't he if he gets the chance? In a healthy relationship, this is not a problem. We all have friends, family and acquaintances outside of our primary relationship. And we use whatever practical tools we have to communicate with them. There was a time when being overseas meant the only communication was through written letters. Phone calls were impractical and costly. Facebook is just another form of writing that requires less time, thought, or effort to be connected. And the connection is superficial. Facebook is a spontaneous tool for short notes and pictures.
Facebook should not be the only tool we use to communicate with loved ones. Letters and phone calls connect us better. We tend to abbreviate correspondence when using the internet. I remember when my husband did not have reliable phone access and had no internet access. Every few weeks he would go to a place where he had to pay by the minute to use the computer or make a phone call. And he wrote letters. I still treasure those letters.
We will use Facebook this next time around, but I am not reliant on it, and not hurt if he chooses to communicate (briefly as is the way with Facebook) with someone else. I am the one on whom he spends the money to call over static-filled phone lines. I am the one he is coming home to. But I will cherish every photo or comment he gets the chance to post on Facebook that gives me a small insight to what he is experiencing and how he is doing life at that moment.
The issue is how we cope through their absence. My husband, now over 20 years of service, is leaving in a few months (not including a year in Korea). We have had separations with and without the use of any internet technology.
How we manage during these times is a matter of choice. Our responses are often a result of our own insecurities ("why is he posting on someone else's wall and not mine?”), which will eat us alive. Do not let unfounded insecurities not only paralyze you.
In a healthy relationship, you will have a life outside of that relationship - if I have 5 minutes to post on someone else's wall, why can't he if he gets the chance? In a healthy relationship, this is not a problem. We all have friends, family and acquaintances outside of our primary relationship. And we use whatever practical tools we have to communicate with them. There was a time when being overseas meant the only communication was through written letters. Phone calls were impractical and costly. Facebook is just another form of writing that requires less time, thought, or effort to be connected. And the connection is superficial. Facebook is a spontaneous tool for short notes and pictures.
Facebook should not be the only tool we use to communicate with loved ones. Letters and phone calls connect us better. We tend to abbreviate correspondence when using the internet. I remember when my husband did not have reliable phone access and had no internet access. Every few weeks he would go to a place where he had to pay by the minute to use the computer or make a phone call. And he wrote letters. I still treasure those letters.
We will use Facebook this next time around, but I am not reliant on it, and not hurt if he chooses to communicate (briefly as is the way with Facebook) with someone else. I am the one on whom he spends the money to call over static-filled phone lines. I am the one he is coming home to. But I will cherish every photo or comment he gets the chance to post on Facebook that gives me a small insight to what he is experiencing and how he is doing life at that moment.
Monday, November 29, 2010
My revised letter to the airport service about an employee who is an angel
I revised this letter from the original letter sent to the airport service company and public affairs office of that airport, because I recognize that every organization is made up of people, and that we, being the humans that we are, sometimes make small, but far-reaching mistakes, that do not necessarily reflect the nature of the organization. I do, however, want to recognize the angels who help us in seemingly small, but "huge" ways:
XXX Airport Services
cc: Airport Public Affairs
To whom it may concern:
I flew from Denver, Colorado to Marquette, Michigan and back on Tuesday, November 23, 2010, to bring my recovering father from a skilled nursing facility to stay with me at my home. This letter is not meant to describe how I felt the airline ruined my trip, causing distress and making significant mistakes; rather, this letter is to express sincere gratitude and respect to the young lady who truly cares about people, exceeding at what many others, would ever do to assist another. This is, after all, the season for such thing.
The day I purchased the tickets, I immediately requested for wheelchairs to be available at every connecting flight gate for my father. I also verified twice earlier on the day of our trip that the request was ordered and that wheelchairs would be at each arrival gate. Each airline representative assured me that my request was in the system and that a wheelchair would be at the gates to help us.
