Definition of YOU

On any given day you will be asked as an individual to check a block, a block that is designed to outline who you are for society in one way or another.  Not sure how others feel about this but every time I come across the what now appears to be "categories" and eight blocks I have a hard time because there is really not one or the other that I find myself in.  I am not Latin so this block does not apply nor am I Caucasian, because I do not hail from the Caucus Mountains.  So after the alternatives are even less at identifying me, I find that I must pick one, or face the stare when you go to turn in what ever application you have just filled out.  Than the really great question comes up the one that just makes me laugh out loud.  SEX:  and the option is male or female, honestly the question is really asking a yes or no answer and if you feel froggy go ahead and put how many times this week.  At some point this question does even more to disqualify me as a member of the accepted categories because were I am female, and yes I am Hispanic, the architects behind the application are actually stating more about themselves than about the population that will be asked to fill it out. Maybe just maybe the questions that are not being asked but are being presumed by the line of questioning is " are you a well adjusted person for your age, and culture" are you having sex regularly or do you need assistance of the medicinal kind ?  So after the shrugging of my head over and over again, I have come to the conclusion that none of this really matters to me and most certainly does not even begin to identify who I am.  As a member of the military, they have gotten the point and simply don't ask who you are, all to quickly the will let you know who you are and exactly what values you will stand for.  Again, I beg to differ were my value system and theirs correlates they don't exactly meet up.  PT every day, blah blah blah, minimum standard is blah blah blah, qualifying score is blah blah blah, and so forth.  So if you not only meet the standard but exceed it, than shouldn't you as the individual be allowed to set a new standard?  Or are we going to remain subjected to the one standard that they have found in order to define your worth?  Not so fast, there is not one standard that they have given me that I did not already come with, there is not one value that they have cornered the market in that I did not already poses on my own, so they also cannot define me.  When we as individuals allow an outside entity the privilege of defining you as an individual than you unknowinlgly succumb to what they have decided.  Either knowingly or not society has set up a class system and you will be asked to fit in one way or the other, that is of course if you opt out of defining yourself and allow the outside entity of those who have some level of control over you to do the work.  The talents and traits that you poses are not ones that society has given you, you have had a larger hand in who you are than what society wants to regulate you to.  When the power is handed over to someone else I believe you lose more than you gain.  On any given day, I will tell My Soldiers that we bear some level of control on their success, ultimately it is in their hands, we can no more decide it than they are willing to allow.  We don't make you a hero, you do that, you do this by understanding the very fiber of your being, and deciding that your potential is in your hands only.  If I allowed anyone short of myself to decide my self worth or potential I can only imagine what I would never have accomplished.  Your talents are yours, society will only add to them but can not give you them, your success is also yours, society will give you the platform but ultimately it is yours and yours alone. Society is simply asking what nice little group can we put you in, it is time to make your own group, because either way they fail to understand the ones that they put on paper.  Next time you fill out an application look for the insight that is not there but  is in you.

Family

My family is my life.  If I fail to say it out aloud forgive me.  As the days and weeks pass into months, even I often forget or get lost in my life, that when my family arrives, I suddenly remember exactly who I am.  Is it  something that they bring with them, is it time understanding that for just a few moments the clock is going to tic just a little bit slower, is it that this is the one thing that no matter what is going on, when your family is around, you and them are allotted more time to breath and heal?  With the love of family, life no matter how difficult, gets renewed.  I am blessed I do understand this, my children are amazing young men for loving me the way they do,  for understanding that even though I work as a Soldier no matter how much the days pass, our time is yet to come.  I realize that it is the love of my family that drives me, the love of my children that motivates me and the love of my Country that burns within me to accomplish the difficult mission of being a Soldier.  I believe that we are fortunante to have each other because were we do not have days of even weekends together anymore, we have Moments, moments that truly are the fountain of youth.  I had so much to be Thankful for this year, and again I am greatefull for an amazing family and the moments in time that we laughed, that we hugged and that we spent renewing who we were and the friendships that we have formed with one another.  Thank you for being in my life.

