What a Rush!

25 yrs. I would guess that is about how long my brother has been Rush's #1 fan. One of the things I remember so clearly growing up is hearing those albums blaring through his door, watching him play drums, bass and air guitar to Free Will, Tom Sawyer, Limelight, etc. Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing this incredible band real live in person at the SAP Arena here in Mannheim. I sat next to my brother (and my husband) at my first and his about 50th Rush concert. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart are not spring chickens. I don't know how old they are, but they had their 30th anniversary tour a few years ago. Neat story, my brother and his best friend from childhood went to their first concert in 1982 or 1983, something like that. And then they went together to see Rush on their 30th anniversary tour in 2005 or 2006. How cool is that? Anyway, I expected to go and have a good time, but I was really amazed at how talented these musicians are. Both Stephen and I commented separately how they sound JUST like their albums! Not like so many who manipulate their voices to sound good for recording and then are a disappointment on stage. There was no opening act. They played for almost 3 hours, with a 25 minute intermission mid-way. There were, of course, some songs I hadn't heard. I haven't heard much since those early days through the bedroom door, but those I knew the chorus, or bits and pieces here and there took me back and then the new ones that I really liked as well. I couldn't always understand the words, you know, the rock and roll!! But I had a great time and was so happy to get to share in something my brother loves so much. Because I love him so much. Now…I have to check on Olivia's tour schedule. Because he promised to go with me! :)

It's already starting...

There was ice on the windshield this morning. :(

COMPLETELY unprofessional.

I know that "kids today" and even old fogies like myself are using some email slang, not using proper punctuation, leaving out letters for faster IM and text capabilities. However, I received this email from someone in another office. Seriously.

if u are referering to a dd2875, the IASO cn sign block 22,and g2 security manager completes part III.
G8 should have its own IASO. if u don't have one yet, I cn sign block 22.

It takes only a fraction of a second longer to type "you" than u. U is not appropriate. Cn is not can. Referering? This is ridiculous.
And this person did not answer my question.

Meetings, meetings, meetings!

Funny things about meetings! People at work are ALWAYS scheduled for a meeting. Here are a few things I have noticed: 1. If it is with anyone important, it always trumps any other meeting that may already be scheduled. 2. Most meetings are scheduled and rescheduled several times. I think this is because if there is an important attendee, they may have something more pressing.
3. Several times I have seen what I call "the meeting pawn off". I get an email appointment notice, and then I get a CC on an email to someone saying "hey Ms. Suchandsuch, I need you to take my 2pm meeting with Ms. B regarding this. Please cover the following issues…" It takes longer to do this than to just have the friggin meeting!
4. Many meetings are scheduled for WAY over the necessary time. So when someone is "in meetings all day, some of them overlapping" They are not. They got out of the first one 30 minutes early, so they hem hawed around a while and then went to the second one, which they found out was canceled. The third one, a lunch meeting, goes over because of someone getting there late, but it's ok. The meeting was pushed back 30 minutes to accommodate the VIP that was coming!
What a meeting mess!!! I think some of them do it just so that their Outlook Calendar will look like they are super busy!

Accountability

Well, I'm putting it out there. Starting tomorrow (you know, because it's Monday), I am eating healthily and working out. My goal is to lose 35 pounds. I hope to lose 15-20 by the end of the year, and the rest by the end of March 2008. This is totally doable. My purpose in telling the world that I need to lose this weight is because I plan to see you all again and I'm hoping that the shame of NOT doing it will motivate me! Also, anyone who wants to get healthier, lose weight or any other goal, join me!

See Progress Ticker at bottom of blog. It's difficult to read, I know. Best I could do on Sunday night. Time for bed!

Jargon heavy, light on reality

Has anyone seen the Army Wives show? We just began getting it over here, or we've been getting it a while and I didn't know it. I watched "After Birth" last night, the one where the lady is a surrogate and she delivers the twins and is "hiding them" from everyone and telling people her babies died. This was the first episode I had seen and honestly, I was VERY disappointed. I think they are only getting it about half right, and even that is AT BEST. They put just enough acronyms and military speak in there so that it *seems* real, but then they mess it all up on things that aren't even important.

For instance: This lady being a surrogate-I guess it could happen. No, surrogacy is not rampant in the military, I've never heard of it. I'm not sure if the aim is to say that military families don't make enough money so they have to carry babies for people to make up the difference or if it's just a story line they thought of and decided to go with. Not having seen what lead up to the delivery show, I don’t know why it had to be a secret. Was she using military medical benefits for babies she was not keeping and that was at issue? I don't know.

What really did it for SB was that one of the more experienced wives tells the new one while she is going though the deployment checklist that if she "needs any extra gas mask filters, we've got them laying all over the house." yeah. Those are kept under lock and key and issued as needed.

