The perils of the interwebz.

I don't know if I told y'all... but Swiss has redirected his post-Army job finding focus to (mostly) one specific job. It is a job he should be easily able to land and one that has positions all across this great wide nation. Because variety is the spice of life. And choices are like crack to military families, am I right?

Anyway, yes, choices! So many! I spent most of last week researching states, cities, real estate, cost of living indexes, crime rates, city web-sites, high schools, you name it. It was useful information (if not a teensey bit OCD) and helped us narrow down our choices (CRACK!!! We have choices!?!?!?!?! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!). Ahem, sorry. We narrowed down our choices to 8 positions/cities from the current list and now Swiss is in the process of rounding up all the paperwork he needs to apply.

What did I do in the mean time? Why, of course I looked up houses in the cities we chose. Because I'm a SAHW and have nothing better to do. And guess what y'all. I found our dream house. And you know what? Now it is ALL either of us can think about. CURSE YOU INTERWEBZ AND MLS! Honest to goodness, we have been talking about it ever since we saw it, where we would put the couch, what color we would paint the bedroom, if and where we would build an outdoor run for Fletcher replete with doggie door. Yeah, it is sad. Did I mention it sits on well over 50 acres? Did I mention it has a large stream? And a sauna? And an outdoor fireplace? And a guest cabin? Swoon...

Anyway, I mostly want to tell you all to BEWARE of the interwebz. When next you find yourself moving somewhere new... don't go house hunting online until you are sure you are moving there. Otherwise the web will lure you in and poison your mind with picturesque homes in the woods and fireplaces and real estate p0rn. Be strong! Don't be weak like us. RESIST THE TEMPTATION!!!

Otherwise you too will spend your weekends drooling over a house that isn't yours in a state you aren't even sure you are moving to and trying to figure out how to afford it when neither of you have jobs yet. Trust me on this one.

Vet bennies and reason #352 why Wisconsin is awesome.

First things first, this blog post is brought to you by my uber-cool, super smart best friend Beth. She passed this article my way and I just had to post it for y'all. So say it with me, Thanks Beth!!!

Did you know that the state of Wisconsin has its own GI Bill? Yep. It is a separate program from both federal programs (Montgomery and Post 9/11). How fabulous is that? I (admittedly) haven't done a TON of research, but I think WI is one of a very few states that have such a program . Which is awesomesacue. Go 'Sconnie! (Pleeeaaaase correct me in the comments if you are aware of other programs- I'd love to give those states a shout-out too!)

The official state line is this:

The Wisconsin G.I. Bill provides a full waiver (“remission”) of tuition and fees for eligible veterans and their dependents for up to 8 full-time semesters or 128 credits at any University of Wisconsin System (UWS) or Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) institution for continuing education, or for study at the undergraduate or graduate level.

But... the bad news is that in last year's budget, our Reps voted to (in effect) disallow this program by mandating Vets use the federal GI Bill (Post 9/11 type) and preventing them from "doubling" up on benefits. Bummer. Word is the move was a measure, among many, to cut the state budget and shamefully, it passed. HOWEVER, this year? They are making amends. There is currently a bill in the state Legislature that would reopen this state benefit to all Veterans.

The best things is that, if a Vet in the state of Wisconsin was a) motivated and b) street-wise, they could stand to get a Bachelors (or Associates, etc) degree PLUS 2-4 years of post-Bacheloriate education. That is a Master's degree, folks. That could even be a PhD degree. Or a Professional Certificate program. FOR FREE. (Color me envious because that stuff is Eeeeexspensive!) In total, it would be 16 semesters of schooling paid for. Awesomesacue. Talk about the cherry on top of the Post 9/11 GI Bill cupcake.

In my mind, this is HUGE. And I, for one, am super proud to be from a state that puts this much pride, hope and trust in the potential of their Veterans. Beth and I have discussed numerous times that there have been a ton of studies showing that Vets are (on average) much more productive with the degrees they get post service in the armed forces (if I can get some citations for this, I will). I am so impressed that Wisconsin recognizes this and is willing to pony up the money (which is still a contentious issue) to help our Vets take advantage of the myriad of educational opportunities and degrees out there. Hooray!