The airline employee at Marquette issued only my boarding pass for the flight from Marquette to Detroit, and would not issue my boarding passes for connecting flights, even though he gave my father his boarding passes for all his flights, contributing to my distress. He did, however, assure me that a wheelchair would be ready in Detroit.
Needless to say, we arrived in Detroit late, with only fifteen minutes to spare, and there was no wheelchair at the gate to help us. Knowing we could not move quickly and that I lacked a boarding pass for the connecting flight to Minneapolis, I was in tears, and could barely breathe. I was prepared to stay overnight in Marquette due to weather; we have family there; I was not prepared to keep my medically recovering father overnight in Detroit for who knows how long, due to airline employees dropping the ball. I was having a physical anxiety attack.
The airline staff at our Detroit arrival gate did not chatter; they immediately requested a wheelchair and communicated to the connecting flight’s gate staff. Within a few minutes, airport services employee Angela C. arrived with a wheelchair, loaded my father and we began running to the gate, where our flight to Minneapolis was due to leave within minutes. She stated that she had not seen our wheelchair request in the system. Knowing we had little time and that I lacked a boarding pass, Angela was honest; we would likely miss the flight. She did not believe that we would make it across the airport in time. Never-the-less, Angela C. ran at full speed, pushing herself and my father on a wheelchair. When we reached an elevator, having missed an airport shuttle, and noting that I was struggling with the run, she put my overnight carry-on on the lower rack of the wheelchair, and off we ran, with her pushing close to 175 pounds on the wheelchair.
As we ran up to the gate, I identified myself, and the airline representative had both our boarding passes ready and ushered us onto the plane. The door to the plane closed just after we boarded. Thanks to Ms. C., with the assistance, of course, of diligent airline gate representatives, we made it across the enormous airport in impossible time, and I had the boarding pass I needed to get on the plane with my father for the next leg of our trip.
This was not the end of airline mishaps or my anxiety, but Ms. C. impacted our night in a tremendous way, running her hardest, physically pushing an old man, and mentally pushing me, an exhausted, frustrated, and miserable traveler, to a gate she never believed we would reach on time. She pushed herself because, even if we had not made it on time, she would have done her best to help us; that is huge, unforgettable and uncommon. The airline representatives acted silently, but Ms. C., despite being realistic, helped us reach what seemed an impossible goal, and was enthusiastic for the entire run.
I wish to recognize airport employee, Angela C., and others like her. Most of us do not write letters expressing our gratitude, though, I am certain that true caring like hers does not go unappreciated. She is truly an angel, an amazing person, and I wish her the absolute best. Her kindness is uncommon and heart-filled and genuinely caring. Angela C. is a name I will not soon forget; a heart who truly pays-it-forward for the benefit of others. This is the season for gratitude, for sincerely considering others, especially others who serve us; her contribution may seem but a pin-drop in the long course of a life, but serves us in such enormous ways. Perhaps if we write more gratitude letters, we will experience more to be grateful for. At the very least, we can learn to focus on the good rather than the bad or negative.
XXX Airport Services
cc: Airport Public Affairs
To whom it may concern:
I flew from Denver, Colorado to Marquette, Michigan and back on Tuesday, November 23, 2010, to bring my recovering father from a skilled nursing facility to stay with me at my home. This letter is not meant to describe how I felt the airline ruined my trip, causing distress and making significant mistakes; rather, this letter is to express sincere gratitude and respect to the young lady who truly cares about people, exceeding at what many others, would ever do to assist another. This is, after all, the season for such thing.
The day I purchased the tickets, I immediately requested for wheelchairs to be available at every connecting flight gate for my father. I also verified twice earlier on the day of our trip that the request was ordered and that wheelchairs would be at each arrival gate. Each airline representative assured me that my request was in the system and that a wheelchair would be at the gates to help us.
The airline employee at Marquette issued only my boarding pass for the flight from Marquette to Detroit, and would not issue my boarding passes for connecting flights, even though he gave my father his boarding passes for all his flights, contributing to my distress. He did, however, assure me that a wheelchair would be ready in Detroit.
