by Jennifer Farlin | Jan 12, 2015 | Life Reflections
I really wanted to follow up on I Am A White House Christmas Decorator with a fun post about how I was asked to be a seat filler for The Lincoln Awards-A Concert for Veterans & the Military Family at The Kennedy Center last Wednesday and call it something snappy, like, I Am A Kennedy Center Seat Filler. This concert was a televised event to recognize those who have helped and supported our military in a big and awesome way and I was really excited to be there.
Backstage at The Kennedy Center
I pictured myself rushing in between set changes to fill vacant seats next to Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Lewis, and Gavin DeGraw’s plus one as they took the stage. I imagined passing Miss America or Nick Jonas in a frenzy of activity as I desperately tried to make it to their seats before the cameras started rolling. I mentally practiced looking dignified for my big close up. Maybe I would be caught on camera in Brian William’s clan and people would wonder if I was the sister to Pan? Maybe there would be some glitch that would be funny or I would become a celebrity bestie, you know, in the 5 seconds as I dodge in and out of rows.
Alas, I sat on Row N, Seat 2, next to my friend Stephanie and watched from beginning to end in that one seat, filling it as well as I could:) Nothing really too funny to mention except for the fact that the camera man’s cord went as far as Row N–so there he would stop and record us for audience reaction (for what felt like hours)–good thing I practiced looking dignified.
I wasn’t even going to write about any of this, but then I watched the Golden Globes last night. The quote of the night came from Tina Fey:
“George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin this year. Amal is a human rights lawyer, who worked on the Enron case, was an advisor to Kofi Annan regarding Syria, and was selected for a three person UN commission investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza Strip. So tonight her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award.”
Right?
What is it about celebrities that completely dwarf real people and their accomplishments? I’m completely guilty of this. Here I am at this amazing Kennedy Center event honoring people who have made a huge difference in tens of thousands of lives and I’m trying to find Bruce Springsteen? And when I google this event the headline is about Nick Jonas–not about Dean Kamen who developed a prosthetic arm that is near natural, or Britnee Kinard, a wounded warrior advocate who has turned her own struggles into a way of helping thousands of others with the SD Gunner Fund.
I’d love to see the honorees Justin Constantine, Ken Fisher, Jackie Garrick, Dean Kamen, Britnee Kinard, Bruce Springsteen, Kayla Williams, Dick Young, Team Rubicon, and Walmart (well maybe not Walmart exactly) walk the red carpet with a little paparazzi and get all the same perks as A-List Hollywood.
Journalists receive Pulitzers and scientists receive Nobel Prizes and I bet the general public have no idea who won what last year. I don’t.
I’m really not trying to preach. I just think Tina Fey made a hilarious and very accurate point. Despite all this I would TOTALLY be a seat filler for the Golden Globes. If you know someone, email me.
If you would like to learn more about these amazing Americans who were honored or to just see me looking dignified in the audience it will be aired on PBS, March 4th at 8 pm.
You can read the details for the The Lincoln Awards at The Lincoln Awards: 2015 Winners/Friars Club and Military Times.
by Jen | Jan 10, 2015 | Life Reflections
We aren’t like most military families. They move more than we do. And most have had at least one overseas tour, if not more. On paper I am jealous of them. But the reality is something different. Logistical hell. New schools, houses that need to be sold, niches that need to be found, packing, unpacking, saying good-bye…and that doesn’t even begin to address moving to another country (cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side, pets that need to go into 6 month quarantine, and the new washing machine you just bought that the military won’t ship). But still, how boring to let all that stop you? Trying new places, lands, and cultures changes people. It broadens perspective and teaches new ways to measure quality of life. On the other hand packing and unpacking and dealing with all the red tape can and may kill you…
So on a third hand, I really want to live in France for a year. I really want to try New England. I wish I could have lived on the West Coast longer. And everyone loves their experiences living in Guam (who knew?) And on yet another hand, I may not make it if I have to move my household goods again (did I mention I am living in a rental house?)
I’m glad I’ve moved as much as I have. Every move has been a blessing, every single one–albeit sometimes disguised. Which brings me to now–approaching our final military chapter. Do we stay where we are and bloom where we are planted? Or is the grass greener somewhere else? In my head I have this vision of a small West Coast town where you ride your bike or walk to everywhere, the vistas are breathtaking, the picket fences extra white, and my charming seaside cottage is below BAH (that’s really affordable in non-military terms). In my head I live where other people dream about–only it’s my reality. I wish I could move all the people with me that have made every place I have lived special. I’ve left bits of my heart across the country with these people.
