My how my life has changed over the past 8 years. In 2000, I was a very well known commander of a multi-agency vice/narcotics task force. I had the lifestyle, family, and a very nice house. Now I'm a lonely soldier whose total earthly possessions fit in a ruck & a duffel bag. I have no TV. I only own 3 civilian shirts & 2 pairs of pants. I don't even have a car. You know something... I have learned I don't need "things" to make me happy. I am thankful for a hot meal & a safe place to sleep. My joy comes from helping kids I encounter on my journeys. You should see the smile on a child's face when you give them a warm blanket or their first pair of shoes.

I could say more, but does it really matter. I have nothing, but in some ways I am the richest man on earth.....

Yes it most certainly does - no doubt about it!

You're a superhero!

Look ya'll, I'm a grouchy old sergeant. I made my bed and now I have to lie in it. I walked away from everything to rejoin the military after 9/11.

I'm not that nice of a person. I just have a soft spot for kids in need. Here's a couple of videos I made to thank folks for the help they gave to the kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnqrJliDsI4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7B1HZMBcMA

Ahh, well done Sarge. :notworthy

I live by doing what I can to make sure my mitochondria are functioning properly and that my cell growth and division rates continues to match/gently exceed my cell death rate.

I exist by maintaining my mind and self awareness on various levels.

I thrive by keeping this squishy vessel I call body as entertained, stress free and engaged as possible.

Viva la good times! :jig:

We live such busy lives that we ought not to have time to get into trouble, but somehow, we still do. :)

Seriously...we have a lot going on, some say too much, but we still have time for what is important, which is finding joy in the little things and in each other.

Ain't dat the truth?

See, I pick out the positive part :p

I manage that bit, it's true.
But I feel I have so much less time on my hands than when I lived in Leicester. It's not true of course - my full time job is exactly the same amount of hours per week, as is my part time job (split into two shifts).
Which is why I'm looking around for things to occupy the time I pretend I don't have. I'm just wasting my free time at present.

Fingers crossed I'll start my degree in Feb (MUST confirm whether I can get funding before I dream about this any more). Then I'm going to start going to The Atheist Society meetings once a month, meet some like-minded people, get out of my comfort zone. Then I'm going to look for a choir.

And then, the answer to how I live my life will be - productively!

Sundae, as far as I know there is financial assistance available for OU as long as your household income is less than £30 k a year. It'll be on a sliding scale like the loans and grants for regular uni. So if your income is less than (i think) £20k a year, you'd get the maximum available.


(though I haven't taken account of London Weighting in that).

We are far from rich, and always have put our family relationships above all else.
To the point that I gave up a good paying job in the steel mill for the least paying job there as a janitor while our boys were growing up so that I could get off of the swing shift and work steady daylights to be home in the evenings as a family. (runon sentence) :3_eyes: After the boys grew up I went back to the swing shift jobs for money we really needed for a while.
But it was so totally worth those years of being a "sanitary engineer".
Now I have a decent paying job and steady daylights. WOOT! :cool:

I live with a constant question... "what if..." can't seem to get away from wondering if my life would be better/could be better.

In happy mode until home. Then I get told how I am deaf, dumb and blind. Not in those words exactly but you get the point. There's only one person in the house that is right and I am reminded every day it isn't me.

Can't wait to go to work in the morning, less stressful and no BS.

Tink, are you living in my house, with my spouse, and I don't know it? Hang in there - don't lose your mind... I was border-line insane because of that kind of treatment until I started seeing a therapist about 8 months ago. Who would have thought that I just might be a good person?!?!?! :)

That sounds very interesting. I'd love to hear more of the story. Would you be willing to share with us?