TGIF

Chapter 1
http://www.frappr.com/stephalupogus
I stole this map-thingy from a variety of other posts. For those willing, let me know where you are from.

Chapter 2
Here is something those of you who are ex-military might enjoy. A friend of mine emailed this & since she is ex-military figured I could safely post this.

Then and Now: Military Service Compared, World War II and Today.
1945: Rifles were made of wood and steel, shot a 30 caliber bullet that killed the enemy.
Now: Rifles are made of plastic and aluminum, shoot a .22 caliber bullet that wounds the enemy. 1945: The winning side used a US made .45 Caliber pistol, the losers a European 9mm.
Now: We use a European 9mm pistol. Nobody uses the 45.
1945: If you smoked, you had an ashtray on your desk.
Now: If you smoke, you are sent outside and are treated like a leper.
1945: If you said "damn" people knew you were annoyed and avoided you.
Now: If you say "damn" you better be talking about a hydroelectric plant.
1945: NCOs had a typewriter on their desks for doing daily reports.
Now: Everyone has an Internet computer and they wonder why no work is getting done.
1945: We painted pictures of pretty girls on airplanes to remind us of home.Now: We put the real thing in the cockpit.
1945: Your girlfriend was at home, praying you would return alive.
Now: Your girlfriend is in the same foxhole, praying your condom worked.
1945: If you got drunk off duty, your buddies would take you back to the barracks to sleep it off. Now: If you get drunk any time they slap you in rehab and ruin your whole career.
1945: You were taught to aim at your enemy and shoot him.
Now: You spray 500 bullets into the brush, don't hit anything and retreat because you are out of ammo.
1945: Canteens were made out of steel. You could heat coffee or hot chocolate in them.
Now: Canteens are made of plastic. You can't heat anything in them and they always taste like plastic.
1945: Officers were professional soldiers first. They commanded respect.
Now: Officers are politicians first. They beg not to be given a wedgie.
1945: They collected enemy intelligence and analyzed it.
Now: They collect our pee and analyze it.
1945: If you don't act right, the commander might put you in the stockade till you straighten up. Now: If you don't act right, they start a paper trail that follows you forever.
1945: Medals were awarded to heroes who saved lives at the risk of their own.
Now: Medals are awarded to people who show up for work most of the time.
1945: You slept in a barracks, like a soldier.
Now: You sleep in a dormitory, like a college kid.
1945: You ate in a Mess Hall. It was free and you could have all the food you wanted.
Now: You eat in a dining facility. Every slice of bread or pat of butter costs and you can only have one.
1945: We defeated powerful countries like Germany and Japan.
Now: We can't even defeat third rate countries like Vietnam, Yugoslavia, or Iraq.
1945: If you wanted to relax, you went to the Rec. Center, played pool, smoked and drank beer.
Now: You go to the Community Center and can still play pool.
1945: If you wanted a beer and conversation you could go to the NCO or Officers Club.
Now: The beer will cost you $1.75, membership is forced and someone is watching how much you drink.
1945: You could buy quartermaster gas tax free because it was on a military reservation.
Now: AAFES charges you the tax but pockets the money themselves because it is on a military reservation.
1945: The PX had bargains for GIs who didn't make much money.
Now: You can get better merchandise less expensively at Wal-Mart.
1945: If a general wanted to make a presentation he scribbled some notes down and a corporal prepared a bunch of charts.
Now: The general prepares his own charts, spending hours using Power Point.
1945: We could recognize the enemy by their Nazi helmets.
Now: We are wearing the Nazi helmets.
1945: We called the enemy things like "Krauts" and "Japs" because we didn't like them.
Now: We call the enemy things like "opposing forces" and "aggressors" so we won't offend them. 1945: Victory was declared when the enemy was dead and all his things were broken.
Now: Victory is declared when the enemy says he is sorry.
1945: If you killed an enemy soldier, you could bring home his rifle as a trophy.
Now: If you bring home anything at all as a trophy you get a court martial.
1945: A commander would put his butt on the line to protect his people.
Now: A commander will put his people on the line to protect his butt.
1945: After the war, you could buy your own rifle from the government, cheap.
Now: You can't be trusted with your own rifle and you'll be jailed if you ever get one.
1945: Wars were planned and run by generals with lots of important victories.
Now: Wars are planned and run by politicians with lots of important panty raids.
1945: We knew we were fighting for freedom. The country was committed to winning.
Now: We don't know what we are fighting for.
1945: All you could think of was getting out and becoming a civilian again.
Now: All you can think of is getting out and becoming a civilian again.

Chapter 3
I have spent an incredible amount of money on a 12 year old car that needs to be sent to that giant trash heap but I like this car! I like everything about it except that it needs another $1000 in repairs and a new stereo since the original was stolen a week or so ago. Driving in silence just sucks. But as a complete control freak, this car suits me. It is small, responsive, and a 5 speed which gives me even more control. I discovered again while driving a borrowed automatic yesterday that I VASTLY prefer a stick shift because I felt horribly uncomfortable. Despite the fact that I was driving a mustang convertible, I kept reaching for the stick shift and getting fussy because I like having that control. I like changing gears. I like having choices and input over what my car is doing.

That probably makes little to no sense, but life meanders onward.

I have had a good week, and it was made definitely tolerable by the fact that I had something to do here at work besides read and blog. We are shifting sections around because the various collections are getting too crowded and more shelf space is necessary. I have been shifting the books with a grand disregard for safety, fingers, nails, toes, and passing strangers. I hate to think of the bruises, but shifting large numbers of heavy books is an excellent way to burn off frustration so that thinking clearly while driving home is possible. That and it is impossible to be cold while slinging books around like hamburgers on a grill.