And, as Swiss and I are finding out, a Bachelor's doesn't always assure you a good paying job in your field of choice. In many, many fields advanced degrees are the norm, the standard and the expectation. This program allows our Vets to go on and get these additional degrees without worry of financial burdens and tuition bills... and more importantly get the appropriate degrees necessary to hit the ground running after their time in service. I can't say enough how fabulous this is... give non-traditional students like our Vets a leg up is time and money well spent, not to mention a more than appropriate way to say Thank You for your service. So HOORAY WISCONSIN!

Now, let's get this bill passed! And here's another idea: Talk to you state Reps and see what you and your fellow MilFolk can do to get a program like this implemented in your state. THAT would be something to be proud of!

(cross posted at LeftFace!)

A PSA for your lady bits.

We now interrupt the regularly scheduled bitching and posting for an important Public Service Announcement about your Lady Parts.

WAIT! Don't get nervous- it isn't pervy! I promise! Really, really, PLEASE just take a minute to read this because it is incredibly important for you, your daughters, your friends, your family members and every woman you know. Did I convince you to keep reading? Okay- Great! Let's get started!!!

I am a trained Cytotechnologist, which in a nutshell means I look at Pap Smears (amongst other things) through microscopes to diagnose infections, dysplasia and cancer. So I'm not making this stuff up... this is a truly qualified position I am taking and I have spent years learning, researching, studying and seeing this stuff every day. It is SUPER important and nothing to be taken lightly.

With that said, here are the 4 most important things I can tell you about your Lady Part Health:

1.) Get your annual Pap Smear (unless you've had 3 negatives in a row, in which case you can get one every 3 years barring no changes in sexual partners - or your partner's partners- or other health concerns, but don't take my word for it, consult with your doctor). I know it isn't fun to be all spread eagle in the stirrups and the speculum and the general awkwardness of it all- but this is one of the VERY few tests out there that can detect pre-cancerous cells, and we all know early detection is key in treating anything. It is easy, always covered by your insurance and has the ability to save a lot of drama, fear and uncomfortable/invasive procedures in the long run.

2.) Get the HPV Vaccination. It's pharmaceutical name is Gardasil and it is a quadravalent (4) vaccine administered 3 times at specific intervals. If you are over the age of 26 (which most of us are) it won't work for you (Why? Because likely you have already been exposed to at least one form of the HPV virus so it is not effective anymore)... but please, please consider getting it for your daughters (any time after the age of 9, but it must be before the onset of sexual activity). I know that there are some moral/religious/sex ed issues but hear me out:

This vaccine guards against four types of the (very common) HPV virus. The two most common types (6 and 11) are responsible for what are commonly known as genital warts and result in low-grade cervical dysplasia diagnoses on pap smears. These infections usually clear on their own with age, but since the methods of transmission of these viruses aren't 100% known, you can never be too safe. More importantly, the two high risk types (16 and 18) are almost always responsible for the development of cervical cancer and manifests itself early in the form of moderate and severe dysplasia on pap smears. You read that right: IT IS A VACCINE THAT PREVENTS CANCER. That, my friends, is an incredibly big deal. If you keep only this fact in mind, I hope it will be enough to convince you to vaccinate your daughters.

I understand that there are fears that having this vaccine will encourage girls to have unprotected sex and that giving what is essentially a STD vaccine is only embracing and potentially condoning sexuality at an early age (since the vaccine is generally recommended around ages 9-12). I maintain that if you teach your children well, discuss the benefits of abstinence, sex with protection, waiting until you are in a serious relationship- whatever your flavor of sex ed might be-  this vaccine will do nothing to erode your teachings. And more importantly, should your child choose to go against what you taught her, she will be protected from a potentially deadly infection. Whatever your moral take is on teen sex, sex before marriage, etc... I hope your stand on preventing cancer is stronger.

3.) Protect yourself! Use condoms. Don't have sex with strangers. And oral sex won't prevent you from getting this either! Men are common carriers (that makes them sound so dirty, doesn't it?) and do not often experience the same manifestations of acquiring this virus. This means you likely won't know if a man has HPV as there are no outward symptoms for most. So never, ever, ever take chances and ALWAYS use protection.