Needless to say, we arrived in Detroit late, with only fifteen minutes to spare, and there was no wheelchair at the gate to help us. Knowing we could not move quickly and that I lacked a boarding pass for the connecting flight to Minneapolis, I was in tears, and could barely breathe. I was prepared to stay overnight in Marquette due to weather; we have family there; I was not prepared to keep my medically recovering father overnight in Detroit for who knows how long, due to airline employees dropping the ball. I was having a physical anxiety attack.
The airline staff at our Detroit arrival gate did not chatter; they immediately requested a wheelchair and communicated to the connecting flight’s gate staff. Within a few minutes, airport services employee Angela C. arrived with a wheelchair, loaded my father and we began running to the gate, where our flight to Minneapolis was due to leave within minutes. She stated that she had not seen our wheelchair request in the system. Knowing we had little time and that I lacked a boarding pass, Angela was honest; we would likely miss the flight. She did not believe that we would make it across the airport in time. Never-the-less, Angela C. ran at full speed, pushing herself and my father on a wheelchair. When we reached an elevator, having missed an airport shuttle, and noting that I was struggling with the run, she put my overnight carry-on on the lower rack of the wheelchair, and off we ran, with her pushing close to 175 pounds on the wheelchair.
As we ran up to the gate, I identified myself, and the airline representative had both our boarding passes ready and ushered us onto the plane. The door to the plane closed just after we boarded. Thanks to Ms. C., with the assistance, of course, of diligent airline gate representatives, we made it across the enormous airport in impossible time, and I had the boarding pass I needed to get on the plane with my father for the next leg of our trip.
This was not the end of airline mishaps or my anxiety, but Ms. C. impacted our night in a tremendous way, running her hardest, physically pushing an old man, and mentally pushing me, an exhausted, frustrated, and miserable traveler, to a gate she never believed we would reach on time. She pushed herself because, even if we had not made it on time, she would have done her best to help us; that is huge, unforgettable and uncommon. The airline representatives acted silently, but Ms. C., despite being realistic, helped us reach what seemed an impossible goal, and was enthusiastic for the entire run.
I wish to recognize airport employee, Angela C., and others like her. Most of us do not write letters expressing our gratitude, though, I am certain that true caring like hers does not go unappreciated. She is truly an angel, an amazing person, and I wish her the absolute best. Her kindness is uncommon and heart-filled and genuinely caring. Angela C. is a name I will not soon forget; a heart who truly pays-it-forward for the benefit of others. This is the season for gratitude, for sincerely considering others, especially others who serve us; her contribution may seem but a pin-drop in the long course of a life, but serves us in such enormous ways. Perhaps if we write more gratitude letters, we will experience more to be grateful for. At the very least, we can learn to focus on the good rather than the bad or negative.
Friday, November 5, 2010
MilSpouse Friday Fill-in (brought to you from navy_smurfette) via ATroopsGirl
See ATroopsGirl Here.
1.what’s the nicest thing a MILSPOUSE has ever done for you?
A former MilSpouse babysitter kept my young son twice for two weeks while my husband was in Korea so I could attend OCS and another time while I attended another military school in other states.
2.How often do you drive faster than the speed limit?
I agree with ATroopsGirl: Aren't speed limits are really just suggestions?
3.Did you have a nickname in school? If so, what was it?
Must I? I didn't have any say in choosing them (yes, that's plural). One was beaners (good luck figuring that out, I'll never tell) and Jabber Jaws (remember the cartoon shark of the late 70's?)
4.If your life was a book, what would the title be and how would it end?
Coyote Medicine (learn about coyote and you'll understand). Well, in many native stories, the coyote gets the short end of the stick, but, my story will be high energy, with coyote crossing the finish line alongside the roadrunner!
5.Look back (in your planner if you have one) to September 14th… what did you do that day?
I took a dear friend (my 'adopted mom') to a healer for Reiki and Shamanic Soul Retrieval, and then out to lunch. Had an FRG meeting that evening too...
