Friday, June 27, 2008

She's gone! happy dancing

OK, so I'm being petty....so sue me! but Mimi - the bane of my existence at work, is gone. gone gone gone - and there are a lot more staff there doing a happy dance. The attorneys - oblivious, absolutely oblivious, and surprised that staff members are delighted that she is gone! She quit, wasn't fired, but I think even she realized that no one was going to fight to have her stay. Her direct supervisor may not even have said it, but he wasn't exactly thrilled with her performance lately.

On to even worse. SpouseBuzz has always been my haven for sensible blogging, very supportive and when you said something about military living there, you knew that most of the spouses on there had "been there, done that, had waaaaay too many souvenirs". A posting, done reluctantly by the author, was made about a certain calendar and a military wife/bikini model with spouse living in Katterbach and linked to by Military.com ... and kindness, common sense and any spelling or grammar learnt in grade school - went right out the window. The nastiness, prating priggishness and sheer viciousness went on and on, the last time I looked before it was closed and not available, the comments numbered over 525. Ninety percent if not more, were attacks on the model, anyone looking at it, anyone not understanding that "men looking at such porn (and this wasn't porn!) are cheating on their wives" One comment stated the calendar was "unholy"! OK, so that one made me laugh... Where was the team, the support, the caring in our community? gone, with petty name calling taking over. Now I hasten to add, the "regular" posters, the ones that come to that site daily, were there to add some requests for civility, some calm discourse... the visitors were another story altogether.

Folks, this calendar was no worse than the SI bikini addition, the latest Pamela Anderson sighting, or Victoria's Secret last catalogue. To read some of the comments, no man who loved his wife looks at anyone else... even at the beach. Oh get REAL here! If my husband of over 30 years didn't look at a beautiful woman on the beach in a bikini - I'd take his pulse! If I don't look at a good looking guy in shorts, take mine! It doesn't mean we aren't faithful and loving spouses, it means we are human. My grandmother, the little German Lady, once stopped in a mall and watched a very nice specimen of manhood walk down the walkway. When, as a shallow girl of 25 I asked her "Omi, how can you DO that" - she smiled and told me she wasn't dead yet and that beauty was to be enjoyed in many forms!

Why am I taking time and space for this subject. Because I was ashamed of my community, of the women and girls who were supposedly from the military family I am part of. As one friend said, there were some on there who weren't really milspouses, and like stirring the pot. I take a percentage out, and am still left with a nasty taste in my mouth, that has nothing to do with my morning cup of coffee. I must be getting old.

To the good side of my week - we went to the Twilight Tattoo at Ft. McNair. Great show, lots of marching and martial music, a couple of nice horses, the Old Guard Drill Team flinging Springfield rifles with bayonets about and scaring the whoo ha out of me (that 1st Sgt who stand in the middle of the circle whilst these weapons are flying.. has all my respect), punctuated with periodic cannon fire that made everyone jump 2 feet! It was a lovely evening, not too hot yet. Helicopters from the Marine One fleet were flying around too, making for an interesting back drop, and there were boats on the river next to the parade ground. General Casey was in attendance (jeez, he's a short guy!) Made for a fun evening - had a picnic before the review - now we need to hit the Marine one at the Iwo Jima memorial... gotta check them all out, and they are FREE! nice price. You can get to the locations by Metro and a short walk.

On the weather front, here in the Nation's Capitol... let me just say, I need GILLS! hot, humid and just yuck. The tourists are flocking now, and the Metro is more and more crowded. Gas prices probably have a lot to do with it! over 4 bucks. Our Prius is turning out to be a better and better purchase, and yes, we do gloat periodically.

Time to get ready for work. It's FRIDAY! yay. Plans for the weekend are fluid and depend on the weather. The office picnic at the Zoo - not so much. I know what's going to be there, the suck up associates hanging on the partners' every word, the young paralegal clique will be hanging around either playing silly games or languidly lounging - being JUST too cool for the room... and the old farts like me, no where to be seen.

Have a great weekend, be safe, be happy, and please, be kind. Peace for the mind, body and spirit, Namaste.

LAW

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Somehow I missed that one at SB. I think it's absurd the reactions the calendar is getting. I agree with you. I will say it made me suck in me 'ol gut and let it back out and offer him up the cash if he wants it. Too much work for me to consider doing my own. heh.

Aside from being adults, it all comes down to choices and I think people tend to forget, in the fury of stone casting, that we have the choice to ignore it.

Enjoy your weekend.

Anonymous said...

I was out of town this past week and when I got back I had some odd emails in my inbox, from that very post. When I went back to check it, I was astonished, too. Really ugly. When normally I feel very safe there, I suddenly as if I felt I had to watch my back. Ugh.

Ann M. said...

I read the post but not the comments. I didn't really get the outrage either. It's not like this is the first calendar in all of creation like that. I guess some people are just really, really insecure.

Hooray for your work environment improving! And think nice, cool thoughts. That's what I'm trying to do. I feel so bad even walking the dog. We get outside and before we're on the sidewalk, he's panting...and so am I!

Sara said...

I'll say that I dislike porn for married men, only because I personally feel like I have to compete with that. In the same respect, I also am logical enough to not blame the woman.

BUT I totally agree with you. She was not doing anything pornographic. No different than a hooters calendar. And I love me some hooters! I take offence to that personally as well, because I modeled for 7 years. I did bikini modeling, and spokesmodel work for about a year and a half after 6 years of fashion modeling. So does that make me less of an Army wife? Does it poorly represent my husband? No. People still see those pictures, but I wasn't showing anything publicly that wouldn't be seen at a day at the beach. Just like what you referred to. And yeah, I look at good looking guys just the same as my husband looks at good looking girls. I'd smack the stupid straight out of him he flirted,though! Thanks for posting that. I'm disappointed in our wives right now as well. And I saw that post. I only read a few of the entries. The first 10 or so were mostly supporting her, so I am a little surprised that it turned as ugly as you're saying it did. The article had some ugly comments, like calling her conceited, but I myself didn't get that from her quotes.

Anonymous said...

You're not alone in the embarrassment of how others in our community were handling themselves in regards to that issue. Fighting with each other over a calendar when our soldiers are fighting wars? How silly it seems in comparison to the bigger picture of what we deal with on a daily basis. I'm glad they've shut that particular subject down and Spousebuzz can return to its natural environment.

Green said...

I completely agree with you. Are these women in the least bit realistic? Yeesh. They need something to occupy their time.

Vypergirl said...

Hey LAW! I specifically did not comment on that one as it was getting too catty for me! I only read it and the first 30 or so comments though! I didn't even go look and see how many were eventually posted....wow!

Sounds like Twilight Tattoo was fun. We haven't been into DC since Rolling Thunder, but I bet there are alot of people there now! We have about a week before we leave for our vacation! Yay!

Hope you are having a great weekend!!

Marine Wife said...

Wow, I had no idea it had gotten so out of control!

Oh, and definitely make it to the sunset parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial!