THEIR Reasons Why

I'm still patiently waiting for May 18 to arrive.  As I explained in my previous post, I don't really have the heart for talking about the Navy right now.  So in the mean time, I'm going to let other girls speak for me. Some of their reasons echo mine, some might be unique to them, but we all have a common desire to serve our country with pride, and I hope to serve alongside these amazing girls soon.

Their Reasons Why:

“I joined because I want to experience the world and I found out that college is not for me.” – Stephanie B.

“I am joining because I need to find myself. I want to travel, serve my country, and be able to stand with my head held high. As a woman, I feel like I have been treated wrongly, and that many men look down on me. So joining and serving my country will show them we women are just as strong and good enough to serve in our nation's military. Plus having benefits, and to be able to say that my family has something to be proud of about me. :)” – Bree L.

“I've always felt the need to prove I'm just as good and this is my way to do it. It also had the added bonus of serving my country and showing pride in what I believe.” – Megan F.

“I suppose my answer would fall within the idea of ‘service.’ I am joining the Navy because I am called to be a servant to my country, my God and my fellow man. I serve because I can and am willing to put the needs of many before my own. I serve because we have a voluntary force and I volunteer. I serve because I am grateful for those that served before me and I am grateful for the strong women in history that made this possible for me.” – Jenny F.

“I'm joining the Navy because I want to be able to walk around with my head held high full of pride. I want to protect this country. I want to gain the Navy discipline and values. I want to travel all around the world doing things that everyone will be proud of me for. I'm joining not only because I want to, but mainly because my heart yells it wants me to be a Sailor for the U.S. Navy. I will gain the respect of others through hard work and I will respect those around me. I want to show the people around me that i can do this, and this is why I will join the Navy. This is what I see myself doing.” – Yesenia C.

“I am joining the Navy for many reasons. I am sick of working in resturants, bars, etc...bartending, waitressing, and marketing them. I want to do a job where I know I am making a difference for people. I am 29 and have an associate’s degree that is getting me nowhere fast, I can’t afford more education, have no boyfriend, no kids, and am generally just at a stand still. I would say I want to “accelerate my life” (the old Navy saying). I love to help people, it’s in my nature, and getting the rate of corpsman lets me do that! Stability, and job security are big factors as well. Loooong family history of people in the Navy. I am excited to start this new exciting chapter in my life. There are always the decisions you make that you know to the bones that it is right. And I can't even stress enough how RIGHT this feels for me.” – Melissa B.

“I WANT to join the Navy because I want a better life for my family and my self. I work a dead-end job making only 9 an hour. In the Navy that’s kinda like starting at the bottom, but you always have the chance of working your way up. At my job I’m kinda at the top. I dont want to spend the rest of my life making 9 an hour working in a warehouse.” – Melissa H.

“I'm joining the Navy for a bunch of different reasons… Mainly because I want a career in the medical field. Also because I want some discipline in my life, and to travel. I want my family and friends to be proud of me, and I want to do something to be proud of myself for. :D” – Taylor K.

If you're in the military and would like to share reasons you joined, please comment with them!  Also, if you're a mil spouse and want to share your husband's reasons (because I know you're so proud), I'd love to hear them!

In 19 days...

In 19 days, my favorite friend and gym partner, Ivy, will finally turn 18 (which will make us less than a decade apart in age for a few months)...

In 19 days the long-awaited epsiode of Glee directed by the brilliant Joss Whedon, and guest-starring NPH will air...

and...

In 19 days I'll go to the doctor's appointment that decides the rest of my life. 
This doctor will have the power to tell the Navy whether or not I'm a good candidate for the military.

Scared?  Quite.

In fact, that's why I've been blog-silent for the past two weeks.  I have a wealth of blog ideas piled up to use when I don't have an actual update, but I haven't had the heart to post any.  I think I'm trying to keep Navy excitement at arms' length, so that if it falls through, I won't be as disappointed. 

Everyone keeps telling me that whatever happens is what's meant to be.  Well, of course it is.  But that doesn't change the fact that I would have to re-plan my future from scratch, with absolutely zero ideas.  The Navy isn't just the best idea for my life - it's my only idea. I have nightmarish visions of my civilian-stuck-in-virginia-in-a-low-paying-job-and-always-the-spinster-aunt-who-never-lived-her-dreams life stretching before me.

I'm not sure if I'll see results at the appointment, but on the evening of May 18, 2010, while celebrating Ivy's birthday and eating cake at our Glee party, I very well could have the answer to what the rest of my life will look like.


So in 19 days...we'll see.

Reason #3: Uniforms!

"Oh, bell bottom trousers, coat of navy blue, he loves his sailor, and she loves him, too."

(Switched the pronouns around to suit me!)

This is NOT the uniform.  Sorry, boys!

Let's start this post with an embarrassing little anecdote that just happened to me. I wore an adorable polka-dotted skirt to work today, feeling pretty cute. Little did I know this skirt is full of potential mortification! While standing at the sink washing my hands after using the ladies room, the most gorgeous woman in the entire building comes out of her stall and taps me on the back. She very awkwardly let me know that the entire back of my skirt was stuffed into my underwear. Can you say *red face*?? I gushed my gratefulness to her with rivaling awkwardness (not only for the faux pas, but for the fact that she’s now seen my underwear), and tried to stride calmly out of the bathroom… only to have her call me yet again to inform me that my top wasn’t all the way down in the back, and both my underwear and skirt tags were visible. Then, not 10 minutes later, I was outside and a gust of wind caught my skirt and exposed me for a split second before I wrestled it back down and held it tightly all the way back inside. This is just a small example of the many reasons I will be THRILLED to wear uniforms to work!