Questions from last week:
1.What’s the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
When I was 18yo, stationed in Germany I went to a concert in Frankfurt with friends. We'd taken the train, 6 of us on two different group tickets based on when we had to return for duty. I was on the ticket going back the same night because we had to be on duty early in the morning. We'd bought our concert tickets separately, and were separate in the concert hall, so we were going to meet at the train station. I could not find the right track, and missed the train. In 1987, there were no German banks (that I knew of) that accepted American ATM cards, I had no extra cash (spent it in the concert), and no credit cards. I sat outside the train station crying, scared to death.
Some homeless people asked what was wrong and I explained, in broken, blubbering German, my dilemma. These wonderful people gathered together all their coins so that I could use a German pay phone to call my unit and get help. Talk about paying it forward!!
2.If you are having a hard time going to sleep, what do you do to help yourself?
I use sublingual melatonin and my IPOD full of meditations!
3.Name something that makes you wish you were a kid again.
Sandra Bullock said in the movie Hope Floats that "Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome." I never look back.
4.What is something you never believed until you experienced it?
Ditto with ATroopsGirl: "I never understood that unimaginable love that you can have for your child. I had wondered how it was possible to love someone immediately, at the first moment of meeting. There is nothing more amazing.
5.What can’t you say “no” to?
--too many things to list... when my niece wants something... chocolate.... a good wine... a good microbrew... rescuing animals....
just to name a few
1.what’s the nicest thing a MILSPOUSE has ever done for you?
A former MilSpouse babysitter kept my young son twice for two weeks while my husband was in Korea so I could attend OCS and another time while I attended another military school in other states.
2.How often do you drive faster than the speed limit?
I agree with ATroopsGirl: Aren't speed limits are really just suggestions?
3.Did you have a nickname in school? If so, what was it?
Must I? I didn't have any say in choosing them (yes, that's plural). One was beaners (good luck figuring that out, I'll never tell) and Jabber Jaws (remember the cartoon shark of the late 70's?)
4.If your life was a book, what would the title be and how would it end?
Coyote Medicine (learn about coyote and you'll understand). Well, in many native stories, the coyote gets the short end of the stick, but, my story will be high energy, with coyote crossing the finish line alongside the roadrunner!
5.Look back (in your planner if you have one) to September 14th… what did you do that day?
I took a dear friend (my 'adopted mom') to a healer for Reiki and Shamanic Soul Retrieval, and then out to lunch. Had an FRG meeting that evening too...
Questions from last week:
1.What’s the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
When I was 18yo, stationed in Germany I went to a concert in Frankfurt with friends. We'd taken the train, 6 of us on two different group tickets based on when we had to return for duty. I was on the ticket going back the same night because we had to be on duty early in the morning. We'd bought our concert tickets separately, and were separate in the concert hall, so we were going to meet at the train station. I could not find the right track, and missed the train. In 1987, there were no German banks (that I knew of) that accepted American ATM cards, I had no extra cash (spent it in the concert), and no credit cards. I sat outside the train station crying, scared to death.
Some homeless people asked what was wrong and I explained, in broken, blubbering German, my dilemma. These wonderful people gathered together all their coins so that I could use a German pay phone to call my unit and get help. Talk about paying it forward!!
2.If you are having a hard time going to sleep, what do you do to help yourself?
I use sublingual melatonin and my IPOD full of meditations!
3.Name something that makes you wish you were a kid again.
Sandra Bullock said in the movie Hope Floats that "Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome." I never look back.
4.What is something you never believed until you experienced it?
Ditto with ATroopsGirl: "I never understood that unimaginable love that you can have for your child. I had wondered how it was possible to love someone immediately, at the first moment of meeting. There is nothing more amazing.
5.What can’t you say “no” to?
--too many things to list... when my niece wants something... chocolate.... a good wine... a good microbrew... rescuing animals....
just to name a few
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