November 15th, 2010 -- Posted in san francisco, the city |
Ryan and I have this running joke that midwesterners qualify their food with three standards:
1. It’s cheap
2. The portions are good
3. The food’s decent
I should point out this isn’t just conjecture; we’ve actually heard people say these things, though maybe not in so many words (not the least of which are my parents who I’ve seen apply some variation of said list in none other than the likes of ITALY and PARIS). And my food-lover’s soul dies a little bit.
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November 11th, 2010 -- Posted in family, military |
I don’t have much to say that hasn’t already been said about the service of our veterans or the debt our nation owes the people who choose to spend their lives protecting us. I will say that being an Air Force brat has given me an opportunity to see just a fraction of what this service looks like for the people who dedicate their lives to it, and for that I’m immensely grateful. It’s not always pride and parades, sometimes it’s tragedy and funerals, or the minutia of day-to-day life; but having that spectrum of experiences as an integral part of my life is something that continues to define me even as my direct connections to the military grow more elastic.
I’ve also been lucky that the direct connection I do have - my dad - has rarely caused the fear or panic that I know many military families face. Since my dad’s time is spent in hearings and meetings, and rarely directly involved in conflict, my military experience has likely been different from than the experience of many others. I’ve had opportunities to do things like speak to wounded veterans at Walter Reed and visit servicemembers who were working on holidays - experiences that have proven to be memorable, pivotal moments in my life. The brat community is a culture all to itself and one I’m proud to be a part of.
Ok, so somehow I made this post about me, when I really wanted to just say a few words of heartfelt thanks to our veterans - those who have served and those who still do - from the perspective of someone who’s been privileged enough to see some aspects of their service in a personal way.