Hello and happy Friday to you all!!! ❤
I had an exciting week and, I’m happy to say I sold my mug I mentioned a few blog posts ago! It is sold and I’d like to add more mugs into my shop in the future. Can’t believe it’s already gone and it sold much faster than I would’ve imagined! You just never know. 🙂
It seems I have continued on with another black and white outfit?! I really love this outfit because it has a studious look to it.
Okay, maybe the book is what’s contributing to that vibe. 😉
I’m not using this book as a prop, either! 😉 I’m actually deep into the book now and I have to say, it is one of the best military books I have ever read. I love military books so that says a lot.
No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah is very in-depth and detailed, yet reads very easily to where you understand what’s going on and feel like you’re part of the action. For anyone interested in learning more about the conflict in Iraq, I highly recommend it. I can’t put this book down, and I find myself pushing the limits of when I should go to sleep just to keep reading! 🙂 I managed to get this in hard cover, which is a rare edition apparently. Score!
Being in high school when this was going on in 2004/2005, I didn’t truly take the time to understand what was happening. I’d see coverage on the news, or I’d cut out articles and pictures from the newspaper since I was curious about it. Still, I think I was too young to really understand, and I have learned so much about it from reading this book!
I was in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet program for 3 years in high school and many of my cadet friends went on to graduate high school and join the military, eventually going overseas. I pursued a different career path, but I still have a big interest in military stuff and feel the desire to know what goes on abroad, since I know many people who have served.
Since I’ve been reading it, it’s brought back memories of 2004 and how I spent two weeks of my summer at Lemoore Naval Air Station as a cadet, learning about Naval aircraft. I basically just watched the servicemen and servicewomen at work, and they showed us how they worked on fighter jets, which was so cool and an experience I’ll never forget!
Aside from the fighter jet awesomeness, one thing I’ve always remembered was something that was said to me by a U.S. Marine while I was there. Myself and a few other cadets were standing around in the hangar, and this Marine was asking us questions. Everyone was chiming in with their responses except me (I was a super shy sixteen-year-old, by the way). I basically just nodded in silent agreement with everyone else.
Afterwards, he pulled me aside and asked me, “Why do you let others speak for you?”
Yikes. I didn’t have an answer for that, and he was asking with general curiosity and not in an admonishing tone, either. If I remember correctly, I just sort of shrugged, wide-eyed, like a deer in headlights.
“You should speak up for yourself,” he told me. His tone was firm but he softened it a bit with a small smile before walking away and going about his business. I knew he was genuinely trying to be helpful and not critical, because he could have easily called me out on it in front of everyone, but this was away from the group.
Well, that was thirteen years ago and I STILL think about his comment from time-to-time! Sometimes I still struggle to speak up when needed, but I’m way better at it now. No lie, I will think of his words on occasion and it’s like a reminder to me. I have no idea who he was or what may have happened to him, considering it was 2004 and a lot of Marines were being sent over to Iraq. Seriously though, whoever you were, THANK YOU! 🙂 Words I’ll never forget!
I know this post somehow transitioned from an outfit post to a book review to an inspirational story, but it happens, LOL.
I don’t typically wear stripes but I really like the whole black-and-white look with my new, dark green skater skirt from Amazon! I have ordered so many in different colors, haha!
Enjoy your weekend! ❤
