GenXRVet's Opinion

I thought I would try the blogging thing to put my thoughts and opinions about anything out there for all to read, comment, critique or whatever. I welcome dialogue and hopefully if you disagree with MY through and/or opinion, keep it decent.

I am a Gen X vet. Served in the cold war. Am not comfortable with people thanking me for my service. I did not serve in any combat theater. I ETS’d a year before Desert Storm. I missed the mandatory recall but did get a call and asked if I wanted to go and join my last unit, already in theater. I wanted to go so bad I could taste it but I had just started college, my wife was pregnant with our daughter and my wife knew that if I went, I wouldn’t leave this time. I didn’t want to leave the Army when I did but my wife did not want a career service. I reluctantly did not join my brothers and sisters in Iraq, but to this day, regret my decision. Such is life…

I am from the generation that we raised ourselves. Our parents were home in the evenings and weekends but worked their asses off during the week. Mine did. Put up with a lot of bullshit with their careers that they shouldn’t have but they had kids to feed and bills to pay. They sucked it up and went to work. They gave me and my brothers a life that was better than most of our generation, but they did raise us tough. We were disciplined, worked, educated and given high expectations and consequences.

It is due to that, that I do not tolerate weakness, laziness, unwillingness, entitled attitudes or stupidity. That is what probably makes me in my wife’s words, “an asshole”.

I started working at 13 as labor on ranches, yards or whatever would pay. Often before school or after. Did whine, it was what you did back in the day. You didn’t ask Mom and Dad for everything. You knew if you did, the answer would be, “No”. That’s just how it was. My parents always said we would always have what we needed but never what we wanted. Didn’t really understand that until I became a parent myself.

I have worked in the Healthcare industry for the last 35 years. 32 of that as a Registered Nurse. I have worked from here to Alaska and all points in between. Wasn’t a career of my choice but when I started school, I was married with a son and daughter on the way. Wanted to coach football and teach but back then that paid about $17,500/year to start. Nursing was $35,000/year. No brainer for me. I was working at the local VA nursing home, and my mother is an RN and my father a Hospital Administrator. So grew up in the field, so to say.

I’ll stop there for now, so I can get this site launched.

More to come…