APPLY then RUN

Everyone who has sought out some type of legitimate employment has had to apply for it, I know I have had too.  It is a basic application of the standard questions, education, position applying for, full name, social security number, criminal background. And depending on the type of position, your credit report will be requested.  So the question that needs to be asked is why is it that you and I have to apply for a job every time we want one, and the Politicians get to run for theirs?  Certainly there is a difference between applying than running.  I believe that they should be asked to apply first, then after they pass the smell test from their constituency they can run.  See, the majority of them that are sitting so comfortably in their offices, doing the Lord only knows what, because it certainly is not governing, will never make it past the smell test.  A politician would only hire the best staff for his team, your boss would only want the best qualified for his team as well.  So if I have to apply, and you have to apply, and the people that are staffed, to work for a politician have to apply, why again do the politicians not have to apply.  Again publicly slinging mud at one another is not a qualification or a UFC match it is a waste of precious productive time, and should be an automatic disqualification from the Political field.  Rest assured ,oh comfortable ones in Washington D.C I have taken the liberty of writing a JOB APPLICATION just for you.  This application is a 3 step process and once you have completed the second step a basic Math test will be given, not all that apply will make it to step 3 many of you will be eliminated in the 2 step or during the math portion of this exercise.  (Your math and the basic standard math, two different things, or so we have been led to believe, so study up on it) .  Once you have completed filling out the application it will get turned in to you County or District office, and a copy of it will be disbursed to all of your constituency in the district.  The county/District will record all yeas and nays following a complete mail out, and results will be recorded and you will be notified via mail.  Once you receive notification in the mail, attached will be the time and date and location of your Math test.  NO cell phones or calculators will be admitted into the exam and you will not be afforded any "life lines or phone a friend" that so many of you have grown  accustomed to having in Washington.  NOTE: Below you will find a sample of the math test.
2+2=4
2+2=22 (wrong answer)
Once you have completed the second step and have passed the math test, you will be notified of your ability to RUN for office.  I wish all you the best of luck, and we the People look forward to the best people serving us in Washington D.C.

APPLICATION FOR POSITION

1 What kind of job are you applying for? Give title.

2 Social Security Number

3 Birth date (Month, Day, Year)

4 Name (Last, First, Middle)

   Mailing address (include apartment number, if any)

   City

5 Sex (not a yes or no question)

   Male

   Female

6 Birthplace (City and State or Country)

   State

   ZIP Code

7 Other names ever used (e.g., maiden name, nickname, etc.)

8 Home Phone Area Code Number

9 Work Phone Area Code Number Extension

Were you ever employed as a civilian by the Federal Government? If "NO", go to 10 Item 11. If "YES ", mark each type of job you held with an "X".

Temporary Career-Conditional Career What is your highest grade, classification series and job title?

Dates at highest grade: FROM TO

Excepted

10  When can you start work? (Month and Year)

11  What is the lowest pay you will accept? (You will not be considered for jobs which pay          less than you indicate, many of you will be eliminated based on this question)

12  Were you discharged from the military service under honorable YES NO conditions? (If your discharge was changed to "honorable" or "general" by a Discharge Review Board, answer "YES". If you received a clemency discharge, answer "NO".)

If "NO ", provide below the date and type of discharge you received.

(Month, Day, Year) 20 List the dates (Month, Day, Year) , and branch for all active duty military service

From To Branch of Service

13 If all your active duty was after October 14, 1976, list the full names and dates of all campaign badges or expeditionary medals you received or were entitled to receive.

14 In what geographic area(s) are you willing to work?

15 Are you willing to work:

A. 40 hours per week (full-time)? B. 25-32 hours per week (part-time)? C. 17-24 hours per week (part-time)? D. 16 or fewer hours per week (part-time)? E. An intermittent job (on call/seasonal)? F. Weekends, shifts, or rotating shifts? (another question that will eliminate many of you based on truthful answers)

16 Are you willing to take a temporary job lasting: A. 5 to 12 months (sometimes longer)?

B. 1 to 4 months?

C. Less than 1 month?

17 Are you willing to travel away from home for: A. 1 to 5 nights each month?

B. 6 to 10 nights each month?

C. 11 or more nights each month?

18 Have you served in the United States Military Service? If your only active duty was training in the Reserves or National Guard, answer "NO".

19.  Attach all references on additional sheet of paper.
20.  Highest level of education completed.            College attended          YR graduated

19.   A full criminal background check will be done and  A credit report will be requested once application has  successfully gone through constituent review.  Unwillingness to fully disclose any and all information requested will result in automatic dismissal from Political Positions.

 Signature of Applicant:___________________                            Date:_________________

What are we teaching our Daughters?

