The day has finally come! The 2009 Yokota High School All Years Reunion is upon us.
I'm thrilled to be heading down to the great state of Texas to see some of my favorite military brats. Some I haven't seen in ten years. Some I saw just the other day.
We've got a great itinerary planned. The Alamo. National Parks. Mixers on the Riverwalk. And of course, a big party on Saturday night complete with a traditional Japanese dinner and a DJ.
I'll be back next week to post pictures of our adventures and fill you in on all the details. But for now, it's blue and gold time. Panther time. And time to remember the land of the rising sun.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Well Wishes for My Army Brother
I've mentioned before that my brother is contracted by the Army. He attends the the University of Oklahoma on an Army scholarship and will become an officer upon graduation next May.
He's one of my favorite people. And despite the fact that he has spent almost more years apart from me than with me, we're so close.
Last week he departed for military training camp - two months, no contact. Yeish. Three days earlier he had just celebrated his 21st birthday. He made the rounds of phone calls reminding me that it wouldn't be that bad for me - we'd only miss our weekly calls. So that's like, 8. I couldn't help but smile when he said this.
I didn't think his departure would shake me. After all, we're both military brats and it's not like he's going far. He is stateside. It's just a camp. I mean, it will suck for him but it's not like it will suck for me.
But it made me sad, for a little bit. He's growing up. And even though he's been filling the role of an Army solider for the past three years, this suddenly makes it very real. Makes me realize that he's going to be graduating soon. And then going everywhere.
So, with a proud heart, I said good luck and bon voyage. Here's to you bud. We'll be thinking of you and we know you're going to rock at camp. Your scores are going to be stellar and when you get home, we'll totally celebrate your major achievements.
He's one of my favorite people. And despite the fact that he has spent almost more years apart from me than with me, we're so close.
Last week he departed for military training camp - two months, no contact. Yeish. Three days earlier he had just celebrated his 21st birthday. He made the rounds of phone calls reminding me that it wouldn't be that bad for me - we'd only miss our weekly calls. So that's like, 8. I couldn't help but smile when he said this.
I didn't think his departure would shake me. After all, we're both military brats and it's not like he's going far. He is stateside. It's just a camp. I mean, it will suck for him but it's not like it will suck for me.
But it made me sad, for a little bit. He's growing up. And even though he's been filling the role of an Army solider for the past three years, this suddenly makes it very real. Makes me realize that he's going to be graduating soon. And then going everywhere.
So, with a proud heart, I said good luck and bon voyage. Here's to you bud. We'll be thinking of you and we know you're going to rock at camp. Your scores are going to be stellar and when you get home, we'll totally celebrate your major achievements.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Over the Celebrity Hype: Real Heroes Die Every Day
This week marked the passing of three high profile celebrities: Ed Mc Mahon, Farrah Fawcett and Micheal Jackson. While I am certainly aware of each of them, the attention they received in the social media universe and the traditional media space was crazy. Particularly the King of Pop.
Word of his condition spread on Twitter like wildfire before traditional media could even get a foot in the door. Everyone I followed seemed to want to jump on the bandwagon and almost all had something to say.
I follow @PattyGale on Twitter. I often agree with a lot of comments she makes and this week she tweeted something that resonated so strongly with me. "Sorry, can't get into the last 2 days of news. Sad for the families yes. However, real heroes die every day & don't get headlines."
I loved this statement - I had been thinking it since I began to see the Twitter flurry that had erupted over MJ's death. She literally took the words out of my mouth.
I had no desire to tweet about their deaths. I had no desire to state my unending (and mind you non-existent) love for the musician. I think it's crazy that fans rushed to his home and hospital. That people were overcome with emotion - bursting into tears.
It's not that I don't think that passings aren't important - they are. But they are private. And most importantly, I do feel that we channel an inappropriate amount of energy into how much we care about people that appear on the silver screen or fill our heads with tunes.
I think its fine to pause, reflect on a life, and wish nothing but peace to the ones they left behind. I just don't think I need to participate in what I call a celebrity Twitterpaloza.
Patty's right. Real heroes die every day and few stop to pay attention. And if you're a regular reader of my blog you know that I'm referring to the military members of our fine nation.
I do think it is fascinating that some people can touch our lives in profound ways, even if we never meet them. For those people to change our line of thought, to help us look at the world in a different way or broaden our horizons. But for me, those people are rarely celebrities. They are often the men and women of our nation's great forces. Because they are my heroes.
Word of his condition spread on Twitter like wildfire before traditional media could even get a foot in the door. Everyone I followed seemed to want to jump on the bandwagon and almost all had something to say.
I follow @PattyGale on Twitter. I often agree with a lot of comments she makes and this week she tweeted something that resonated so strongly with me. "Sorry, can't get into the last 2 days of news. Sad for the families yes. However, real heroes die every day & don't get headlines."
I loved this statement - I had been thinking it since I began to see the Twitter flurry that had erupted over MJ's death. She literally took the words out of my mouth.
