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Posts By: Retired Blogger
The Winter of our Discontent

The Winter of our Discontent

by | Mar 14, 2020

I know. I know. It’s March. The last month of winter. Will it ever end?

However, it’s one of my favorite months (anniversary month!), and since I’ve been hostage in the south where the temps range from 50-70 degrees, I can’t complain. Rainy days are plenty and maybe I miss the sun some weeks, but when the sun does come out… it’s like a summer day. No shoveling snow. No bundling up to go outside.

But this blog isn’t about the weather, it’s about the Winter of Discontent (…of life).

Otherwise known as a Midlife Crisis.

COVID-19 and Military Families: What You Should Know

COVID-19 and Military Families: What You Should Know

by | Mar 8, 2020

Most people around the world are being exposed to information overload on the COVID-19, also known as the Novel Coronavirus. Over the course of four days, my adopted home of northern Italy (where we are currently stationed) has gone from simply hearing about the virus (like everyone else) to being front and center of a news onslaught. Italy now has the third highest rate of outbreaks in the world and an astonishing 200 confirmed cases in those four days. This has everyone in the Veneto and the surrounding regions trying to make sense of what is happening and where to go from here.

Spring is in the Air

Spring is in the Air

by | Mar 7, 2020

I love spring! Seriously, when the temperature gets above 45 degrees, I have my windows open to air out the house. Can you tell we lived in Alaska? But spring also means another thing in this military gypsy life: PCSing!

It always sneaks up on us, leaving us to ask, “Wait, didn’t I just get here? It’s too soon, right? How am I going to get all my valuables onto the truck and stay within our weight limit?”

Cue the spring cleaning fairy. Oh wait, there isn’t one. When will the military start providing that service? They seriously need to get a contract with Marie Kondo.

We Wish You Knew: Feelings from Home

We Wish You Knew: Feelings from Home

by | Mar 3, 2020

National Guard life is so different than “Big Army.” At least as many people often assume.

Well, it is not.

There is a group of elite soldiers within the National Guard who maintain a high operational tempo, and we are not just talking about once a month and two annual trainings a year. We are talking about Joint Combined Exchange Trainings, TDYs, schools, deployments, and Guard weekend obligations. A lot of National Guard soldiers within this specific community also have civilian jobs that tie into the world of serving: government contracting, S.W.A.T, law enforcement, and more. This means that Guard spouses navigate alone most of the time.

Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts?

Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts?

by | Mar 1, 2020

Once upon a time I was a Girl Scout leader for my older daughter’s troop, and our troop lasted a solid two years. My daughter bridged from being a Brownie to becoming a Junior within that time-frame. Soon I had 20 girls on my roster, so I added a co-leader who was the best helper, assistant, and cheerleader I could hope for. Because our troop was highly sought after, we also had a waitlist of girls wanting to join, but we were never able to accommodate them—my girls never left. Our Troop Cookie Coordinator was phenomenal. She ordered a bunch of cookies, dispersed them once, we sold them all, and then we returned our money by the deadline.

That was it.

Today, Cookie Season has evolved into a different beast entirely. A lot has changed since 2003. Now we have an app, take plastic, offer direct shipment, order cases before taking a single personal order, and work booth after booth, weekend after weekend. Sadly, many volunteers quit during or because of Cookie Season.

Hair Love for My Little Lady

Hair Love for My Little Lady

by | Feb 27, 2020

I knew I was watching something special when I saw the 2020 Oscar-winning Animated Short Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver. It is a beautiful short film that shows an African American father struggling to figure out how to do his daughter Zuri’s hair. 

Full disclosure: I am very susceptible to cinematic crying. This seven-minute film has me on the brink of tears every time I watch it. It is not just the showcasing of family love. Nor is it just the precious moment between Zuri and her mother. There is something powerful about the message of Zuri loving her beautiful hair—for all of its fierceness and curliness.

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