4.) Follow up. Seriously folks. If you get an abnormal result on your pap smear there are 2 things you must do. First, don't feel bad or ashamed or anything else silly like that. Like I said, transmittal of this disease is still largely misunderstood. It is common and treatable and doesn't have to be a big ordeal. Second, an of the upmost importance. If you get an abnormal result, stick to the follow-up regimen your Doctor prescribes. Sometimes these are repeat Paps in 6 months, sometimes they are biopsies, sometimes they are bigger procedures. DO NOT SKIP THESE. Seriously.

As Cytotechnologists and Pathologists, we rely on these follow up tests to monitor the progression or recession of the disease. HPV infections generally worsen in very predictable ways, if you do your part of the follow up, the chances are high that the disease won't get so bad that it requires radical medical treatment (chemotherapy, etc). Hysterectomies are common when the disease progresses (either to cancer or the severest precancerous lesions), but look at it this way. As hard as it is to give up that part of you, there are so, so, so many cancer patients that can't live without the diseased organ (lung, liver, bladder, etc.) and must suffer as the disease continues to grow. Being able to remove the organ in question will rid one of years of invasive follow up tests and continual worry.


I know we are all super, uber aware of the other gender specific cancers out there- particularly breast cancer, but I encourage you all to keep your lady bits in mind when being pro-active about your health. At the risk of getting to graphic on y'all, if ANYTHING abnormal starts going on down there? Go visit your Gynecologist and get it checked out. Post Haste. Abnormal bleeding especially. It isn't anything to be embarrassed or ashamed about. It is your body telling you, "HEY! Get me checked out! Something isn't right!"

So, with that, I endeth my Public Service Announcement regarding your Girl Parts. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any specific questions about this- I'd be glad to share any knowledge I have or direct you to some great resources! (tuckerandswiss at yahoo dot com) Now, go get your Paps taken care of Ladies!

New MilSpouse blog!

So, my Twitter friend USMCwife8999 has started up her new blog and I think y'all should check it out!

Empty Nest, PCS, and All the Rest

She is embarking on a PCS and her son is graduating and they are selling a house and we've already been trading battle stories! She has a great family and she's got boatloads of amazing MilSpouse experience, and she's really sweet. So go check out her blog and support another MilSpouse blog, mmkay? Thanks!

Here and Far.

A few days ago I got an e-mail. Shocking, right? But this e-mail wasn't from someone I knew. It wasn't Twitter spam, and it wasn't the latest from military.com. It was a smart, honest and sweet e-mail from one Molly Birnbaum. She wrote telling me of her experiences being an Army girlfriend, with her boyfriend Matt getting recalled to the Army and now serving in Afghanistan, the emotions, the fear, the not knowing. And she told me she and Matt had a blog they were writing together during the deployment.

Intrigued and curious, I immediately clicked over and started reading.

It was incredible. It was unique. I couldn't stop reading. Of course, Molly and Matt are both accomplished professional writers, so it is as beautifully and smartly written as one might hope. But her honesty and emotion, his descriptions of what it is like to be there and the people he has met.... how clearly and truthfully they tell their stories. It brought me to tears more than once. And the idea behind it? As Matt put it, "...chronicling our parallel experiences during this deployment, the blog was meant to examine what challenges couples who are separated by war endure." Compelling to say the least, and certainly something we can all relate to.

From Molly, on Independence Day:

"... The anger doesn’t come because Matt left. He had no choice. This situation is entirely out his control. It’s out of my control. Sometimes I think it’s even out of our government’s control. I don’t feel angry because I’m alone. I’ve been alone before and I like to think that I’m independent enough to handle it. Perhaps I’m angry because this war is happening at all. I’ve long felt opposed to the action in Iraq and Afghanistan. But I know myself, and I know I’m not the type to feel such consuming anger about something general, about something as large as a country or as a war. I can feel disappointed and depressed, yes. But I think I’m angry because I’m afraid. Someone I love is somewhere quite dangerous, and I’m very afraid.

... I like the idea that I can blame my anger, which feels both helpless and useless, on evolution. My brain just isn’t made to feel this terror for a danger that resides half a world away. I’m not programmed to think of such opaque realities, of such theoretical monstrosities.

... And I have to remember to be aware. I need to be aware of my anger, and of my fear. I don’t often know where these feelings come from, but I am prepared to look them in the eye and deal with their presence. I will take it one day at a time, and I will think about Matt, who doesn’t have the distraction of holidays and picnics to shield him from unwanted emotion. And I will think about my friends, who feed me cake and keep me busy and watch fireworks on the street in front of my apartment after the sun goes down."