I had no desire to tweet about their deaths. I had no desire to state my unending (and mind you non-existent) love for the musician. I think it's crazy that fans rushed to his home and hospital. That people were overcome with emotion - bursting into tears.
It's not that I don't think that passings aren't important - they are. But they are private. And most importantly, I do feel that we channel an inappropriate amount of energy into how much we care about people that appear on the silver screen or fill our heads with tunes.
I think its fine to pause, reflect on a life, and wish nothing but peace to the ones they left behind. I just don't think I need to participate in what I call a celebrity Twitterpaloza.
Patty's right. Real heroes die every day and few stop to pay attention. And if you're a regular reader of my blog you know that I'm referring to the military members of our fine nation.
I do think it is fascinating that some people can touch our lives in profound ways, even if we never meet them. For those people to change our line of thought, to help us look at the world in a different way or broaden our horizons. But for me, those people are rarely celebrities. They are often the men and women of our nation's great forces. Because they are my heroes.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
My Father, My Hero
In honor of Father's Day, I wanted to pause for a moment and write a brief post about my wonderful father. While he's not one for gushiness, I try to always make a point of telling him that he's the best father in the world on this very special day.
The Dad who wears BDUs and serves his country selflessly every day. The Dad that not only takes care of me but of ALL of his troops - even when that number is over 300. The Dad who sends me laughter via email when he's in Iraq. The Dad who never forgets to thank his family for their support of his service.
My Dad really is the best Dad - but not just because he's in the military. While it cannot be denied that his occupation was my one way ticket to travel the world, the opportunity to speak different languages and see other cultures, or live out such extraordinary adventures, he's amazing without the military hooah. After all, he is the man that held my hand throughout that journey and the man that made it such an incredible adventure.
Truth is, my father is someone I will always aspire to be like. An amazing leader. An amazing role model. Brave. Intelligent. Generous heart. Brilliant sense of humor.
I would not be the strong, independent, fearless woman I am today if it were not for him. He made me believe in myself from day one and because of that I always believe that I can do anything. That I am someone special. And without him, I would have never learned to push myself beyond the limits I think I have.
After all, it was my father who helped me climb to the top of Mt. Fuji when I thought I could not climb another foot. It was my father who told me it would be okay when I moved my senior year of high school and was faced with rebuilding my life yet again. It was my father who taught me the true meaning of suck it up and press on.
And it was my father who offered profound wisdom to me when he told me that when it comes to life that it is "not the result it is the journey." Something I have taken to heart and tried to live by every day.
Many thanks to my phenomenal father for all that he has done and all that he will do. I love you Dad. You are my hero.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Stephen Colbert: MR. USO
Stephen Colbert did an AMAZING job in Iraq this week. His four shows were witty, tasteful and most of all tremendously supportive of our brave men and women stationed in the land of sand.
Some of my favorite things about this week . . . I really enjoyed when . . .
- Colbert flew with the AF Thunderbirds. I liked watching Colbert's reaction, mid song, during takeoff. In regards to the pilots, as a Air Force brat, I've always loved a man in a flight suit and this was no exception. The Thunderbirds are all SUPER hot and they are unbelievably talented.
- Colbert complimented the troops for doing their job in "140 degree heat in full battle rattle." When my Dad was in Iraq he'd tell us how the insane the heat was. It's something we can never understand here.
- Colbert compared Iraq to a bag of trail mix and said the the M&Ms were the US Troops.
- Watching Deputy Prime Minister Baham Saleh discuss Iraq and his gratitude to the US Forces.
- Seeing and hearing the entire palace sing the Army Song - proud and strong after Colbert attempted to get them to do the hokey pokey.
- Tom Hanks and Colbert packed care packages for the troops. It was my favorite part when Colbert tried to send puppies and ice cream to Iraq
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Tom Hanks Care Package | ||||
| ||||
A big THANKS to Colbert, his entire team and of course the USO. If you missed any of the shows this week visit the microsite for his tour Mr. USO.
You can watch full episodes there or download them via iTunes. Proceeds from your iTunes purchase will benefit the USO. If you have a few dollars please also visit the USO's website and donate money. Our troops, and their families, rely on the USO. When you help support the USO, you help them.
If you're tight on cash but want to help, try doing something for a family of a local military family. Bake them cookies. Help find a babysitter. Stop by to just say thank you. The families left at home are at war too - just in a very different way.
A special shout out to all our men and women serving abroad. It was great to see you this week - tan and smiling! Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication. You're all of our heroes!
***Special note: photo courtesy of the MR. USO website ***
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Colbert Report's First Show From Iraq
Stephen Colbert is now officially my favorite comedian. I checked out his first show from Iraq and it was HILARIOUS!
He kicked off the show with some stellar comments. Here are a few highlights:
- His staff took standard BDUs and made them into a suit. He looked surprisingly cool!
