Well, here we are at the end of May. Where the time has gone, I don't know, but I wish it didn't go by so quickly.
This being the last Monday in May also makes this Memorial Day. This is the day we've set aside to recognize all the service men and woman both past and present for all they've done for us to preserve not just our freedom, but also help other countries gain, or regain, their freedom. I have several within my family who are serving now and a couple which have left the service honorably or retired. So this makes this day, and other armed service recognition days special.
My grandfather, Charles Cullum, served in the army as one of their mechanical engineer types. He helped keep their machines working right and efficiently. He travelled the world during his tenure, seeing ports such as Japan, the Marshal islands, Australia, and others before retiring with honors. The army wanted to keep him so badly that they offered him a job at one of their factories where he worked until his retirement. He served during World War II and I am sure he had plenty of stories to tell. Sadly, he thought women were not the types to enjoy his recounts or be interested, but he'd willingly tell my brother and uncles.
I so wanted to hear his war stories. If I did, I'm sure I would have started writing sooner just to make a permanent record of his experiences. I miss him very much. Sadly, neither of my son will hear his stories. He passed away when my oldest boy, Adam, was barely two years old.
I will always remember my Grandpop. He was funny and had a bigger heart than he wanted to admit to having.
My brother proudly served two tours, driving the massive M1-A1 Abrams tank. He LOVED it! What he wanted to do the most was being one of the soldiers who guard the Unknown Soldiers' graves in DC. He came so very close, he could taste it. He would have brought a lot of honor to the entire family, even our Uncle Harold would be proud. But, he did his best then left honorably after his second tour to go to school to become a mechanic. I'm still proud of my brother. Not because he's the only one I got.
As mentioned, my Uncle Harold is in the armed services, recently retired I believe as a Major of some sort. Sadly, he doesn't communicate with my part of the family much even with my grandmother living down there in Waco, TX, near him.
Now, my oldest Nephew is a civil engineer for the Air Force. I am amazed at how far he has come in life. Not married, yet, but he's sweet on a girl from what I've heard. I hope she's a strong and smart woman because she'll have this family to contend with and we don't kindly to slackers. Just ask my brother's ex-wife. Another of my nephews wanted to join, but due to medical reasons, he's not able to serve. Sad, but he'll figure a way in through the civilian sector.
Now, we come to the current generation, my youngest nephew and my oldest boy. Joshua can't due to his hearing loss, but Adam, he just might go for it. It'll be worth the time to have the help with school and all the branches need someone who is very techno-savvy like him. We'll see, but I hope he takes the advice me and mom gave him on his graduation from high school. No matter what he decides to do, I'm proud of him.
In all branches of my family there are those who have gone into the service and done our country and family proud. I could have joined the Army or Air Force, but at the time, so fresh out of high school and the last of the torture I had endured was done, I knew I wouldn't be a good fit. Nor would I have been able to do what I wanted to do most, fight with the big boys on the front lines. At the time, we ladies didn't have that right, but it was soon to come by then. But, mostly, after all I had endured, I would not have survived basic training. The first day I would have either passed out, withdrawn completely into a psycho asylum, or crawled down the drill sergeant's throat when the last of my reserves snapped.
They wanted me bad enough to keep calling. The same three recruiters called weekly, one called daily, only to be shot down each time. The aptitude tests we took in school must have shown them something they wanted to cultivate before getting to know me personally. I did get to know them and even served them at work a few times. All nice gentlemen and they answered my questions but the two who met me at work left understanding why I refused. I guess they spoke with the third because the calls stopped eventually.
Do I regret not taking that chance? Yes. But I don't regret the two boys I have had since or the chances to do more with my natural skill set, which is drawing and writing. Structure would have killed both quickly until the muse found her bullet proof jacket and iron underwear. ;) Instead, she prances through smacks me with a few ideas then prances off again on another long vacation.
Anyway..... The goals!
- Header image and thumbnail photograph by Hugh Lee and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahlgoode/
1) Get a job or at the very least attend five interviews for a job.
Several prospects, three interviews, one had a second interview. Technically, I do have a job now, but I need to pass the State Exam for Life and Health Insurance. Once I have that in hand, I am good to go. Wish me luck on passing the test on the second try.
2) Edit/revise five chapters of Society of Night and Lies.
I am calling this one done. I stopped at chapter 11 and have people beta reading it now. I have feedback on part of chapter one. He's being brutally honest, which I did request and he's offering suggestions on changes. As soon as all the feedback is in, I'll go through and do those much needed changes. Also curious about the critique on the first page I sent in during the donation drive. Go here for more details -----> OK Tornado Donation Drive.
3) Write two chapters of Black Friday 2.
Still nothing done here, but this is what I'm going to work on this week when not studying or job searching.
4) Exercise twice a week.
Um... kind of. Been a weird month where my time has been spent in the car or buried deep in applications.
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