The popular Mattel Corporation has decided to make a Barbie doll of a country singer.  Good for them, but now I think we are to blame more than they are.  As a society we do everything in power to escape the reality that hurts so bad, called our real lives.  We teach our children to escape when we give in to what society has said is a must have and acceptable.  The average person has a reality unlike the " reality shows".  The only real thing on the Reality Shows is maybe the time in which they come on, the time is real time.  What in fact have reality shows done for the average person?  The  real person can't escape from their reality which is bills, kids, homework, minimum wage jobs, and health insurance that is less than mediocre.  We escape our reality that is less than pleasant to watch yours which is full of everything that we have made you.  It has been said over and over again, in order to get noticed you have to take your clothes or make a sex video.  Is that what we are teaching our daughters today, in order to be loved and beautiful you have to sacrifice your integrity.  Lets not forget the, however long of shame that comes to these women but in the end they become famous for having done absolutely nothing of value.  Not one of them on a reality show has cured cancer, or put their lives on the line to fight in our nations battle against terrorism.  Not one of them have made a political statement to help fix our real economy that they are exempt from.
 I vow to women around that I will no longer watch a reality show featuring anyone that shops all day and calls it a job.  No longer will I subscribe to your richness while I work everyday and pay my taxes that you seem to be oblivious too.  You see I wear a uniform everyday, and carry a weapon.  I go to those places were there are no malls or makeup.  I fight for those who just  have a small wish of a different reality that does not constitute death for speaking their minds.  Yes I myself have not cured cancer, however my reality is far from yours.  I cry, and I swear but at the end of the day I believe in two things that may have escaped many of those in Hollywood, The King James Bible and My Country.  I guess our society is made of the haves and the have not's, the will and the will not's.  I am one of the have not's and I am also one of the will not's.  I will not sacrifice my integrity nor my morals  by taking off my clothes for you or anyone else to notice.  I am a have not, I have not done anything in my life that I have had to prepare my family for before the news hits them.  My children are far more important to me than what Mattel has decided to emulate as important or worthy of immortalizing in our society.  On a given day I can say I have participated in securing a border, a town, my family and yours, and more importantly MY NATION.  Make a barbie doll out of that.

Against the Odds.

Going to the Movies.
I was lucky, and I will call it luck because for what ever reason, if a woman gets excited about a movie, then the man automatically associates it with "chick flick", pulling teeth and 10 mins later, off we were to the movies.  "The Helper".  When we walked into the  movie to take our seats, I looked at the sea of isles that were open, I laughed inside because the woman looked very matter of fact and the men just looked like they had been to the dentist.  I looked at my partner and he just looked helpless.  You see when you take us to a movie that you want to watch, we have to be excited about it, or at least appear that way, when we ask to see a particular movie, it's met with " I don't wanna watch that", " really, now". So after walking through the isles to get comfortable seats, I just laughed out loud.  Yes, I won one, even if it was just in my head a small victory vs no victory.  I myself really had no idea of what the movie was about but the reviews were good and the previews seemed promising.  I sat down and looked around the movie theater, a sea of men all looked like they would much rather be sleeping if given the option.  It's not to often that I go to the movies so I said a small internal prayer to myself "please let this be a good movie" I knew that if it wasn't it would be a long time before I got to pick the next one.
As the movie got underway the usual rattle of people could be heard but 20 or so mins into it, I didn't hear a sound that wasn't part of the movie.  As i began to get involved in the movie I looked over at Clay, and noticed that so was he.  He was enjoying it even if he didn't want to say it.
I have to say not many movies move me emotionally like this one.  I felt emotions in myself that I had for some time shut off.  I cried, and I laughed, I simply enjoyed this movie, and felt like it had renewed something in me that not many things do. I walked out of the theater after that with my sunglasses on, as I did not want Clay to see my red eyes certainly he knew I had cried but he didn't need to see it.
I thought to myself afterwards.  There will always be people in this world that will work hard to deny you even the very basic of life, but as they deny you that, they will never be able to take away the spirit of a warrior.  No matter what people do, they can not on their own kill the spirit that resides in you.  The will to live, to exsist is not for anyone but you and the Lord.  Just when you think you can't do something, you dig deep and awaken the spirit of a warrior that only God knows you have, because he gave it to you.  Some people will never have to dig deep because they have managed to live their life in a safety zone, that has never tested their will, their character, or their internal fortitude.
Having gone back and forth to a war zone, I am glad God gave it to me.  Inspiration and the will to survive and fight.
Many will never feel it, and they are the ones who will never know the true meaning of life, and the search for meaning in it.
Today I feel inspired and accomplished.

DREAMS

My dreams and goals are no longer going to sit back and what for permission from anyone one else.  If a person wants to be in my life than they will understand that I will no longer sacrifice my dreams or even alter them because of another person.  Call it selfish but I have already given enough of me freely and now I fully intend to live my life with smiles and happiness and to do what I want in my life.  I am not asking for permission from anyone, I will not bargain my dreams any longer.  I will enjoy my life and I will see and live it for every second that I have now.  I will totally have my vineyard and I will have my own place regardless of what anyone says especially if it is negative.  Life is full of negative I will live out the positive.