- During his monologue he referred to Iraq as "the country so nice we invaded it twice"
- He let troops know that he wanted to come to Iraq because he "always wanted to cook a microwave burrito in my pants"
Colbert also showed a few clips from his 10 hour-long "basic training." He dubbed it "Stephen Strong: Army of Me." I especially loved the Louis V luggage and the iPhone portion.
Later in the show he took time to interview General Ray Odierno, the head hancho in the land of sand. Odierno let Colbert know that his training experience was not at all realistic and that he needed to get a regulation hair cut to even be considered a trainee.
Colbert refused and then President Obama appeared on the screen. He first gave a shout out to our troops and then calmly gave an official order to Odierno to buzz Colbert's head!
For the record, I know that Colbert will miss blow drying his locks every morning but he looked pretty good with his buzz. He may even grow to like this new look!
The show was awesome and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us for the rest of the week.
Here's a little snipit of the show - and a shout out from John McCain.
Click here to see the full episode OR visit iTunes and download it. Proceeds go to the USO!
He kicked off the show with some stellar comments. Here are a few highlights:
- His staff took standard BDUs and made them into a suit. He looked surprisingly cool!
- During his monologue he referred to Iraq as "the country so nice we invaded it twice"
- He let troops know that he wanted to come to Iraq because he "always wanted to cook a microwave burrito in my pants"
Colbert also showed a few clips from his 10 hour-long "basic training." He dubbed it "Stephen Strong: Army of Me." I especially loved the Louis V luggage and the iPhone portion.
Later in the show he took time to interview General Ray Odierno, the head hancho in the land of sand. Odierno let Colbert know that his training experience was not at all realistic and that he needed to get a regulation hair cut to even be considered a trainee.
Colbert refused and then President Obama appeared on the screen. He first gave a shout out to our troops and then calmly gave an official order to Odierno to buzz Colbert's head!
For the record, I know that Colbert will miss blow drying his locks every morning but he looked pretty good with his buzz. He may even grow to like this new look!
The show was awesome and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us for the rest of the week.
Here's a little snipit of the show - and a shout out from John McCain.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando - John McCain | ||||
| ||||
Click here to see the full episode OR visit iTunes and download it. Proceeds go to the USO!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Tweet To Remind - Help Raise $1.65 Million for Troops by July 4th
Today, as I was giving well deserved shoutouts to my military twitter peeps in honor of the Military Monday Twitter movement, I came across a tweet that made me smile. I'm a follower of Bob Woodruff and today he simply tweeted the following: "Support our troops is no longer a slogan. It's an action. #tweettoremind http://bit.ly/remind #militarymon."
Tweet to Remind - have you heard of it? It's all a buzz in today's #MilitaryMon chatter. I checked out the site and it seems that Woodruff's latest effort is a partnership between his foundation and the PR powerhouse Porter Novelli. Through the partnership, a unique idea has been born - a goal to raise $1.65 million by July 4th; proceeds will be given to America's soldiers as they return home.
The website, which also links to ReMIND.org, is a movement of Woodruff's foundation that "educates the public about the needs of injured service members, veterans and their families as they reintegrate into their communities and empowers people everywhere to take action."
If you remember, Woodruff suffered near fatal injuries in 2006 from a roadside bomb. He was on assignment in Iraq for ABC’s “World News Tonight." His wife and family have channeled their experience into creating the Bob Woodruff foundation in hopes of helping military families across the nation. Special thanks to them for their generous time and efforts.
Please take time to visit the Tweet to Remind website, donate and spread the word throughout your blogging community. Most importantly, don't forget to TWEET! Follow the movement @remind_org or @tweettoremind. Our nation's forces and their families give everything they have, every day of the year, to protect our freedom. They are our heroes. Please take time to thank them in a small way.
Tweet to Remind - have you heard of it? It's all a buzz in today's #MilitaryMon chatter. I checked out the site and it seems that Woodruff's latest effort is a partnership between his foundation and the PR powerhouse Porter Novelli. Through the partnership, a unique idea has been born - a goal to raise $1.65 million by July 4th; proceeds will be given to America's soldiers as they return home.
The website, which also links to ReMIND.org, is a movement of Woodruff's foundation that "educates the public about the needs of injured service members, veterans and their families as they reintegrate into their communities and empowers people everywhere to take action."
If you remember, Woodruff suffered near fatal injuries in 2006 from a roadside bomb. He was on assignment in Iraq for ABC’s “World News Tonight." His wife and family have channeled their experience into creating the Bob Woodruff foundation in hopes of helping military families across the nation. Special thanks to them for their generous time and efforts.
Please take time to visit the Tweet to Remind website, donate and spread the word throughout your blogging community. Most importantly, don't forget to TWEET! Follow the movement @remind_org or @tweettoremind. Our nation's forces and their families give everything they have, every day of the year, to protect our freedom. They are our heroes. Please take time to thank them in a small way.
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