40 posts tagged “qotd”

What do you think is too serious to joke around about?

There are a lot of things that one in the military should not joke around about.  For example, drugs.  A lot of people joke around about drugs and then wonder why they are frequently selected for "random" urinalysis.  Also, joking around about this subject has landed a few people in hot water because leadership caught wind of it and took it seriously.  I know a few people in my unit who have been under investigation for drug use and/or distributing for months now.  It is kind of ridiculous, but that is how things work these days, it would seem.

Another thing people should not joke around about is what they might do if they were to go crazy.  I think this is an especially sensitive topic since the shooting we had on base a few weeks ago.  Some people think it is all fun and games.  But the base is paranoid now.  I cannot say I blame them.  I did not think anything like that would happen on this base, and I patrol it.  One cannot tell if it is an honest, though ill advised, joke, or if the troop is actually considering it and warning of things to come.

There are other things, but I cannot think of them at the moment.  I am pretty tired, so I will likely head to bed fairly soon.

Why do you think it is some people don't get along with you?

There are a variety of reasons why some people do not get along with me.  I will say one thing first, though.  I believe I get along with most people, whether I like them or despise them, mainly because my job requires me to.  There are only a few people I can say I openly dislike.  I am fairly certain they know who they are, too.

One of the main reasons some people do not like me is because of their initial perception of me.  I do not care much for first judgments because I have been unfairly subjected to them time and time again.  People just do not take the time to get to know a person beyond a first judgment.  I think if the people that do not like me actually took took the time and sat down and genuinely tried to get to know me, I think they would change their minds about me.  I am not saying that they would be my best friend, but they would certainly understand why I do certain things.

Other people do not like me because I return whatever attitudes they give me.  I have had to explain myself because of that recently, but I do not care.  If a person is going to be rude to me, I will return the favor.  If that person does not like it, then they can change their behavior.  I am tired of tolerating it, so if I cannot openly tell them what I think, I can at least treat them the same way they are treating me.

What have you tried in life that you just weren't very good at?

Playing violin.  I will not say I was not good at it, it was just that I did not put forth as much effort as I should have.  I only put forth the effort if I really liked the music we were learning.  I could have made the time to practice and stuff, but it just was not as high on my priority list as other things in my life.  I regret that now, but perhaps someday I will be able to invest in some music classes and learn to play my violin better.

Someone's writing a biography of your life (to date).  What is the best/worst chapter of the book? 
Submitted by Ross.

Well, the biggest part of my adult life has been in the military.  That would be the best and worst chapters of my life depending on what is said in those chapters.  My life has been an interesting roller coaster of events since I joined.  I have known depression, pride, anxiety, fear, happiness, adrenaline rushes, heartbreak, and so much more since I joined.  And I do not regret any of it.  It has made me the person I am today, for better or worse.  I cannot say which of those I have become.  That is to be perceived by the observers.  All I ask in that regard is that the observers take the time to get to know me a little bit before they judge me or my actions.

Which one of your ancestors would you most like to talk to? 
Submitted by Kathy.

I would have to know more about them before I could answer this question fairly.  However, I would definitely like to talk to those who moved from their home country to North America.  What family did they leave behind? What went into such a decision? Was the move everything they hoped it would be? I would so like to ask about the lives of many of my ancestors.  There is so much I could learn from them.  They have so many stories.  I suppose these thoughts could inspire me to ask my grandparents about their lives.  There is a lot I do not know about their families, their early years, and more.  What could I learn from them?

If you were suddenly granted the day off today, how would you go spend your free time?

I already had tonight off since it was a scheduled night off for my flight.  But I will humor the question.  If I were working tonight and I somehow got it off, I would likely try to spend time with either my boyfriend, if he is not busy with his class, or my friends.  I do not get to spend any time with them on the days that I work, so more time with them would make me happy.  If I did not get any sleep that day, I might consider going home and getting some.  If I had schoolwork looming, I would consider starting to work on it.  There are a lot of things that I could do.  I do not see how it would be any different from a regular day off.

How do you feel about your birthday?  Do you look forward to it and remind all your friends, or do you dread it and try to keep it a secret?

My birthday may as well be another day of the week for me.  I do not get the night off just because it might be my birthday.  It has kind of lost its meaning for me since I joined the military.  A lot of people go out a party it up when they celebrate their birthday, especially if is happens to be their 21st.  Some people, like Rob, prefer a quiet day to themselves where no one will bother them.  I am getting to the point where I do not really care if my birthday comes around.  It does not mean much to the military.  For example, this year, I will likely be in training to prepare for my upcoming deployment, on my way to said deployment, or at my deployed location.

What do you do with the cards and letters you receive?  Do you keep them all, just keep the photos, throw them away? 
Inspired by jacolily.

I enjoy keeping the cards and letters I have gotten over the years.  I especially have held on to the ones I got while I was in boot camp.  Those cards and letters made a tough mental game easier to handle.  I would not want to be a person who never receives any letters or cards from the people I love.  I hope my letters and cards are held dear to my family's hearts.  I am sure they will be especially priceless here in the next few months when I deploy to Iraq.

What do you do for fun when you're broke? 
Submitted by Kim. 

I do not usually put myself in that position, but I will generally stay home and snuggle with the kitties with either a good book, needlework, or a movie.  Usually a friend or my boyfriend will invite me to do something, too.

What was your reaction to the results of the Iowa caucuses?  

I was not surprised by the results on the Democratic side.  I have not been paying much attention to the Republican side, admittedly, so I am not sure what to think about that part.  I have been fairly busy with work and personal things, however, and I do not care much for politics, so I have not been focusing on the election progress and that will probably continue for the foreseeable future.