Contrast. Oops.

Please, world, accept my apologies.

I come from a strange land. (So strange that Facebook hasn't even heard of it, and instead places me in Chicago.)

Our culture is not like yours.

Our food...er...tries very hard to be like yours. Usually fails.

Our societal customs - please! Understand we mean no disrespect!

Sigh.

I managed to land myself in a disagreement over a misinterpretation. Not this time I was home, but the last time (first time I'd been home in three months), a friend had wanted to spend more time with me.

Understand, please. This does not exist on base. We are happy to see our friends, but it's startling to me whenever anyone wants to be with me specifically - to a certain extent, we're used to being interchangeable. I'm an ET, she's an ET, he's a night-ET, and the six of them are FCs and can probably do the same math, what do you need?

More importantly, there really isn't any stretching time here. If I have to be somewhere at 1800, I have to be there at 1755. Done deal. There is no arguing, no wheedling, no persuading. Doesn't exist, because my schedule carries the power of a military order.

So, I'd forgotten that people actually put value on me as a person, not just my work, and I'd forgotten that someone could want more time than there was, and not because they were blowing off authority or the next item on the agenda. So, I said something about it.

And from what I've heard from my buddies, this happens ALL THE TIME. We get annoyed with civilians...for not being military. Because we forgot how to be civilians.

...in complete contrast to this, I was in disbelief that anyone actually wanted me around this weekend, and had to keep checking to make sure that it was okay that I existed. From a psychological standpoint, this is fascinating. From a personal standpoint, it's a little scary.


As always, my fervent thanks go out to the people who still love me despite me being a loon. You keep me...well, a little less loony than I would be without you. I love you all.