Dodging a Bullet

I can't tell you how happy it makes me to be able to call this post "Dodging a Bullet." Normally, I am not a very literal person. But today I will make the exception. My dear Chief had been on a very short list of people (eleven to be specific) who would possibly be going to Iraq. He would have been stateside for a 100 or so days, then be on land in Iraq for nearly 200 days. I am so glad to announce that we found out just a few hours ago that he will NOT have to go. He was in the Middle East a few years ago. But that time he was able to sit 13 miles off shore. This time he would have been smack in the middle of the country.

I do not mean to sound un-supportive of the men and women already serving overseas. Whether or not you support the war or the President. I find it critical that people support the troops. (Which I do) Because they are there doing their job, I can sit here and do mine in little fear for my safety. But I am also selfish enough to want my dear Chiefy here with me. Can I be supportive and selfish at the same time?

You can't make the poor buggers happy.

I have found that regardless of what you do, there are going to be people who whine about it. I've spent several weeks working on a project that I presented today to about 30 people. I had worked very hard, which for a perpetual slacker like me is saying a lot. I had consulted several people experts on the subject , and had all in all put much thought into it. Up until today, everyone I had talked to about the project thought that it was really very interesting. Not to pat myself too hard on my back, but I was pretty proud of myself.

Enter the audience. I shouldn't get too down on myself. Most of the participants were excited about the project, and their role in it. But there were those 2 or 3 who made me want to pull out their hair. (Yes, I said their hair, why ever would I pull out my own. Ouch!) I resolve not to let the 2 or 3 negative people over shadow the positive people. I am presenting again tomorrow to a smaller group. Let's hope that the negative people will keep their little mouths shut!

I just had another of those moments where I realized just how old I am. I had one this weekend as well. This weekend, my dear nephew failed the written part of his driving exam. When I heard the news, I flashed back to one of my first days in my profession. You see I deal with 14-18 year olds on a daily basis. On that particular day, one of the dearies was getting ready to go get her license. I laughed and said I hope it's not like in that movie "License to Drive" with the two Coreys (you know the one where the cute Corey and his twin sister go to get their license and he fails, but is too ashamed to tell anyone so he just pretends that he got it anyway... then chaos ensues?) Anywho.... the girls response? No, it wasn't, "Yeah, I hope not!" Her response was "Who are the Coreys?"

I'll wait while you compose yourself. I know how you must feel. The absurdity of the girl not knowing the two Coreys hit me pretty hard too. At that moment. I thought. Wow. I am old!

I had that same realization today. Being that it is the 5th anniversary of September 11th, I thought I would lead a discussion on the topic. I asked the students where they were at the time that they heard the news. It turns out that the majority were somewhere in 4th grade. Ironic. You see when I was in 4th grade, I also witnessed a national disaster when the Challenger exploded. How many of you instantly thought of Christa McCauliff? So Anyway... when talking about where we were when big things happened, i realized that these kids weren't even born yet. A major memory of mine, and they were still about 6 years away from conception. I know that one day, they will have the same experience with the next generation. But by then I will be about 15 years even older! Sheesh!

I have decided through peer pressure to begin my own blog. I have high hopes for my blogging adventure. Just as I had high hopes for the baby blanket I began when my sister told me she was pregnant. Of course, the blanket is a scarf, and the baby is 2 and a half.... but who says I won't finish it eventually? I am an excellent beginner. My issue is finishing what I have started. But I assure you that I will do my very best to inundate you with useless information about my life.

The world of blogging is new to me. I see those wacky kids with their MySpace accounts, and I wonder. How do they make it through the day? They are so artificially connected with everyone they meet! I swear they are getting dumber with each text message they send. Will they ever know the joy of actually talking to their friends on the house phone at 3 am. When they have to sneak and use it because there isn't a cell phone and if their parents found out they would be in big trouble? I remember actually dialing on the rotary phone at my parent's house, then laying on the bathroom floor whispering to my good friend until all hours of the night. Why didn't I talk to him that during the normal daytime hours you ask? Because unfortunately my Dad was the phone Nazi! Ahhhh.... the good old days of my dear Dad getting on the phone after 10 minutes to tell me to "Wrap it up." Now it would be no big deal because they could just IM or text or email or talk on their Razr phone.

I named my site "I am my father's daughter" for the sheer fact that each day I am turning more and more into him. Most men are warned that their wives will turn into her mother. My dear Chief could only wish that were true. But sadly for him I am more and more like my Dad every day. I find myself wondering why the kids on the phones can't just "Wrap it up" and do something else. And why they have to be out all hours of the night just to have fun. Any fun they can have they can have before crufew I tell you! And there in lies the second part of my Blog title. The "Damn it" part is because I was so sure that when I grew up that I was going to be hip and cool. Now it seems that I am just Hippy and Cold. Damn I'm getting old.