From Matt, on Gardez:

"A sandstorm rages outside my makeshift office on a U.S. military outpost in eastern Afghanistan. Soldiers lean into the wind, their noses pressed into the crooks of their elbows, squinting as they scan for shelter from the stinging wind. The rocky desert mountains surrounding the camp are now all but obscured by the enveloping haze.Eventually, the dust will subside and tonight’s full moon will emerge, casting a glow over our base that in any other setting would seem peaceful. Here, however, the illumination offers would-be attackers an opportunity, and it can be deadly.

...Gardez is a bewitching place, hardened, like its people, to the elements. It is steeped in a history of violence that has repeled the most determined of marauding armies. Only a few miles to the east and south lies the border with Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas, an inconsequential demarcation from a bygone age of empire to which the tribal Pashtuns here pay no mind. Indeed, it is in the infinite caves and canyons of this sliver of Pakistan that the Taliban now launch daily attacks against us."

Incredible, right? I am excited to keep reading... excited to see what stories they will tell next, excited that they are willing to share these experiences, emotions and tales with us. I know this is an unabashed plug, something I haven't really done here before, but my goal here is to welcome Molly into the fold. To introduce this amazing woman to all of the other amazing women on know here. My intention is to help create opportunities for all of us to meet someone new, to share incredible experiences and to, most importantly, let one other know that we aren't in this alone.

I leave you with this, an excerpt from the latest post from Matt, because if this doesn't tug at your heart strings, bring tears to your eyes, and make you want to go read their words, nothing will...

"Where was home for me? I asked myself. Who do I rely on?

I had struggled with these questions many times over the last few years, but they now seemed so simple. The answer to both of course was Molly. Having moved myself five times in two years across three continents, Molly has been the only constant in my life. She has kept me grounded, connected somehow to a comforting if ethereal notion of home. Molly has been a rock.

And she is what matters most right now. Not the work, which will mean little in seven months. Not the ring, which can be replaced. What’s important is that I do better at letting Molly know how much she means to me, how I couldn’t do this without her, how everything reminds me of her. Even the most exotic oriental headwear from a far-off desert land."

So go meet Molly and Matt, you'll be glad you did. Here and Far.

On Healthcare Reform.

Not to jump on the bandwagon, but this struck me as a pretty succinct argument for reform:

"I've been inspired by the tenacity of U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy. His recent reflections in Newsweek make clear that social justice must be the underlying principle for healthcare reform, an idea LIVESTRONG seeks to embody, just as he has throughout his career. And there's a lot of reform that needs to happen. Despite the fact that the U.S. spends more than any other industrialized country on health care, we do not achieve better outcomes on leading health indicators like infant mortality and average life span. Too many Americans live without health insurance (and I was once a member of that club). Too many people don't have access to care. It's simply inexcusable.

I know mountain climbs pretty well. What President Obama and others are encouraging in the United States with healthcare is a tough climb – no doubt. To Senator Kennedy's point, though, we have a chance right now to initiate a major shift in our healthcare system. If we succeed in making a significant and substantial change, it will be the first in three generations. It is the common expectation in many countries that every citizen should have access to quality, affordable healthcare, part of a moral investment in social justice. Why not in the United States as well?"
-Lance Armstrong

You can read Lance's whole letter here on his site, but I think he brings up a lot of good points. We, as Americans have the attitude that we can (and will) do anything and everything better than everyone else. Of course, we don't always reach these goals, but we have always had the mentality to strive for them and work hard to make them happen. Isn't that what the "American Dream" is all about?

So why does better, cheaper, safer healthcare for EVERYONE not make this list? Why are folks so opposed to it? Why is there resistance? Is it the (likely) misconception that making it accessible to all will lessen the quality? That isn't the case in Europe. Is it that many don't want their 'hard earned' dollars to go towards higher taxes that may be necessary to implement this?

Let me just say this, I am beyond lucky because I do work at one of the best hospitals in this country, and I get my healthcare here with low insurance rates. I do not know what it is like to be uninsured. I do not know what it is like to have a serious health issue (knock on wood). But I do know that if I were in either of those positions, I wouldn't want to HAVE to work at a hospital to get good cheap care. I should be able to get that if I work at a gas station, as a teacher, a fireman, or as an artist. It shouldn't matter what I do or how much I get paid to do it. My health is no less valuable than the CEO on the other side of town or the slacker living off Daddy's big money just because they can afford it.