Today I am enveloped in my rental house on a freezing cold day thinking of them and homes I have left and places I dream of going procrastinating on the blasted Christmas decorations that need to be packed up. It must be all the empty boxes waiting to be packed that have triggered this thinking. Who knows where we will be when these boxes get unpacked next?
Joy and Warmth to You,
Jen
If you liked this post then read on:
I’m Sorry You are Not a Military Family…So Put That In Your Pipe and Smoke It, Downsizing Part 3, and My Household Goods Weigh As Much As A UK Bus
by Jennifer Farlin | Jan 5, 2015 | Life Reflections
I am a very important person. At least that is what I tell my husband and my sister in- law, repeatedly. The fact that I need to constantly remind them of this has not gone unnoticed. You see, I decorated the White House for Christmas this year and this now makes me an expert on many things. When asked how long I would milk this for I thoughtfully replied “until the end of December”. I texted my sister in-law from an extremely long, long line in Chipotle asking her “didn’t they know who I was?” She texted back I should wear my White House 2014 Christmas work apron wherever I go. I was wearing my laminated White House 2014 Christmas ID badge and lanyard but maybe she had a point, maybe the lanyard wasn’t enough. However, due to 67 different bouts of the flu I didn’t get out much in December so I started wearing my lanyard and apron in the house–just in case my family forgot my powerfulness. Since it is now January, I am bereft. I still have the flu but I feel wearing my apron and lanyard might be a bit much now.
A few days ago, I did receive a signed note by the First Lady personally thanking me for decorating the White House for the Holidays and I did hear my husband say from the other room, “there will be no living with her now”.
I’m thinking about putting the note from Mrs. Obama next to the other note I have from her husband, The President. That note is just something he scrawled quickly to my kids while we were having coffee, but that’s a story for another day.
Cocktail Reception hosted by First Lady.
Me and the East Room.
You know even though December has passed—my decorations are still up–maybe I can still milk it a bit longer?
Jen aka Very Important
by Jen | Nov 15, 2014 | Life Reflections
Once upon a time, before I discovered coffee, my husband, my sister-in-law, and my father-in-law would watch endless made for TV Christmas movies during the holidays while I intermittently napped and made fun of them. Upon my discovery of coffee several years later I was forced to watch the movies with them as caffeine made napping impossible.
Here’s the thing, you know how when you enter Disney World and you first get trampled by the hoards of people at opening and then you get run down by a stroller only to get crowd pushed against your will to Fantasyland to realize that even though it is 9:05 in the morning the line for the Pooh Pots is already 50 minutes long and everywhere you look is crazy ass commercialism for a mouse? And for a moment everything feels kind of phony? Well that is what those stupidly simple made-for-TV Christmas movies felt like to me.
But then something changed.
Do you remember Disney’s Wishes at the end of the day?
Jiminy Cricket says:
I’ll bet a lot of you folks don’t believe that, about a wish coming true, do ya? Well I didn’t either. Course, I’m just a cricket, but lemme tell you what made me change my mind. You see, the most fantastic, magical things can happen, and it all starts with a wish!
And tinker bell starts flying overhead and the fireworks are going off and kids are sitting on their dad’s shoulders with awe on their faces and parents are staring up at their kids with tears and smiles–so grateful that they had this magical day with their kids and everything in the world is ok, even for a moment. You feel like a kid again, not a cynic. You rode roller coasters and whirled in circles with Dumbo and ate pure sugar and hugged the “real” Mickey and Minnie Mouse and were transformed into other worlds and times and stories again and again.
That’s what happens to me now every year when the Hallmark channel starts their Christmas movie marathon. Yeah, some are really bad. It is easy to comment on ridiculous plots, bad hair, terrible acting (I still avoid Meet the Santa’s with Steve Guttenburg) and dare I say it? –the over-commericialization of Christmas.
But what happens if you remove the cynicism?
We still have a few ground rules. My sister-in-law’s choices cannot have death, children (usually bad actors), or Santa Claus in them. My rules are no death/sickness = must be lighthearted, and recently made. My husband’s rules consist of no Steve Guttenberg. And sometimes we even break the rules and are happily surprised. I like watching a movie where the whole drama revolves around who will win the cookie bake-off and will the girl get her guy and be a snow bride.
