I saw my brother tonight in sign class and I found out that his Army National Guard platoon is being activated. He doesn't know when he's going, but they're going to have to do some state-side training first.

I also read an article talking about how most of the troops being sent over were going to be Marines. Two of our uncles are in the Marine Corps, one on active duty and one who just got back from Parris Island a couple months ago, who is in the Reserves.

One of my other uncles is a nuclear technician on one of the Navy's aircraft carriers. One of my cousins (the one who got married in Maine the summer before last) is in the Air Force. He and his wife had their first child a little while ago.

The concept of armed forces is a much better idea before they begin meeting other people also referred to as armed forces. Men and women died to make our country free. Nowhere in any song did men and women die to break up OPEC.

I have laundry to do and a letter to write. And distractions to find. Plus, reading up on the State of the Union address, which was tonight. No outright declaration of war yet...

In other news, I've decided to try a little facial hair experiment. So far, I have
Active proponents: 2
Active deriders: 1
People who didn't notice until approximately two hours after I entered the room: 1

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