There is a way to make this work. It will take creativity, less pull from special interests (Pharmaceutical Companies, Insurance Companies and Litigation-Happy folks out there- I am talking to YOU), and hard work. But if the entire European Union can do it, WHY on Earth can't we? Answer: We CAN. And we should. NOW.

Hardcore history.

Okay, this will likely seem like it is coming out of left field, so bear with me. I love history. Despite my penchant for all things creative and scientific, I am a closeted history buff. I read histories and 'historical fictions' for fun, I love historically based movies of any and all sort, and I am in love with a history podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History.

Dan Carlin isn't a historian. But he is a creative thinker, a great speaker, and an awesome story teller. He made the Punic Wars exciting and fascinating for crying out loud. Really! The Punic Wars... do you even remember learning about it in school? Anyway, he does most of his podcast with a story teller vibe, which I think is the best part. He tries to tell the stories from the viewpoints of the people who lived through it, not as a cold, unfeeling outsider. Which makes these tales completely engaging... so yeah, if you are down with history and dig podcasts (FYI, they are great for driving/road trips) go download some of his podcasty goodness!

Go check out the archives... the topics are both varied and extensive... and awesome! NERD ALERT! (And if you need/want recommendations from this nerd, I particularly like the ones about the Plague (Bubonic Nukes), the first Blitz episode (History Under the Influence) and the Punic Nightmare series 1-3). Fascinating stuff I tell you!

Okay, this PSA is now over. Proceed with your day!

Monday morning blahs.

Some Monday mornings just can't get it right. I mean, Mondays are supposed to be an gentle easing back into the workweek. Not a kick in the rear. Or at least that is how I would like Mondays to be... sigh, if only someone cared what I thought. ha!

This Monday was marked (so far) by a dog who rolled in the dumped out grapefruit scented dish soap (leftover from the kitchen remodel, which I will post tomorrow) in the lawn (thanks BIL! not.). Now he is sticky, muddy, matted and smells vaguely of citrusy mud. Today also had my Dad leaving town to go home, never fun because my parents are awesome and I miss them and I am only going to move further and further away because the Army makes me. And I get to do 3 people's jobs today at work! woot! Oh, and my new sink leaks. Must fix that tonight (looking at you BIL). There are also worries today because of some things (vagueness is the peanut butter to OPSEC's jelly) going on with Swiss today and "things" always make me nervous. I'm feeling distinctly gun-shy of the news today and that makes my internet surfing difficult.

Anyway, I'm not bitching, just laying out my case to Monday. This ain't how you do it... you know, for future reference. Mmmkay?

Oh, and before I forget... here is a site y'all should check out, not just because the name is cool: Burn My Biscuits. It's Amy from Alternative Army Wife and she is embarking on her new non-Army life... hence the new blog. Go check it out and be inspired not only by her story and kick ass outlook on life, but by her awesome information and take on getting healthy and working out. Way to go Lady! Congrats!!!

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

This comment arrived under the “Who We Are” section over at LeftFace, but I wanted to put it out there to as wide of an audience as possible. Kristy is trying to get some real changes made and we ALL need to throw our thoughts into the ring. Please think about these questions she poses and get your voice out there!!!

Hi All, My name is Kristy Kaufmann, I’m the Army wife who wrote the op-ed in the Washington Post, “Army Families Under Fire” 5/11/09.

Since the article ran, I’ve been in contact with the White House, the Secretary of the Army, the office of the Sec. of Defense, Army family program directors and some congressmen and senators. It’s taken me 8 years and an op-ed to get in the room and I’m doing everything I possibly can use this “voice” to inject some urgency and reality into these conversations. I am completely unaffiliated and my only agenda is to speak for the many who have no voice and hold our leaders (civilian and military) accountable for doing what they say they are going to do (and doing it effectively).

We (military families) need smart people like you at the ground level who are unafraid to speak honestly and help provide solutions. I wouldn’t have taken the risk to write the article if I didn’t think it could affect significant change, but I’m just one person. I need to hear from others that are “in the trenches”; ours is the voice that has been missing from the conversations where decisions are being made. I have a direct line to the top right now, let’s use this opportunity!

