Comments on: Hotel Clerk. http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:49:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: badkelly http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2420 badkelly Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:28:22 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2420 My sister married the most wonderful man, who happens to be a soldier. After the wedding they had a small gathering in the church gym for cookies, cake, and drinks. When everyone was leaving, we started to clean up. The bride and groom stayed to help, since it was early afternoon, and they wanted to help. We had a lot of balloons, and not thinking my uncle started popping them all. The groom had to leave because he started to freak out a bit. Watching him retreat from the gym with tears in his eyes was the most heartbreaking thing. We had a gym full of balloons until they left. He is still in the army, but I can only imagine what it is going to be like when he is back, doing civilian work. It's sad to see how it breaks down people. Very very sad. My sister married the most wonderful man, who happens to be a soldier. After the wedding they had a small gathering in the church gym for cookies, cake, and drinks. When everyone was leaving, we started to clean up. The bride and groom stayed to help, since it was early afternoon, and they wanted to help. We had a lot of balloons, and not thinking my uncle started popping them all. The groom had to leave because he started to freak out a bit. Watching him retreat from the gym with tears in his eyes was the most heartbreaking thing.

We had a gym full of balloons until they left.

He is still in the army, but I can only imagine what it is going to be like when he is back, doing civilian work. It’s sad to see how it breaks down people. Very very sad.

]]> By: On A Limb with Claudia » Blog Archive » Thursday Thirteen - Trip to the Haunted Hotel http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2419 On A Limb with Claudia » Blog Archive » Thursday Thirteen - Trip to the Haunted Hotel Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:51:41 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2419 [...] I approach the front desk, the new front desk manager (red-haired cow) is bitching at the ex-Marine clerk. As I approach, she pierces her lips and says, “I just want to make sure we have your [...] [...] I approach the front desk, the new front desk manager (red-haired cow) is bitching at the ex-Marine clerk. As I approach, she pierces her lips and says, “I just want to make sure we have your [...]

]]> By: jameil1922 http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2418 jameil1922 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:51:55 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2418 PER DAY!?!? that's horrendous!! utterly outrageous!! PER DAY!?!? that’s horrendous!! utterly outrageous!!

]]> By: Open Grove Claudia http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2417 Open Grove Claudia Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:16:47 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2417 The CEO - Good for you for reaching out to someone. This is exactly the kind of support that's needed - mandatory, really. And it occurs to me, that if we had real community in the US, maybe this wouldn't be such a major issue.... hmmm As always, you make me think. Christy - Me too. The CEO – Good for you for reaching out to someone. This is exactly the kind of support that’s needed – mandatory, really. And it occurs to me, that if we had real community in the US, maybe this wouldn’t be such a major issue…. hmmm As always, you make me think.

Christy – Me too.

]]> By: Christy http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2416 Christy Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:12:30 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2416 Absolutely heartbreaking. I could cry. Absolutely heartbreaking. I could cry.

]]> By: The CEO http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2415 The CEO Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:59:16 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2415 My next door neighbor came to the U.S. from China when he was 14. He earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Computer Science, and during the economic downturn, joined the Air Force. Although he is a citizen of the United States, and holds a top secret clearance now because of his work, he was denied entry to the Officer's Program, because he came from China. So, he learned to fixed airplanes, and spent his first tour of duty at the Bagdad Airport, the airport in Afghanistan, and one in Kuwait, fixing military planes. I also got to explain religion to him, since the military almost requires their troops to attend some sort of service, evidently, and I got e mail from him asking what religion was all about, and was it also hierarchical, and did it pay the head if he or she brought in more people. And last, did any of them have an advantage if you were under fire. He still lives next door, and he is worried that he may have to go back again. I have taken him to dinner several times, we talk a lot. What's good is that we talk more about computer science than Iraq unless it's talking about how stupid the Military can be. My next door neighbor came to the U.S. from China when he was 14. He earned a B.S. and an M.S. in Computer Science, and during the economic downturn, joined the Air Force. Although he is a citizen of the United States, and holds a top secret clearance now because of his work, he was denied entry to the Officer’s Program, because he came from China. So, he learned to fixed airplanes, and spent his first tour of duty at the Bagdad Airport, the airport in Afghanistan, and one in Kuwait, fixing military planes.

I also got to explain religion to him, since the military almost requires their troops to attend some sort of service, evidently, and I got e mail from him asking what religion was all about, and was it also hierarchical, and did it pay the head if he or she brought in more people. And last, did any of them have an advantage if you were under fire.

He still lives next door, and he is worried that he may have to go back again. I have taken him to dinner several times, we talk a lot. What’s good is that we talk more about computer science than Iraq unless it’s talking about how stupid the Military can be.

]]> By: Open Grove Claudia http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2414 Open Grove Claudia Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:34:56 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2414 Jill - We must have been writing at the same time. Yes, that's a solution to the existential crisis - a crisis of meaning - or "who am I?" What horrifying to me is that so few people, professionals, can help or know how to help. It's very sad. I bet your friend is a good soldier though.... Squirrelly - Yes. They. Do. Heart in SF - I agree. And real help - again, not cheer leading, real honest to goodness help in getting good paying jobs, for their relationships and on and on. Jill – We must have been writing at the same time. Yes, that’s a solution to the existential crisis – a crisis of meaning – or “who am I?” What horrifying to me is that so few people, professionals, can help or know how to help. It’s very sad. I bet your friend is a good soldier though….

Squirrelly – Yes. They. Do.

Heart in SF – I agree. And real help – again, not cheer leading, real honest to goodness help in getting good paying jobs, for their relationships and on and on.

]]> By: heart in san francisco http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2413 heart in san francisco Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:18:58 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2413 So sad. So very wrong. No matter how we feel about the war, those who sacrifice their lives for the rest of us deserve no less than our immense gratitude and kindness. So sad. So very wrong. No matter how we feel about the war, those who sacrifice their lives for the rest of us deserve no less than our immense gratitude and kindness.

]]> By: lone grey squirrel http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2412 lone grey squirrel Wed, 20 Feb 2008 02:25:39 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2412 I am so sorry. I am against America's involvement in these wars but the men do deserve better...... a lot better. I am so sorry. I am against America’s involvement in these wars but the men do deserve better…… a lot better.

]]> By: Open Grove Claudia http://www.on-a-limb.com/2008/02/hotel-clerk/#comment-2411 Open Grove Claudia Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:00:03 +0000 http://www.on-a-limb.com/?p=1038#comment-2411 Awareness - Yes. They need real support, not cheerleaders. Claudia - The key to trauma, as with all life, is what does it mean to the individual. People go through existential crisis after leaving the service and there are few people who can really help them with it. Reviewing the trauma does not help - only determining what the experience means to the individual, about the individual. That's what heals. Awareness – Yes. They need real support, not cheerleaders.

Claudia – The key to trauma, as with all life, is what does it mean to the individual. People go through existential crisis after leaving the service and there are few people who can really help them with it. Reviewing the trauma does not help – only determining what the experience means to the individual, about the individual. That’s what heals.

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