Real Housewife

Within 24 hours of moving in, Superman spent his quick 48-hour drop-in getting right to work.

48 hours later -- one project, almost done!

And while Superman is keeping up with his end of the moving bargain... I'm trying to catch up on my own. Introducing, the real housewife of the Bean. Where you'll see alot of this: 

And realizing that you can't live without this: 

Well, for only one day really. Today I start my new job -- and thank God for that! Because this whole housewife thing  that went down for a full 24 hours yesterday -- besides the social life part of it -- is not for me. 

A few weeks ago, we had dinner with another Army couple whose husband is in the same law enforcement class as Superman -- let's call him "Nice Guy" (a.k.a. the kind of guy I'm glad to see Superman making nice with). Nice Guy mentioned that his fiance shouldn't really rush into getting a job -- their careers will let us live comfortably anyway. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

But Nice Guy you don't get it (I didn't say, of course). I'm a 3-jobs kinda gal. I'm a do-it-because-I-love-it. I'm a if-I-don't-do-it-I'll-go-out-of-my-mind. One day of this life is quite enough for the 20-something me who's everything but a full-time Ms. Suzy Homemaker.

Listen, I'm all about protecting and serving. And I know there's an image of us gals rocking our chairs next to a window while sewing patches onto our husbands uniforms, looking out our front porch where our American flags wave fiercely, waiting for our husbands to come home each night.

Nice guy, I'm glad you've found that.

But if I'm not out rocking my stilettos, publishing a great story, working towards the next big step, all while cleaning up after Superman's mess, cooking some decent food, and making sure the big business decisions are made -- well then, you'll more likely find me throwing that rocking chair out the window because I'm not sittin on it, and I sure as hell ain't waitin on anybody.

Don't you worry about a thing. (I'm saying this more to my own self than anyone else right now). Our Bean life will certainly involve more than just dates with Oreck and Tide. I'm wayyy more fabu than that!!!!!! 

Disclaimer: Nice guy was just that - a nice guy. He's great, and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of him around since the boys are close. So this isn't a knock at him at all - just an entre to broach the subject of "how I roll."

It's Back!!!

March 4th!

Don't you worry, I preemptively called the cable company. We may not have our boxes unpacked and our furniture yet, but you better believe we will have LIFETIME!

A Calm

It's easy in the Apple to bite off more than you can chew.

I recently came back from two conferences and have all these ideas for new projects shelved in my head. The disappointing part is that I haven't had time to put these new endeavors in motion. I'm itching. Aching. Begging. excited, to get started. But when? how?

A very smart Army wife once told me that the most productive people in the world are military wives whose spouses are deployed. No words rang truer.

But do we really need to throw our husbands' in the line of fire just so we can get some peace and quiet and productivity on the homefront? Okay, fire may be too extreme. And a year may be too long. And overseas may be too far. So the "deployment" cons may outweigh some of the pros. But I think you get what I mean here.

Let's face it. Some of our soldier boys feel a sense of excitement to get out their and do their thing. It's perfectly normal for spouses to, in some ways, feel that way too.

The truth is, sometimes, we do.

I'm starting to think that another alternative to the deployment/productivity scale... will be the Police Academy/productivity scale. Will it work? It better, or I'll just be miserable. We shall see in the next few weeks.

Superman leaves for the Academy then, and while I fear for his safety and well-being (seriously, the orientation proved these "other" men in uniform are no joke), I'm looking forward to that same "deployment" productivity I had when Superman-the-soldier deployed overseas.

While Superman was deployed overseas I held two jobs while in graduate school full-time. I lived on my own (with a pretty swell roommate) and racked up $0 in student loans. I received two fellowships. I surrounded myself with friends who kept me sane whenever, in between all of this productivity, I could hear the seconds tick. I never felt closer to them than I did then.

It sounds crazy saying it now, but I didn't feel a crazy rush to do everything all at once (though it looks like it). Instead, I felt this sense of calm and control over the things I knew I could accomplish with the time I was given to myself.

This time, Superman will be gone for six months. I know there's a lot to be done. A personal essay that is currently a blank page with a ticking cursor staring at me. Two websites to create. A few project wheels to put into motion.

I welcome the calm.

Friday Roundup

Can't wait for this weekend to begin! It'll be sunny all weekend and my parents are visiting! But before that happens, let's recap the madness that was, "this week."

I pondered life as a SAHW, and decided -- no thank you. Not for me, not right now. I've got too many goals and deadlines at the moment. I haven't done enough yet to put my feet up! Okay, maybe that's a poor excuse. I'm just scared to death of  that uncharted territory. 