Here are a couple of questions I’ve been asked by non-profits who want to help military families, they want input from the ground level. Please feel free to post them on Left Face, people can also respond directly to me at kkaufmanncool@gmail.com. I will keep all responses anonymous. I’m using “soldier” to represent all military members, regardless of branch.

1. What are the biggest problems facing soldiers (and their families) returning from deployment?
2. What could be done to address these problems?
3. Does the current military family support system work? If not, why?
4. How can veteran’s service organizations help military families?
5. If you had all the power in the world, what would you do to support soldiers and military families?

Thanks! Kristy

Here are my two cents, which I already posted over at LF… I really encourage all of you to either shoot Kristy an e-mail or head over to LeftFace to get your opinions and thoughts heard!

1. I echo LopsidedMom on this one. JOBS! My husband will soon retire and our options are super limited give his MOS and I worry that if he doesn't stay in a career with military ties (ROTC, JROTC) no one will realize his potential, experience and mad skills. The Vet unemployment rate is WAY too high and generally speaking these are folks with loads of potential and a totally untapped resource. We need to fix this!

2. I think the tax incentives are a good start- make it profitable to hire these folks. But again, echoing LopsidedMom, we need to educate employers to their skill sets, abilities, and all the ways these amazing folks can be an asset to their company.

Also, help them recognize that sometimes with folks like this, college degrees aren't necessary, their breadth and wealth of experience should count for something. I can't tell you how many jobs my husband has already looked into and is qualified for SKILL-wise but not Degree-wise. This is an issue for lots of retiring NCO's and we need to create a situation that allows these troops (especially those with 15-20 years in) to get more than entry level jobs. (And the GI Bill isn't the only answer to this, we need to get creative here!)

3. Yes and no. If the FRG (Army) is run by someone who has a) the time, b) the resources and c) the support to do it right, then it works well. But more often than not, this isn't the situation. I agree that these positions all need to be paid and specific goals/tasks need to be laid out so that expectations can be met and folks can be held accountable. These groups need to revolve less around socializing/status making and more around concrete help, support and education.

I also think that the support network for families not in the general vicinity of their installation (ie- went home to live with parents during the deployment, didn't choose to move shortly before a deployment like me, etc) needs to be beefed up and the DoD or someone needs to be more creative about creating support networks for these folks. I would love to see someone create databases (I know this is a huge task) that would allow military families of all branches reach out and find real tangible support in their location. I wouldn't care if the only folks I had in town for support were Navy or Air Force (that's not a dig!)... just having actual people to meet with when you are geographically separated from your Unit would be AMAZING. This is an area that is sorely lacking!

4. I think that having lists of trusted service providers would be a great start. Who can you trust to do yard work? What is a reliable mechanic that won't try to take advantage of me? Who does good home repair that, again, won't fleece me? I also think that possibly Veteran organizations could also serve as a resource for finding other military families in your area. They could possibly host meet-ups open to all branches? But I do agree that this should be a two way street. If Vet's organizations and MilFamilies relied on each other, there could be A LOT of amazing work accomplished!

5. At the risk of sounding like a Miss America contestant, I agree with trying to bring peace to fruition and bring our troops home. But in all seriousness. I would stop using our troops as worldwide peace-makers. I would try to rely more on UN forces and support/augment these groups for situations like Iraq, etc. I would use our troops in more of a preventative role (rather than reactionary and risk becoming the go-to guys in everyone else's time of need), focusing on intelligence, homeland security, keeping the US safe and working WITH allies and multi-national forces in supporting roles instead of taking over. If conflict wasn't avoidable, I would focus on utilizing our forces efficiently and evenly, paying close attention to OpTempo and staying within our means (both at home and in theatre).

I would put real money, time and effort into fixing the woefully inadequate systems in place to deal with PTSD, suicides, substance abuse and relationship/family issues. I would also beef up the school and support programs for military kids... more after school programs, more counselors, more funding for special events. Anything to make deployments easier on kids. And yes, free college to Gold Star kids for sure.

Lastly, I totally second LopsidedMom on requiring our elected officials to wear 80lbs of combat gear and go to Birkram Yoga. But only after they had to do some Basic Training and get buzz cuts.

