Just Say "No!" to the Magnetic Ribbon

My family is on a mission. Rid the world of the yellow magnetic "Support Our Troops" ribbons.

"Why," you may ask, "would a family with a member in the military oppose such wonderful support for our troops?"

How many people do you know, who have these ribbons, do something to support the troops and their families other than a)saying they support them and b)putting a magnetic ribbon on their vehicle?

These ribbons are extremely popular here in our area of the midwest. People will have several of them on a single vehicle. I about gagged when someone had one that was actually for an NFL team. My mom went to the bank our family has used for years and there was a display of them (the ones that actually were for the troops) that were being sold on behalf of the local chapter of a non-profit. My mom inquired about where the proceeds were going. The local softball program.

There's nothing like hitting people up for their "support" of the troops to support something other than the troops. I don't find these nearly as suspicious as the ribbons that I see at Wal-Mart that I suspect only support the supplier's profits. I find it cheap to use the military, especially during a time of war.

The thing that really gets us, the member in the military included, is the idea of people displaying a ribbon and it absolves of them of having to do anything else because they "support our troops." These same people don't have a clue about military pay, veterans affair benefits, or the practice of stop loss.

As my brother prepares for activation, my mother and I contemplate what we will do while he is gone. The nearest family support group is over a two hour drive away for my mother. Not exactly feasible (therefore not exactly supportive) for my family. I have been my mom to start her own support group that meets locally, and she has finally agreed. She's starting a group with the idea that they can do a lot, and they can. We are talking way more than care packages, though there will definitely be care packages.

So this 4th of July, I encourage you to ditch any ribbons that might be lurking on your vehicle and do something more meaningful for veterans/members of the military. Ask family members if there is anything you can do for them (such as babysit, mow a lawn, chip in money/goods for a care package) or simple ask them how they and those serving are doing. It's amazing how people will act like a person serving overseas has ceased to exist until they return. Study an issue that affects them and write to your elected officials about it. Heck, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Your mind is your limit.

Whatever you do, don't buy a magnetic ribbon.

Signs That You Shouldn't Use the Pool in Your New Apartment Complex

In honor of it being summer and me finally living somewhere that has a pool, I submit the following reasons that I shouldn't use it.

10) The smell of pee when I step out my front door, and the fact that I can't be certain it's not human.

9) Watching a family load into their minivan to go to the public pool.

8) All the weight that I lost before I bought my swimsuit has returned.

Okay, so much for the top 10, let's speed this up.

1) Neighborhood children are actually playing in inflatable pools in the yard rather than the complex pool.

Settling

Well the dust is settling in the apartment from the move, so the b/f and I bolted. Farmer's Market this morning that was a bust due to the rain.

The real adventure's happened downtown. A bonafide downtown shopping district. The b/f even went with me into a cross stitching store. Musicians and goths (aka freaks according to the b/f) walking down the street. Yay! I live in a fun town. Then we tried a new sushi place. Hmmm. Sushi. Hmmmmm. Sushi burps.

A Change Could Do You Good

I spent the better part of last week thinking what a crappy way to spend a break from my blog. Though a week spent hobbling around and moving can still prove a refreshing break from the guilt of not blogging more regularly, plus it proves a source of material, like pondering the etiquette of passing gas on an ambulance ride.

I loved sharing my room at the er with an elderly woman. Care to guess the reason she was there? Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner, broken hip.

This was not some lonely, little old lady. She had the entire blue hair brigade at her bedside. These women could form their own medical website devoted entirely to which doctors were good or bad at this particular hospital. I half expected them to request to thunk each prospective doctor in the head like they were testing a melon for ripeness.

Then my roommate went for x-rays. The blue hair brigade remained. Any guesses on what they discussed? They were swapping their broken hip stories. I laid there, alone on my side of the room and smiled, wishing I had my own blue hair brigade.

I'm Alive

Well, the move is over and the DSL is up and running at the new place.

Highlights of the past few weeks:

1) 90 day eval at job went fabulous. World's supposedly cheapest boss gave me a 10% raise. Woo hoo!

2) Moved into new apartment. (For inquiring minds, this is my 2nd move since November. Move #1 was to home state. Move #2 was for job so that I wouldn't have to commute anymore.) Now have 2.5 mile commute versus 27 and get to sleep extra thirty minutes each money. Will no longer have to spend large chunk of paycheck on gas. New apartment has all utilities included in rent, and with central a/c, I think they will regret that.

3) The accident. I was in auto accident Memorial Day weekend. It could have been really bad, but have managed to come out of it with only knee issues, which don't seem to be resolving themselves like I hoped they would. Driver of other vehicle was at fault and appears not to have insurance. I am not a happy camper though am trying to focus on the b/f and I not being more seriously injured. It did make the move much more difficult.

Well, I know I should post more, but my first meal cooked in the new place is almost done and I have much to catch up on not that I have internet access again.