[Faust]

Originally Posted by duntez ↗

Thank you! I like conversations like that.
I’m glad you got it together and took care of your daughter. And ofcause it’s awesome this WIC program actually served its purpose in your case. And fuck that guy if I may say so. Never understood people who willingly leave their kids behind.

I hear Lamar from GTAV saying: “who are you calling a XXXXX?!”

[WonderMomma]

Originally Posted by Faust ↗

“ I have many friends and family members including two parents who sacrificed a lot serving to defend it...”

Defended it from what? Countries with no access to clean drinking water?
But in all fairness, if you think that was defending then you would probably understand what Russia is doing is closer to actual defence.

Oh boy...

Both my father and step-father signed up for the Air Force to "defend" their country. That is what you are told when you join the military. The recruiters, the TV commercials... wrap it up in a nice little package. College, training, discipline, career and defending your country.

My father served in Vietnam and my step father retired a colonel after 36 years of service. He was a C5, c130 pilot most of his career and didn't fight on the ground, but often transported the personnel and equipment that did. They both did what they thought was the honorable thing for their country. They are still both very proud of their service as they should be. I honor them for giving up so much to do what they saw fit to do with their lives, for the reasons they did it.

I nearly died in a tornado on 1 March 1997 while pregnant with my daughter. The night it happened I was in a Uhaul truck with my two cats and everything I owned moving across the country to escape a physically abusive relationship with my daughter's father. During the months that followed and after she was born I started to suffer from debilitating PTSD and anxiety. To this day when the wind blows too hard and the skies darken, I freak the fuck out a little.

Here’s my point. Once upon a time I was going to start a non-profit for veterans. Therapy animals for veterans with PTSD/TBI and other conditions making it impossible for them to function after returning from deployment. Parrots and Bully breed dogs to be specific. I rescued a parrot in 2003 and over the next 5 years rescued several more who I still have to this day. Turns out I was particularly skilled at working with parrots and caring for them. I’ve always had a extraordinary connection with animals. But those parrots, being very intelligent and sensitive creatures, actually rescued me. It’s too much to explain now. I just hope you’ll take my word for it. Lol

I had already been aware of the soldiers serving in Iraq/Afghanistan and the widespread plight they suffered coming home and trying to adjust to normal life. Not just US soldiers but from all over the world who were deployed there. My dad, who served in Vietnam, is still suffering from his time there and he is 76 years old. Suffering from PTSD myself and having been “rescued” in a sense, by my parrots… it made a lot of sense to try to help some people.

I did about 4 years of exhaustive, very difficult, heart wrenching research. I talked to several veterans over that time and got a pretty detailed and life altering view of what they endured. A big part of my discoveries was the common theme of people joining to “fight for their country” after 9/11 and the reality being quite different afterwards. It was different for everyone I talked to, but for all of them, it wasn’t quite what they thought they were signing up for and individually, this affected them all in various ways and severities. Also a common theme were the horrors they experienced while deployed and the attitude of the military powers that be at the time. But over those 4 years, all I discovered changed my view of the military drastically, including the powers that be in this country and around the world.

It doesn't change my honoring and respect I hold for my fathers, friends and anyone else who joined/served the military, sacrificing all they did, for the reasons THEY were doing it.

It's a sensitive subject for me, and for many but I am not blind or ignorant to what our country, in particular, does or doesn't do or what the realities are. I don't know it all, but I know enough.

If only those of you outside looking in would remember - the choices our government or “rulers” make for our country overall don’t always represent the rest of us. Or act in our best interests. They are supposed to, and always say they do… but the reality is that our position in the world and the needs and desires of some of the most prolific/elite groups of people in this country are way more important to them than the health and well being of our citizens, or anyone else's citizens.

I have said this 100 times here but I'll say it again... anywhere there are humans, there are going to be problems, flaws, seediness, and evil. Russia, Ukraine, the United States. Mexico, Brazil, Timbuktu. lol

Sorry that was a long way of saying, thank you for trying to educate me a bit... but I'm way ahead of you.

[WonderMomma]

Originally Posted by Faust ↗

I hear Lamar from GTAV saying: “who are you calling a XXXXX?!”

[WonderMomma]

Originally Posted by duntez ↗

Thank you! I like conversations like that.
I’m glad you got it together and took care of your daughter. And ofcause it’s awesome this WIC program actually served its purpose in your case. And fuck that guy if I may say so. Never understood people who willingly leave their kids behind.

Thank you. He wasn't ready to stop being a child himself. I wasn't ready either, but I got ready. He's still, at 50-something years old only a father when it suits him and my 25 year old daughter is currently coming to grips with that fact.

