Guess I've been called out...

So, Anonymous (whoever that is) says that he/she misses me and wants to know where I have been. I am fine, healthy, and and things are good.

I have been all over the place, really. I have been at work, and very busy. I have been in school, and that is even crazier. The kids are keeping me on my toes, and so are my Airmen.

Although that master Sergeant has eluded me again this year, I couldn't be happier at work. Well, I guess that goes day by day, but on the whole I love my job. The Air Force has been so good to me and my family over the last 14 years. I can't imagine doing anything else. I have often thought about why the AF agrees with me so much, and I think it came to me this week.

I have been taking very thought provoking classes the last few months. Last term was a writing class and I got to research a lot of gender related issues. One was the treatment of women in the middle east, particularly in Afghanistan. Another was the mixed messages Disney is giving our little girls. You know, like how they always tell them to be confident and try to build up their self-esteem, and then make all of their animated movie heroines or princesses into damsels in distress, just waiting for the big strong man to come and save them and make their lives worthwhile? (yes, I've given this a good bit of thought and research) It has made me think a lot about how the women and girls are treated in this country as opposed to others. Overall, females have it pretty good here, if you want to compare it to other countries. We have more freedom and rights than just about anywhere else.

But we still have work to do.

This term I am taking a sociology course called The Study of the Family. This week we are studying about gender roles and expectations in the family over the past century. So interesting. But one of our assignments was to watch a documentary called "Killing Us Softly 3". This was a presentation put together by a woman who has been studying media and advertisements over the last 30 years or so, and it was very thought provoking. In it, she talks about how ads have portrayed women as objects, and have subtly hinted at the acceptability of violence and servitude. It made me mad. And it made me sad. I would love it if some of you (if anyone even still reads this) could watch it and tell me what your reaction was. How did it make you feel or what did it say to you? Here's the link: Killing Us Softly 3

I realized that the reason I have stayed in the AF for so long (aside from the security and benefits) is because it is an equalizer. No, now hear me out! The pay is exactly the same whether you are male or female. The promotion system for enlisted is based on your own merit, not recommendations. Also, I think it allows me to be a good role model for my daughter. She sees me controlling my own career, being a leader, making money and taking care of business. I hope I am teaching her to be strong, self sufficient and confident in her abilities. I hope I am teaching her the value of education and following through on things. I hope I'm teaching her that it's great to be a woman, and that she is blessed to be one.

Along with that, I hope I am teaching my boys that they are incredible, and that women are just as incredible and important as they are. I think my boys are so fantastic, and they have such awesome futures ahead of them. I was at a retirement ceremony the other day, and it hit me that if I retire at 22 or more years, my oldest son could be an Airman or a Lieutenant at my ceremony. The idea that he wants to follow in my footsteps makes me so proud. They all make me proud. I hope I am making them proud.