Other little things: Guy gets news his unit is going to Iraq, new wife is upset. This happens. However, #1, you don't buy his shirts at the PX (on the show she did), you get them at the Military Clothing and Sales Store. And you don't have to sew tags with his name in them. #2, he doesn't find out and leave quickly. There is, with most, a LENGTHY ramp up period. That is not with everyone, some units have to be ready to roll w/ in hours of orders, but this is not the norm.

I was irritated with the way the FRGs were portrayed. Yes they are a group of usually ladies, yes they can be gossipy and nosey. One comment really got to me, that was when the new wife asked what an FRG is, the "higher up's" wife told her they were Family Readiness Groups. She asked what they did. "The official answer is that we empower spouses…" to something, cope with military life or something and then she says, "but with all the casualties, it has become more of a sweeping up the pieces of their shattered lives" or something like that. I know the casualties are high. One is too many. But figure in how many soldiers have been, and how many times. That is NOT all the FRGs are doing!

Also, there is a lot of domestic violence in the show. A female Lt Col comes back from 2 yrs in Afghanistan (2 years? Yeah, that's what I said…never heard of that, but maybe in some units) and is drinking a LOT and is very sexually aggressive with her husband. When he protests once and says they need to work on their intimacy issues, talking, communicating, etc, she flips out and accuses him of cheating, and the next morning says she wants to separate. I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Reunification is a hard thing. But it doesn't always happen this way either. And then there's the storyline of the teenager who is hitting his mom. He says in one scene that he is refusing to go to Westpoint, "this is not the life I chose, this is the life you and dad chose. I can't say I'm from Chicago or somewhere, I have to say I'm from the Army." I don't hang out with Army teenagers all the time. And I do know that there is some talk of a new demographic, one of American teenagers who have never lived in America. However, I've not gotten the impression that teenagers feel this way. Maybe some do. ???

There are a couple of scenes where things do ring true. One where after the lady says she wants to leave he is talking to another long time military spouse and she is explaining how most people don’t get how it is with reunification. They see the parades and welcome homes but not the hard stuff, when it is just the two of you and you have both grown and changed and not together. You have to work at it. But mostly it is just Knots Landing with some acronyms and uniforms thrown in for good measure. SB said that any discrepancies with uniforms should be forgiven as it is against the US code to "impersonate a member of the military" so they have to be a little bit off here or there.

I guess the bottom line is that they are trying too hard. And for me, it isn't working.

Tearful Goodbyes

This morning was one of my hardest on record. We had a group head out, and it was a sad, sad sight. Everyone gathered in the gym, I was there with my old unit's FRG ladies, providing goody bags, snacks, tissues, a coloring table for the little ones, etc.

Most of the women I was with have been through it, many more than once. Rebecca and I were the newbies, and we had a particularly difficult time with certain things. My hardest was an older man, father of a Soldier, quietly wiping his eyes as the Chaplain prepared to pray. Hers was seeing a child cry waving to his daddy who was boarding the bus. There were 4 or 5 who I recogized as Soldiers I had welcomed last October-December. One of them, who's spouse got pregnant shortly after they arrived, said goodbye to the baby they just had weeks ago. The lady who I followed in the welcome coordinator position was there to say, "see you in 15 months" to her husband. Our friend who we went to dinner with the retired General last year was going. She is single, and such a sweetheart. I'm glad I was there to be her "goodbyer".

In the coming days, the rest of the group will go, and that will be worse in some ways. Not as bad I hope because now I've at least been to one before, but worse because my friends, Marisa, Adrienne and Deanna will do the goodbying.

I'm not sharing this to make you cry with me, but to remind you that (as one of the other Heathers in our group said) these are not just news stories. We know these people. We shop with them, live near them, know them. Please remember them in your prayers. The Soldiers and their Families.

Thanks.

The rest of the pics...

From the Oktoberfest/Black Forest trip!
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=11pcpqol.8ysjkjq1&x=0&y=-gz49ej

Putting things in perspective

A few posts back, I mentioned rather excitedly that we were GETTING A DOG!!! Well, turns out, we are not. And when I read the first line of the email, "I won't be needing a dog sitter afterall." I was disappointed. Then, I read, "My husband has been injured in Iraq. I'm not sure of the extent of it right now. But I know I won't be leaving for the States right now." My heart jumped into my throat and I just began to pray for Oreo's dad, and her mom. What must they be going through? I have emailed her a couple more times, just to let her know I'm thinking about her and praying for her husband's recovery. She has responded positively, thanking me for thinking of them.

We don't have a dog. But my husband is sitting beside me watching that annoying Sports Channel, flipping channels constantly, and I would never want it any other way. Please take just a minute to be thankful for what you have in your life. God is good.

Also, Hooptie is worse off than we were told. We will be a one car family again. So, until we find something else, we get to ride together all the time. :)