She is the best thing that's ever happened to me, I have zero regrets.

[WhiskeyOutpost]

Originally Posted by WonderMomma ↗

Classic

[WonderMomma]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyOutpost ↗

Classic

I don't care what kind of day I'm having, if I need to lol I just watch this video. I've shown this video to so many of my family and friends, sometimes a random "Pla ket ket ket ket" is all it takes to break any tension.

[William May]

Originally Posted by PHILIPS ↗

Can anyone help me make sense of Darya Duginas funeral on how it’s possible to have an open casket after a car bombing Assassination? I mean I seen how mangled the body was in that video?

Plaster and glitter.

[Faust]

Originally Posted by WonderMomma ↗

Oh boy...

Both my father and step-father signed up for the Air Force to "defend" their country. That is what you are told when you join the military. The recruiters, the TV commercials... wrap it up in a nice little package. College, training, discipline, career and defending your country.

My father served in Vietnam and my step father retired a colonel after 36 years of service. He was a C5, c130 pilot most of his career and didn't fight on the ground, but often transported the personnel and equipment that did. They both did what they thought was the honorable thing for their country. They are still both very proud of their service as they should be. I honor them for giving up so much to do what they saw fit to do with their lives, for the reasons they did it.

I nearly died in a tornado on 1 March 1997 while pregnant with my daughter. The night it happened I was in a Uhaul truck with my two cats and everything I owned moving across the country to escape a physically abusive relationship with my daughter's father. During the months that followed and after she was born I started to suffer from debilitating PTSD and anxiety. To this day when the wind blows too hard and the skies darken, I freak the fuck out a little.

Here’s my point. Once upon a time I was going to start a non-profit for veterans. Therapy animals for veterans with PTSD/TBI and other conditions making it impossible for them to function after returning from deployment. Parrots and Bully breed dogs to be specific. I rescued a parrot in 2003 and over the next 5 years rescued several more who I still have to this day. Turns out I was particularly skilled at working with parrots and caring for them. I’ve always had a extraordinary connection with animals. But those parrots, being very intelligent and sensitive creatures, actually rescued me. It’s too much to explain now. I just hope you’ll take my word for it. Lol

I had already been aware of the soldiers serving in Iraq/Afghanistan and the widespread plight they suffered coming home and trying to adjust to normal life. Not just US soldiers but from all over the world who were deployed there. My dad, who served in Vietnam, is still suffering from his time there and he is 76 years old. Suffering from PTSD myself and having been “rescued” in a sense, by my parrots… it made a lot of sense to try to help some people.

I did about 4 years of exhaustive, very difficult, heart wrenching research. I talked to several veterans over that time and got a pretty detailed and life altering view of what they endured. A big part of my discoveries was the common theme of people joining to “fight for their country” after 9/11 and the reality being quite different afterwards. It was different for everyone I talked to, but for all of them, it wasn’t quite what they thought they were signing up for and individually, this affected them all in various ways and severities. Also a common theme were the horrors they experienced while deployed and the attitude of the military powers that be at the time. But over those 4 years, all I discovered changed my view of the military drastically, including the powers that be in this country and around the world.

It doesn't change my honoring and respect I hold for my fathers, friends and anyone else who joined/served the military, sacrificing all they did, for the reasons THEY were doing it.

It's a sensitive subject for me, and for many but I am not blind or ignorant to what our country, in particular, does or doesn't do or what the realities are. I don't know it all, but I know enough.

If only those of you outside looking in would remember - the choices our government or “rulers” make for our country overall don’t always represent the rest of us. Or act in our best interests. They are supposed to, and always say they do… but the reality is that our position in the world and the needs and desires of some of the most prolific/elite groups of people in this country are way more important to them than the health and well being of our citizens, or anyone else's citizens.

I have said this 100 times here but I'll say it again... anywhere there are humans, there are going to be problems, flaws, seediness, and evil. Russia, Ukraine, the United States. Mexico, Brazil, Timbuktu. lol

Sorry that was a long way of saying, thank you for trying to educate me a bit... but I'm way ahead of you.

Thank you so much for your post! (and what you do), parrots really are magnificent creatures. Especially your African Grey!
Also LOL at the video, I didn’t know that existed

I also agree with governments choosing something and the people enrolling, becoming soldiers, following orders thinking they are doing the right thing

[WonderMomma]

Thank you. My birds are pretty awesome, I must admit. :)

Originally Posted by Faust ↗

Also LOL at the video, I didn’t know that existed

Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday!
May it bring you lots of lols as it has me.

[WhiskeyOutpost]

Ukraine Government tweets are getting pretty spicy.