First I will start off by saying, I am not intending to offend anyone but I have a feeling someone or a few people might feel offended by this. And there are some great people out here, regardless of what they name their child or what they drive. I'm just making an observation and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm talking about observing the trends I see here on base. I'm pretty sure it's mostly an army thing, but it can also be just this base thing, I'll find out in a year when I go to a different base. But have you ever heard that in basic training, the soldiers kind of get brainwashed in a way? Well, I'm starting to wonder if it's to the extent of what they drive, what they name their kids and what they wear.
When I delivered my son here at the hospital on base (side note: The best birthing/labor/delivery experience I have ever had!), a nurse asked my husband and me what we were naming him. When we said Henry she let out a big sigh of relief and said, "Wow! I was ready for you to say Aiden or Peyton" and started chuckling. We knew what she was talking about. It seems almost every other kid here is Aiden (Aidan?), Petyon, Hayden, Kavon, Trayvon (Trevon?), McKayla, Mckenna and Lily. Oh good grief, stop it with the Lilys already! It's almost as if I see someone pregnant and I hear them or chat with them about their new addition, the second they say it's a girl, I know what the next thing they are going to say. "We're naming her Lily." Yes, it's a beautiful name, but come on. There are thousands of other beautiful names out there. Expand your horizon, please, before your daughters realize what you have done, feel like a cookie cutter child and rebel by changing their name to Moonbeam. There are a few other names that are more than just popular but almost seem like the names are standard issue names and the parents don't have a choice. But they do, and this is what they choose. I never thought I'd say it but I miss those names that make you wonder, "why did they decide that?". Banjo, Kiwi, Pilot, I almost (ALMOST) miss your peculiarity. Oh well, to each their own I guess (that seems kind of like an oxymoron since even though it's "to each their own", they seem to emulate one another).
Next "trend" I keep running into here: The cars. Either you drive a Dodge Charger or a new Ford Mustang. Oh, don't forget those rims that look like cheap silver plastic that my kids have on their 99 cent store motorcycle toys. If they're not driving one of these, then it's most likely they have a ridiculously raised truck or unnecessary Hummer with the "oh so cool" chrome gas cap. Oh, and please please put that bumper sticker on your car that displays your rank because that's so important outside of work. I understand, you work hard for your rank, and that's great. You probably went through stuff I wouldn't dream of going through. I respect that. But I nor should others think you're a cooler, better or more fun person to be around or we should let you walk all over us outside of work because you outrank others or their spouses. Give me a break. Leave your rank for when you're in uniform, when you're in charge of others, when you're at work, and so on. Outside of that, we are just as human as you are, mmmm'kay? And I promise, if my husband ever tries to use his rank outside of his job to take advantage of anyone or try to make himself seem cooler, he will get it. But I have a feeling no one has to worry about him going there.
Last but not least....the outfits. It's mostly the guys. The females out here, they tend to have their own thing, what they like and it's all good, for the most part at least. But the males, the majority of the males out here, I completely understand they have to have the same or similar haircuts, it's part of their career choice. I understand. But on your weekends or days off, do you guys have to dress the same? With your striped polo shirts (some are okay, but some are overdone) with your popped collars, your hats you are wearing in a style that makes you (at least you think) look "gangsta", oh or those shirts with the skulls or ed hardy-ish type designs. They are looking like the bopsy twins. You have to match and be uniform during duty hours and what not, yes....but I know there's a brain in there that has thoughts of its own, please use it!
But I guess in a way I have to thank these guys, they make my husband, my friends and myself look and feel more unique. I enjoy that at least. A lot of these people are great people, many of them are soldiers that put their lives on the line for us and I support and respect them very much. I'm just taking in the amplitude of the people that follow these trends within this subculture. Interesting.
If you read this and you fall into any of these categories, like I stated earlier, it was not my intention to offend anyone, and I know people that are my friends that fall into these categories. It does not make them any less of a person in anyway and a lot of them are very amazing and extremely wonderful people! I'm just making note of what I noticed to be what's the "in" things around here, no biggie. Anyway....Have a wonderful day!
