I Have Returned

[Elessar]

Greetings!

It has been a season of movement, that's for sure. I'm happy to see the site is abuzz with new readers, writers, and patrons. I'm happier still to see that this month we're smashing the old records with nearly 20 submissions in 30 days. I couldn't be happier with the way our admin staff has coordinated and run the site during my absence, or with how you, the users, have grown our intrepid family by word-of-mouth!

As for that, I'm going to be brief but honest. I spent 5 weeks (of a 10-week program) at the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School at MCB Quantico in Quantico, VA. During that time I met the young men and women from 19 to 32 that will soon be the backbone of our leadership corps in the Marines and it defined for me what kind of person I want to be. I enjoyed my time there immensely, and did very well -- I was averaging 12 points over graduating minimum, but felt that the culture and community simply wasn't for me. In one phrase, my time with the Marines boldly emphasized for me both what I do and don't like about the military; also, both what I sought and what I resisted about the nature of a military career. At Week 5, halfway through the program, I chose to resign my Active Duty status and Disenroll-On-Request. This is an option that Officer Candidates have that enlistees do not have.

I'm sharing this with everyone because this place isn't a business venture I run - it's a community. I made you all a part of this decision and you are also a part of its conclusion. What the future holds for us is bright with potential, and I am moving into the next stage of my life with great excitement.

I will again return to full administrative/owner status effective immediately. I will resume work on Your Mom n Me 3 as soon as possible. And I will be here, with the site, for the forseeable future.

Thanks for your support, it's good to be home.

Elessar

[CX]

I'm sorry to hear that things didn't work out for you, man.

[Eian Flannagan]

Welcome back, bro'. Whatever the circumstances, its good to see you around.

[Alelou]

That couldn't have been an easy experience, but I think all the mommies will be relieved they have to worry about you getting your head blown off in some foreign land (or in OTC).

Welcome home!

[Elessar]

It was a great experience. The only negative thing I took away from it was the way that once those of us who were DOR'ing declared that we were, some of the instructors and officer administrators we had to speak to felt this compulsion to convince us and themselves that we were quitting because we were weak, drag-ass candidates who couldn't hack it. Like there was no such thing as being good enough but not wanting it.

That didn't happen to me as much, actually in my final interview w/ the batallion XO, a LtCol, it was kind of like me trying to argue that I wasn't good enough to be there and him citing all these examples of me being good enough to be there. Well, not so much me saying I wasn't good enough, but trying to explain that being good enough didn't mean I belonged there. Like I would say I wasn't motivated anymore the same way as my platoon mates and he would be like "Well you came in here and reported perfectly, most everybody else just half-asses it." Because in the final 2 weeks when I knew I wanted to leave, I did my best to do really well so that my platoon couldn't tell I was leaving, b/c I didn't want to be 'that guy' who doesn't give a **** anymore so just leaves everybody out to dry. Unfortunately, that kind of made it harder for me to argue that I shouldn't be there, because I made it look like I was doing fine. I wasn't. The last two weeks I couldn't think of anything but leaving, but I put on a front and worked hard because I didn't want to cause my platoon problems. They were some really great guys and we got really close.

I may have only been gone 5 weeks but that first day off base was real culture shock. I made a beeline for a burger/steak place in the airport and had a bacon cheeseburger and a lot of whiskey. I was asleep for the entire flight home

[CX]

Well, at least you can say that it was your choice, and that it wasn't because you weren't good enough. The important thing now is to start looking for a job using what education you have, and since you're a math whiz, there should be plenty you can do for a lot more than you ever would've made in the service anyway.

[Aquarius]

Hey, Boss! It sounds like you had a real growth experience. It's better to find out now that this isn't the life for you, rather than wake up one morning six months or a year or ten years for now and wonder "What the HELL did I do??!!"

At any rate, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're happy to see you and we're glad you're happy!

[TSara]

Hey man!

Glad to see you are back....sorry it didn't pan out the way you wanted it to originally, but at least you were honest enough with yourself to know that it isn't your type of lifestyle.

Some people don't figure that out until it's too late.

I for one as someone who has served commend you for your honesty.

[justTripn]

Yep, there are many other things you can do! With all the other mommies, I have to say, It works for me!

[evcake]

You made the right choice for you and acted on it. More than many have the wherewithal to do.
Welcome back.

[Elessar]

Well, at least you can say that it was your choice, and that it wasn't because you weren't good enough. The important thing now is to start looking for a job using what education you have, and since you're a math whiz, there should be plenty you can do for a lot more than you ever would've made in the service anyway.

Yeah, thanks man. Right now the plan is 1. find a job, 2. take GRE, 3. go to grad school. I've got a GRE book and I'm registering for the next GRE (in Feb), so I need to find a job.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Sorry it didn't work out, but unless you tried you'd never known.

Um, what's GRE?

[Elessar]

Sorry it didn't work out, but unless you tried you'd never known.

Um, what's GRE?

Graduate Record Exam, in the States it's required for entry by pretty much every university I've ever seen. There's a subject test for Mathematics I have to take too.

[Distracted]

I always knew you were a damned smart individual, Elessar.

[Escriba]

Welcome back

Well, at least you know what you don't want to do. So, erase it from the list and try the other 1105 things you surely have in it