I concluded that in my mind, at this moment, I'd be free to be a SAHW if I was a SAHM.

But of course, Superman says N-O to everything. Ah, yes. This is life, married to the military.

Stay at Home.... Wife?

Of all the acronyms -- and there are ALOT -- that are used in the military (and perhaps in civilian life!) SAHM -- stay at home mom -- is one of the acceptable ones.

Many women who hear SAHM think a busy mother with a household full of children, a supportive mother who is putting her all into raising her children... you know, all that good stuff.

But what about those of us that don't have children? When our husbands' jobs are constantly evolving, taking us from one location to another, or their schedules are just too erratic, or perhaps we're active duty and are PCSed numerous times that we can't even maintain a career, let alone hold a steady job.

So what if we turned that 'M' upside down. What about Stay at Home Wives? Are SAHW just as readily acceptable as SAHM?

Before becoming an Army wife, I viewed SAHW as a crutch. A SAHW was just as embarrassing -- if not more so -- as when the military calls you a "dependent." Certainly they're not talking about me!

But I've thought about this concept many times over the past few months -- since Superman is currently in between assignments and we're not quite sure where his next job may take us. And let me tell you, the thought of being a SAHW still scares the bajeebees out of me. This article didn't quite help make the case.

I've interned every semester of my undergraduate career, and worked three jobs during grad school. I've been lucky enough to be over employed. Even now, I have a few side hustles besides the full-time dream job I now have. When I have a weekend or a few days off, I don't know what to do with myself.

Don't get me wrong. There are so many days that I idealize kicking back and just relaxing. But I snap out of it really quick. Who am I kidding. I am a "work"-a-holic. What would I do with myself? This, I now think, is my biggest fear.

I often wonder how some wives who, premilitary, were attorneys, teachers, stockbrokers, producers, nurses, etc. cope with the fallout?

Is the only "acceptable" way to be a SAHW is to be a SAHM?

Warriors

When you're married to the military, many of those around you who are not truly believe that your household is run like bootcamp.

Many will think that since your hubs is the model of fitness (which they know only because they've seen "those guys on TV"), you, by default, are one as well. Therefore, your fitness advice becomes word. And when they say they're looking  for a "workout buddy," they're really just looking for you.

Lucky for me, our house is run like bootcamp. (Kidding!) But more often than not Superman does kick my bum in shape. So when a group of girls at my office talked about signing up for a Warrior Dash, naturally they figured that the Army wife (ahem, me!) could get the team in shape for the big day.

I know it sounds crazy but I feel like if I don't do a great job at this, I'd be letting every Army wife down. After all, I gotta represent the team ;)  So I'm determined to woop their bums... in a good way of course.
 
Today was our first work out day, and I definitely brought the Army to the Apple! Some of them figured that I would lead them this first time, and then they'd hire a personal trainer  to keep things going. And since they're better invested Appleites than me, they had some well-known superstar trainers in mind. But after our workout today, they're kicking those superstars to the curb and keeping the wifey!

In fact, our team name is now, "Special Forces." HAHA!

I guess I'm just keeping the stereotype going for these ladies that all Army wives, by default, are fit and fabuluous. Enh, that's a stereotype that I can live with.

Now, if I can only get them to stop thinking that all of our ARMY hubs belong to Seal Team Six... ;)

Army Wives

I just saw a promo that made me yelp.

Army Wives is back! Sunday, March 6th at 9p.m. EST

I'm there.

Oh how I'm missing my friend (and 1st deployment fill-in spouse) Darcy more than ever!

Blizzard, Indeed!

It's still not clear to me whether all workaholics seem to live in the apple, or whether the apple inevitably turns us all into workaholics.

The whole world could freeze over -- which lately it feels like it has -- and we all just retreat into our igloos and just keep working. In fact, all this week, I've gotten into work as the sun was rising and have only gotten out well after the sun has set. During the day Manhatttan turns to slush. But at night, Manhattan turns to ice. (I can't decide which is worse. But either way, there's no need to be outside. Just inside. Working.).

Well not tonight! The Vitamin-D-deficient me is kicking off those hard earned pair of boots, trading in the pencil skirt for the sweat pants, making the best hot chocolate ever, and hopefully getting to know a whole lotta military wives through the Blizzard Bloghop!

Let's hope the blizzard not only leaves us with mounds of snow, but bloggy friends as well!