The downside of this week is that I spent a huge sum on getting my car fixed and had to be a leech again. Someday, I would love to be totally independent and NOT need help. I know that is impossible, but I would like the illusion if nothing else.

Am I the only person confused by this weather? One day we are melting and griping about how incredibly how it is and then a day later we are wearing sweaters and kids are dressed like Eskimos. Did I miss the fall season again? Part of the reason I want to move further north is because I miss having 4 distinct seasons. Going through 9 months of sweltering and then having 3 months of damp chill is a bit wearing. I like watching the leaves change color. I like having time mentally to prepare for winter. I like having a chance to wear shorts and sweaters before having to drag out heavier clothing.

I enjoy going through spring as well. I like having a gradual warming. I do not appreciate going from the 40’s to the 90’s overnight. I tend to get rather ill when that happens and it generally pisses me off.

But I would never move back to PA. I grew up there, have many fond memories, adore the food, but my father’s family is there. Large chunks of my mother’s family are still there. I love them all, but at a distance thank you. Knowing that every time I make a midnight run to Wal-Mart I would see a relative does nothing for me. That and gets freaking cold!

I do miss the food though. Ranger Tom and I had a side discussion going for a bit about the difference between hoagies and subs. For those who do not understand, you have my deepest sympathy because nothing is as good as a good, thick hoagie on a Saturday afternoon. Another thing I miss from home is being able to get goat’s milk and really good chocolate. Where I grew up, there is a Gardner’s Candy Store. On Sunday’s after pay day for Mom, and church, we would stop and Mom would let my sister & I pick out anywhere from $.25 to $5.00 worth of penny candy and would we stock up! Everything from those candy lipsticks to Swedish fish would end up in the bag. Chocolate coins and gum balls were also favorites.

I also miss food that has not been boiled into mush. Exmi & his family are among the few who share my belief that food is NOT supposed to be mush and that it is supposed to have color. I have always appreciated that about them. That & there are willing to let me come along when they eat out. Or maybe I should say that they are willing to use a crow bar to pry me out of my chair and make me interact with others on a social basis.

This past week, I have learned the fine art of using a rifle. I have been incredibly lucky in my life in that I have never had to get any closer to a gun than my step-grandfather’s gun cabinet. However, thanks to this idiot who gets his jollies peeping in my bedroom window and stealing my car stereo, it is past time I learned. Since I am living in exmi’s trailer, and he had a shot gun, he took it upon himself to educate me. Feel pity for the man because I am really good at avoiding things I don’t want to do. However, since it has made me feel a lot safer having said gun & knowing how to use it, I am almost to the point of accepting that I now need to learn how to actually aim the blasted thing and not just fire into the air. (Go ahead and gloat exmi. You deserve the opportunity.)

What amazes me is that I grew up surrounded by guns. I have never lived with anyone who did not have a gun, and for that matter I have never been involved with anyone who did not own and use guns. I have just never liked guns and really can’t say I am all that thrilled about this new talent. Knowing how to dress out any piece of meat or prepare a meal over a fire has been more interesting over the years. Since I detest having to cook, this should tell you where I place guns in the grand scheme of life. Since the cops who have come out to take the reports were unanimous in that I needed a gun and/or more aggressive dogs, I broke down and let exmi teach me the basics. I am trying to get rid of the 1 dog after all!

Going off on that tangent, I am really at a loss as to what I should do about Zoe. I adore the mutt, but I am moving in with my mother, sister & nephew so that I can afford those little things like a new car. That and hopefully by moving in with them, I will get more sleep and possibly develop more of a life because so much of my free time is currently spent going to their place, gathering stuff to take there, or hauling stuff away from there. I am basically giving up.
I am also developing a theory that possibly (I hope, am praying, ready to grovel before Hera for this sort of outcome), by living with my mother & sister with all the animals my sister & I have, my mother & sister will start leaving me alone. As it is, the number of emails & calls I get per day is rather frightening. I have a never ending list of items they want me to do or get and I am hoping that having me underfoot will make me less appealing as a choice for slave labor. Either that, or after 6 months I will be calling exmi up, wailing, and ask for help moving far, far away from my family because we are about to kill one another.

The other option is that I won’t move in with my mother, sister & nephew, will continue scrambling financially, and generally go insane worrying about money. Who knows? I certainly do not. Maybe joining a convent is the best option. I am so confused! I know that I can stay at the trailer and that if exmi is serious about the 2 of us sharing the costs; I would be in a better position financially and could keep the dog and my privacy, which does matter. But I hate taking over his home! I promised that I would be out by the end of November after all. I hate being so indecisive and antsy and confused!

I am also still thinking about the job interview in NC and leaning towards canceling. The reasons include that I really can’t take the time off thanks to how understaffed we are and I am a manager. I do have a certain level of responsibility to my employers after all. Also, the location is just off Roanoke, NC and the cost of living is outrageous. The highest I would start off at is $50k/year and that would basically be my rent, once taxes and such were deducted. So is it really worth driving a total of 18 hours for a job that I probably could not afford to take? Opinions are welcome because I need some input.

Beyond the normal levels of angst, I have heard from an old friend whom I deeply admire while questioning her sanity. she is retired now but she has just taken on 3 foster children & has plans to aopt the oldest. Since she already has 3 biological and 1 adopted child, I am impressed. However, slowing down sounds good now that she is retired, not taking on more responsibility!

She is someone I will miss if I do move in with my mother. I hate this dithering! I know that I am remarkably good at it, but I want a plan and I do not have one now. I have not had one since I got my master's degree and it is killing me.

Anyway, it is a bit after 5 & time to wrap it up for the day. Hope everyone has a great holiday and enjoys the parties. Take pictures!