No more pretending

Until yesterday I wasn't really thinking that I'm getting out of the military. I was pretending that every day was going to be the same as the day before, b/c I like routine. That meant that I'd have to deal with the same office stress every day. My daily routine as of now consists of: drag myself out of bed, let the dogs out to the bathroom, drive to work, be exhausted for morning PT, take showers w/ flipflops on in the gym locker room, get ready for work, be late to the office b/c I worked out too long, think about my 1hr lunch break all morning, go eat left overs in the break room, laugh at (or with) some coworkers, wait for the clock to say 1630, drive home in rush hour traffic, eat dinner, go to accounting class, come home, pack bag for next day, pass out. Oh ya, there was some work done during the day somewhere in there... In any case it's been nice to have a routine, however exhausting it really is. That's why I've missed deployments so much b/c I know what's going to happen every day (in an even greater schedule type of day).

Yesterday the email came at 2am from AFPC (Air Force Personnel Center) stating that I'm really done. "Congratulations!" as the email said... Geez you'd think they didn't care I put in 4 years. Then again, what is the automated email supposed to say, "we're going to miss you and your slave labor, won't you reconsider? We need deployment grunts!" I'm being entirely sarcastic here - I really have loved being in the military. Heck I can be at work in less than an hour from being awake b/c I don't have to waste time picking out an outfit. Impressive eh? Joe and I were talking about how we miss (me in future tense) and I realized something else. I don't miss the AF the way it currently is on my base. I miss the friends I've made and the friendships that are easily built on a new deployment. People can be COMPLETELY different, but become fast friends b/c you're locked on a 1x1 mile (if that) base where there's nothing to do but make friends w/ random people. What else in life does that for an adult? Sure kids have summer camps, but you don't get paid there to learn and meet new people, you pay!

I've applied for 2 Air National Guard jobs and have a Reserve information class in March. I'm hoping to learn some good stuff about what my options will be once I separate. I know there are opportunities out there to still be in uniform and that's what I'm praying for now b/c even though I was accepted to get out and I know it's what God wants me to do at this point, I'm sad to be leaving. I don't care about the pay checks (as long as the bills get paid). I don't do it so that I can have a yacht in the Bahamas or a Cadillac in the driveway... I do it b/c I love to help other people and the military has plenty of people to help (myself included I think).

That being said, if any of you know a company hiring, let me know!