poke - poke - poke

I haven't had a medical history taken in that depth in years! we went through everything. and then...the needles! I'll confess, I closed my eyes (I'll maintain I was tired... but you and I know the truth, I HATE getting a shot). The first one she put in "oh holy cow" that one hurt (in my right palm, at a "fire"/headache point) the others on the right side of my foot hurt too(my neck and headaches, all on the right side). The ones on the left side - I didn't feel more than a little prickle. The ow was momentary... then I lay there (gotta bring in my own music... didn't like hers) for 20 minutes (no burning, LM..) then she came in and tweaked them, and another 15 minutes. Today - no headache and my neck is feeling better too. So we'll try a few more sessions... and keep the fingers crossed.

Booked the R&R trip and got trip insurance (through USAA, deployment and leave cancellations are covered events!) wow... the flight was not too bad, but the fees/taxes.... ouch.

time to get some sleep before I head out tomorrow.

later. LAW

Pins and Needles

Today - my first appointment with the acupuncturist. When I reminded Chief of that, his emails became riddled with needle humour.. he just loves to poke at me that way - [right back atcha, dear!]

Started into my new group at work - this is either going to be interesting, or I'm going to want to just scream in a month. One of the reasons I was told I would be moving, was that I wouldn't "wilt" under the pressure. This, my friends, is code for "this group is full of either crazies or arrogant, misogynistic jerks (what, attorneys?.. no, you can't be serious {snark}) and because you are an old broad who won't let them reduce you to tears, or work until 3:00 am to satisfy their ridiculous last minute requests [really, one of the younger paralegals did that, and then slept at the office!], we will put you in this group and know you won't quit." I keep telling myself it's a job, it's a job, and I'm grateful to have one.

This weekend I set off to the midwest to check on the house, get some eyes on the place and see what really needs to be done, meet up with a few old friends... and while I'm flying get some writing done.

talk to y'all later.

LAW

Memorial Day

Yesterday - He held this salute for over 3 hours.

XPosted from Left Face


The launch for Beyond Tribute that I went to Thursday, and the Memorial Day weekend coming up, combined to bring it to the top of my list.

Beyond Tribute is - to quote one of the founders - not a charity, not an organization, it's an idea! The idea is to make the holidays that should be devoted to veterans and those who gave their lives, mean more again. To those in America who don't know anyone in the military - honestly, right now Memorial Day is the day for a good sale - and none of us will turn down a good sale! But wouldn't it be even better if the business doing that great sale on purses (that's for Pam Eggleston the purse maven, the milspouse who spoke at the launch about her life with Charles, her husband and wounded warrior) was going to contribute part of the profits from that sale to programs for vets? General Wesley Clark said at the launch that we need to transform Memorial Day and Veterans Day back into a holiday of more meaning.

So - if you haven't taken the pledge yet - go over and do it. Then send the link to the businesses you use - big and small. Send the link to your family, send the link to your friends and co-workers. Let's put the memories back into Memorial Day, and by Veteran's Day - make the rest of the country remember the veterans.

LAW

MSRRA - one more time! CALL

OK - guys - time to really buckle down and call the VA Committee. The Markup hearing - in which the committee can delete wording or leave it alone - is Thursday morning! The Facebook site is here.

Chairman Sen. Daniel Akaka [D-HI] (202) 224-6361
Sen. John Rockefeller IV [D-WV] (202) 224-6472
Sen. Patty Murray [D-WA] (202) 224-2621
Sen. Sharrod Brown [D-OH] co-sponsor (202) 224-2315
Sen. Jim Webb [D-VA] (202) 224-4024
Sen. Jon Tester [D-MT] co-sponsor (202) 224-2644
Sen. Mark Begich [D-AK] co-sponsor (202) 224-3004
Sen. Roland Burris [D-IL] co-sponsor (202) 224-2854
Sen. Arlen Specter [D-PA] co-sponsor (202) 224-4254
Sen. Bernard Sanders [I-VT] (202) 224-5141
Sen. Johnny Isakson [R-GA] co-sponsor (202) 224-3643
Sen. Roger Wicker [R-MS] co-sponsor (202) 224-6253
Sen. Mike Johanns [R-NE] co-sponsor (202) 224-4224
Sen. Lindsey Graham [R-SC] (202) 224-5972

They can make changes - some rumblings about deleting some language. We need to ask them to leave in every word!

Call - call NOW. The Markup hearing is May 21, at 9:30. Get those fingers dialing!

LAW

x[posted on LeftFace

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day

To all the milspouses I know and those I don't; the ones who lean left, and those who lean right; the ones who have their service member home, and those who are alone because of deployment, TDY, school or whatever; the women and the men (Hey Chris, Hey Toad); To Us - a Happy, peaceful, healthy and wonderful Military Spouse Appreciation Day.

May we have the strength to keep going when it just crashes down around us; may we have the joy of seeing our spouse, our children and our families happy and contented; may we kick some serious PCS butt when we move; may we show those who are near and dear to us that we care about them.

I'll wish us all peace, love and happiness.

LAW

Quite a week!

It's been a while, here on my own personal little site. Busy out there in the rest of the world. Work - well, it's feast or famine, I'm either so busy I don't have time to think, or so bored I could cry. A friend congratulated me on my moving to a new division, after she heard about it at a training meeting - huh, funny, I hadn't (still haven't) heard anything from anyone who actually is in "command"...

The other blogs - Left Face, Parents Zone - they are going well, I think. My co-authors on LF are absolutely amazing. And the new authors on ParentsZone are fantastic, more than making up for those who decided not to write anymore, or so I assume, since we haven't heard from them in months.

I went up to the Hill for the MSRRA hearing in the Veterans Affairs Committee of the Senate - report here on LeftFace. If you are a member of the military family - call your Senator!

Whilst sitting around here one early morning (sleep - not happening lately) I came across a "letter to Obama".. you know the kind, the usual crap about him driving us into bankruptcy etc (of course, the past 8 years of tax breaks for the rich, two wars, etc... had NOTHING to do with it....) but one line just made me furious.


*You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.*

Do you believe this crap? Let's see, how many military kids does this describe? How many State Department kids, like me, does this describe? How many immigrant kids, who are now proud American citizens does this describe? Talk about closet racist - pretty close to coming outa the closet there!

Time to clean the pit I call an apartment, do the commissary run etc. Take care!

LAW