They are simple and sweet and make me feel like I do at the end of a day at Disney World (minus the sore feet) where laughter and a little magic collide.
I’ve been converted over. Josh, you are next… 😉
[JIMINY] from Wishes
Thanks folks, for making this little gathering of ours so extra magical.
From our family and friends to yours, goodnight, and may all your wishes come true.
So long!
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish, I wish tonight
Oh, a world of wishes.
A world where dreams come true.
So make a wish, see it through.
Dare to do what dreamers do.
by Jennifer Farlin | Nov 11, 2014 | Life Reflections, Popular
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes – how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes – how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love. ~Rent
Today is Veteran’s Day. As a wife of an active duty service member my thoughts automatically shift to all those who are serving their country far from home, away from family and friends. As a mother, I think of all our children who have moms and dads risking their lives and who have to accept that mom and dad won’t be home, again, for_____fill in the blank. Time crawls for those who are missing someone. I know firsthand. And yet, how is it when the clock is counting down for the next departure–time speeds up and moments move at lightening speed?
It’s true when they say you don’t know what you have until it is gone, isn’t it? After all we’ve been through as a military family I am forever grateful for my husband’s presence. It is a present. A gift. I do not take it lightly. I do not take it for granted. I cherish even the snoring that comes with it.
I am thinking of all the stories I have heard now. The stories from friends and family who have served or are currently serving. Stories that ended and began all in a single minute. Stories that were heroic, sad, joyous, and devastating. How do you say I am so sorry this much? How do you explain the extent of the ache in your own heart? How do you measure gratitude? How do you measure moments? How do you say I appreciate you this much? How do you explain how much something or someone means to you or explain your degree of sorrow?
How do you measure sacrifice? I am surrounded by Veterans–my husband, my father, my father-in-law, my friends, my community, my previous community, and my community before that. I’ve been told there are about 20 million Veterans alive today who are serving or who have served. 5 million men and women during the Gulf War Era (present), 7 million people during Vietnam, 1.3 million people during World War II and 2.1 million people during the Korean War.
There are so many statistics out there on Veterans. So many numbers. So many measurements.
But how do you measure a life?
Thank you to all who serve past and present.
Love to you.
Jen
Other popular posts:
11-11, Thank You 2013, I’m Sorry You Are Not A Military Family-So Put That In Your Pipe And Smoke It
Read more: Veterans Day: Census Facts | Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/spot/veteranscensus1.html#ixzz3IbgN8Yr4
by Jennifer Farlin | Oct 16, 2014 | Life Reflections
I had coffee with a military spouse and longtime friend the other day and we reminisced. I told her how I had been bullied in high school. I only just recently learned to associate “bullying” with what happened to me all those years ago. Girls who thought they were so powerful felt it was ok to shove me down stairs, throw food at me during football games, call me names to my face, and tell made up stories behind my back. All because a boy liked me and not one of them? I’m really not sure. I don’t care and I think they are insignificant. But I think what they did was significant. You see I learned about power. They thought they had it but really they just looked dumb. And all the people that went along with it, well they just looked dumb too. The power laid with me, not them. They could not take my power away. I would not give them power over me. And while it is something I rarely think about, it is an event that defined me, but not my defining moment. I give my mom the power for that one.
Lately I’ve had a lot of people ask me if I can write more about military life. I do write about it. But not the really hard stuff. The really hard stuff is raw, complicated, political, sometimes painful, and most of the time really personal. Oh, but that’s what people want to read about…well just because I can, doesn’t mean I should. And much of the time, it’s not my story to tell. I almost have tunnel vision as I write this as all the life events I’ve experienced as a military spouse come rushing through my mind. Truth is stranger than fiction would be a fitting caption for the movie that is playing through my head coupled with a long, hard journey.
Much of what has happened to me, happened for me. And that gave me power. Power to decide what I would let define me. My being bullied in high school is my story to tell and I’m proud of it. My life as a military spouse is full of defining moments that I’m both proud of and sensitive to. In my head I am the leading character, but I also realize I am not the only character. And that is another example of power, or wisdom.
So just because I can write about military life, doesn’t mean it’s always appropriate that I should. But I will when I can, exercising my power, of course.