Okay folks, now it is your turn. Go get your opinions heard!!! Double Time!!!

Monday, Monday.

I had some irreverent things to say about IKEA and lattes and Counting Crows and Pandora. But the rash of tragic and upsetting current events put a damper on my trivial thoughts, as they well should.

So instead, keep these people and their families in your thoughts.
Hope that the man who did this get what he deserves in this life AND the next, and that people start realizing that nothing about murder is "Pro Life".
And do whatever you can to help stop this and this from ever happening again, because no matter what you believe, these men are not the ones that need to be discharged from the military (see SisB's post on this topic, she's spot on as usual, Kanani too.). These men are all that is right with the Armed Forces, regardless of who they sleep with at home.

And that is all I have to say about that.

A favor.

To any of you who read this who don't have husbands (or wives or boyfriends or whatever your flavor) deployed: Do me a favor, please? Hug him (or her). Hold him tight and talk to him, for more than your allotted 30 minutes per day. Do it because I can't. Do it because you can. And savor every second of it. Okay? Good.

Thank you.

Give me your Money!

Okay, not ME. Give THEM your money. And by THEM I mean military kids. Sounds like a better idea now, right?

Anyway, check out this post at LeftFace (Great work LopsidedMom!) and then go here: Donors Choose. Stephen Colbert is wicked awesome and I am super stoked that he is championing this cause. I donated to a high school at LeJeune... mini-computers for field work and environmental testing. That is the coolest part, you get to pick the Service Branch you want to support (Go Army!) and then you get to pick the specific project you want to donate to. And all of them help military kids. Wicked cool.

So go give a little money that will really help, so support the military by supporting their kids. And like Mr. Colbert, I too believe the children are our future, so let's start sucking up to them now, okay? Thus ending this PSA.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!, originally uploaded by Christine (is in summer mode!).

Updates.

First off: THANK YOU! Thank you to all of you who sent me well wishes yesterday, for all the support, kindness, wisdom and kind thoughts. This deployment would be so much harder without all of you, so thanks a million! I'm doing much better today thanks to you all.

Second, we gals over at LeftFace are in a bit of a competition for best new MilSpouse blog. If you like us, please, please go vote for us here. Thanks!

Third, I just found this organization, Operation Dreamseed, via research for this blog post about Kids in Afghanistan. Wow, they are an amazing organization with a presence in not only Afghanistan and Iraq, but also Nicaragua and Colombia. Here is their mission:

"Operating within the values of freedom, democracy, education, and self-betterment, Operation Dreamseed will develop and support education initiatives in the schools and education systems of underdeveloped countries in order to foster and facilitate the access to and process of learning."

If you can, go check them out and see if you (and your peeps) can get some donations together to help the cause. Thus ending this PSA.

Lastly, I really want to watch Grey's Anatomy tonight and put up another post about the status of Owen's PTSD, but alas, I will be in art class. So y'all will have to wait a twee bit until I can watch the episode online and pull a post together.

So go vote and have a super Thursday everyone!

Because one blog isn't enough.

So, since one blog isn't enough (clearly my husband is deployed and I have nothing better to fill my time with) I have started up a new twee little blog: Tucker & Swiss Part 2: Art Supplies & ACU's.

I'll be using this blog to post photographs I've taken and paintings I've done and inspirations I find along the way... Its all about the arty, not the Army. So anyway, feel free to swing by when you get bored... it isn't anything too thrilling but it is my new pet project that will hopefully keep my creative juices flowing while Swiss is away.

Okay, that's all! Hope everybody's week is off to a good start!

Public service announcement.

This is a public service announcement to let everyone know that my bestest college bud Beth is the smartest person ever. And she is wicked cool to boot! Plus, now she is famous.

Check this out... I know that Wisconsin programs to boost college attendance aren't every one's bag, but it is a great article and Beth is super smart and awesome and I totally have to brag her up. I mean, com on, this is good stuff, and it is in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE! Awesomeness.

"We think it would lead to more kids going to college by tapping a group that isn't accessing college at the level we feel is possible," Stransky said. "A state investment of dollars would really give the Covenant meat. It would make it more than just a symbolic action."

Smarty. Pants. Anyways, Kudos to you Sporty Spice!