PROs:

• I will never be late to work because I can’t figure out what to wear.
• I can use all my extra $$ and shopping energy on super hot weekend/leave outfits.
• My “fun” clothes can STAY fun clothes. Currently, anything I wear to work automatically becomes work clothes. Even if I love(ed) it, I can never again wear it outside of work without feeling icky.
• I’m all about my individuality, but I also LOVE being part of a team that’s bigger than me. All my life I’ve wanted to belong to a sports team or anything with uniforms, because I love identifying with other people, and also being identified by other people as a member of that group. And in my mind, nothing is more worth identifying with than the US Navy! (I used to be in marching band…so I got a little bit of that prideful group feeling…until we were in front of the rest of the school…)
• I’ll just look hot. Nothing beats a Sailor girl! ;)

CONs:

• Ironing. I don’t even own one. I started to buy one when I moved out, but realized it would be a waste of money since I wouldn’t use it!

I know getting to wear uniforms is an insignificant reason for wanting to join the Navy, and clearly I wouldn’t base my whole descision on something so trite, but if it makes me happy, why not get excited about it?

Process - Update #2 (Doctor's Note)

Navigating the maze in the Triwizard Tournament seems easier than getting in the Navy.

*Sigh*  After having a chat with my doctor (and giving her a $25 co-pay), I went to the recruiter to ask what exactly I need to do (these guys are clear as mud).  After 3 of these dudes stood around for awhile deliberating, they came to the conclusion that not only does my regular doc need to write another letter, but I also need to go to a psychiatrist for a legit psychological eval.  Another doc appointment, another (higher) co-pay, another couple weeks 'til the next step. 

The (sort-of) bright side:  After taking some medicine for over a month, my weight sky-rocketed due to fluid retention.  I was already at the maximum acceptable weight, and now I'm well over it, making me the heaviest I have ever been in my life.  I've stopped taking the medicine, so in a week or two the water weight should start coming off.  Before I started it, I was actively dieting and working out to get UNDER the max weight.  I really hope that underneath all that water is the result of all my hard work!!  So having to wait longer for all this other doctor stuff is giving me the time I need to get back to the appopriate weight.

What I'm learning from these set-backs: 
~ Patience. 
~ Enjoying the life I'm living the in mean time. 
~ Dedication to the goal. 

I'll be a Sailor one of these days.  :)

Process - Update (Doctor's note)

Finally made that doctor's appointment for tomorrow morning.  I'm definitely nervous, though I doubt I have a reason to be.  I'm just scared of anything that might hurt my chances of getting in the Navy.  If the appointment doesn't take too long, I'll drop the results off at the recruiter on my way to work.  Then we'll play the waiting game some more!  Check back tomorrow night to see how it all went.  :)

Reason #2: Join the Navy, See the World

"Most travel-hungry people overlook the Navy when searching for a job. People oppose the idea for many different reasons. However, if you believe that the humanitarian and international aid efforts are genuine – then you may want to consider it as an alternative to the cubicle life of most people you know."
-Theodore Scott

(The quote above is from this article.)  My closest friends know that I'm into globes.  Weird obsession, I know, which is why up until now, only my closest friends knew. :-P  But I spot them everywhere (especially on TV) and play with them every chance I get.  I still don't have my own, but I'm afriad I might have a house full of them one day.  The last time I was globe-gazing, I learned about Lesotho, a country in Africa that is entirely surrounded by another country, South Africa, and which I think is the only country like this in the world.  I never learned that in geography!!  All this to say I want to travel.  I mean, I have the bug BAD.  I've been collecting travel brochures and planning imaginary trips all my life.  I'd like to see the whole world eventually, but my biggest desire is the Pacific Islands.  I belong there.  I'm constantly consuming literature about their cultures, geography, languages, flora & faua.  Lucky for me, there are plenty of Navy bases in the Pacific!

Recently I realized that my desire to travel is not a dream, it's an expected reality.  Then I immediately realized this reality would not come to pass if I continued in my present life.  I have no means with which to travel, and it's highly unlikely I'd have them anytime soon.  I can imagine myself as an 88-year-old lady in a nursing home, still flipping through a calendar of Hawaii and dreaming of the places I never got to see. I am careful about not believing every perk the Navy advertises hook, link, & sinker, but from talking to many sailors from past and present, seeing the world WILL happen in the Navy. For example, I have keepsakes from all over Asia that my grandfather sent home to his children while deployed (including a glass buoy from the Sea of Japan in my living room), and have seen current Facebook photos of sailor friends all over the world.

And the best part?  Once I'm finally ready to settle down, I'll have a world of places to pick from. :)

Results

Whew, it's over!  I ran the Monument 10K on Saturday with three other lovely girls.  We had a blast and pushed each other hard, and it completely wiped me out!

My time: 79:02

Last year: 81:49

I only beat last year's time by 2:47.  I think it's okay, because I trained about the same last year and this year. I'm more concerned about improving my running overall, so I wasn't training specifically for the 10K. However, there is a HUGE difference between the beginning of my habitual-working-out-life and now. I beat my time in my first 10K (2008) by 15:32!! Now I'd say that's an improvement. :)

Here's what I'm up against now:

The bottom is a little blurry, but that's okay, since I won't be needing those numbers. My goal is to be comfortably in the middle of the chart BEFORE I get to boot camp.