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Potato-VS-
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Joined: 16 Jul 2002
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 1562
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 Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:09 am Post subject: Potato's Second Rant |
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Okay, this one is about some issues that I have going on right now with family, friends and so forth. Currently I am deciding just what it is I want to do it life. I need choose the right courses and get the right marks if I wish to go into college/university and like wise I need to deicde if I want to do something else. (As many here know I also am considering joining the canadian or american army - something that no one except on uncle and one aunt think is a good thing).
Now, my family not agreeing with me is a fairly common thing - since I seem to have a more "american" and cold view to things they dont necessarily think that what I believe in is right and they therefore try to influense my decisions and POV. They do this in many ways but on the army note - canadian or american - they are acting completly different. For one, my mom says: "the only way I will ever support you in life is if you go to college/university and dont join the army. If you DO join the army then I will disown you and you will never hear, talk, or recieve anything from me ever again - thats joining either the canadian or american army." For the rest of my family it is much the same. My cousin and my friends have taken to calling me "gay" and so forth just because I think it might be cool to join the army. Something that really ticks me off, especially when we live in a country where anyone is allowed to do anything and shouldnt have to stand for that shit. But I just stay there and listen to it and dont even bother commenting back. Why? you ask? Well the reason is simple; and ironically Theodore Roosevelt said it perfectly:
| Quote: | "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face in marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt |
Anyways, almost no one supports me with my decision except on uncle and aunt - who are married. My sunt's brother served in the canadian navy for about 16 years and he only just got out just a little while ago. He has a $30, 000 a year pension and he has also purchased and is currently running a ship yard that imports/exports iron, steel and other metals for canada in quebec. He knows almost 5 different languages and can speak each fluently but Im geting of topic here. Because of her brother's success in the canadian army my aunt fully supports and army move that I make - be it canadian or american. My uncle also fully supports any move. He says I should punch my cousin and my friend sin the nose when they call me "gay"  . My grandpas were in the army - though they had to be - and they both enjoyed it greatly although one died a few years back and I cant exactly talk to him about this matter. My uncle believes that I should make my own decisions and that the army would build and help shape a great character out of me.
Over all this is what I think: how can someone think that they have the right to influense my decisions where my life will go in the next few years? I understand that they are conserned for me and that they want me to take the best road in life but taking it to the point of disowning someone beause of a decision that they make? Its not right by any means, they have to right to say something like that - especially my mom after all those promises that she made after my dad left almost eight years ago and never came back/talked to me or the rest of my family since. Who has the right to try and influense someone's decisions negativly? Who has the right to say what their child should and should not do? Its not like Im going out and doing drugs. Im trying to make a good important life decision and people trying to force me one way and another isnt helping. A bad influense or someone forcing and showing someone in the direction that they think is right shouldnt happen. The decision should be mine and mine alone to make in the end. My family and friends should accept it and not try to disown me because of it. I dont think its right by any means. I realise that an army life is a hard one, and that it is full of dangers and pit falls but I still might want to do it. This isnt by any means right what they are doing. I dont know what I want to do, all I do know is I want to say "screw you" to my family and do it anyways rather then thinking about what their saying. If their going to disown me beause of a decision then well its their loss and I suppose it shows their true character and what they really think of me and how much better they are compaired to my "dad".
<TVB>Potato |
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ROOFCUTTER
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Joined: 12 Aug 2001
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:49 am Post subject: |
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Good luck on your decision. we all face similiar questions at one time or another. Doing what you want to do is important. knowing what you want to do is very hard. The decision will be your own. It is only natural for those that love you, envy you, and are unsure themselves, will have surprising ideas on how to advise you or how they respond to you.
I would think you Mom does love you and care deeply. she is probably worried sick about your safety by joining the service. It is not a safe bet at this time. She has certainly brought out the tactacal nuke to try and change your mind. So give her a break she did bear you and spend a good part of her life getting you this far. What ever you decide, what she says today may fade away. (I do not know her though...)
My friends also teased me when I went into the service. I, and they got over it. We were young and trying to make sense of the world too. To some it is hard to leave the safe know pond for a ocean.
Education is usually more marketable later in life then a service record. Not in every case but most. I guess it depends on what you choose to pursue. Kids have a hard time moving and meeting new and losing old friends as you move from base to base. ( my reason for getting out)
Wives have to accept the long seperations.
You know all this and nothing here is new. Take care and be true to your feelings. Then when you feel you made the wrong/ right decision you only have yourself to blame. 
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Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering. |
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Pornstar
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Joined: 12 Aug 2001
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 1153
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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Alrighty, well if you have the means to go to college and want to go. Then go. If you still want to join up in the service( I would highly recommend the US military) then join a ROTC program or join up after you graduate. It is way better to join as an officer then to enlist. I would also suggest you go a way for college. Like go south across the border or another part of Canada. I am sure your family loves you and means well, but spending 4-5 years away from them will do you a world of good. If you stay local then they will most likely to keep "Advising" you on what direction you need to go. I say pick your own path and wave goodbye. Its the only way you will be happy. Otherwise if you follow what they say to appease them then you will only have resentment for them. For holding you back from your dreams.
If you don't have the means to go to college, do not want to go or you are not sure. Then join the military and do active duty for a few years. Learn some skills and then when you have a better idea of what you want to do. Switch to a reserve unit and go to college or whatever you want to do. The next 4-8 years are important. What you do will define what you do and how successfull you will be in the future. It is ok for you to be selfish at this point in your life, because you are building the foundation for the rest of your life. The fact that some of your family is calling you gay for wanting to join the military sickens me, but I know most Canadians look at the military a little different then most of us Americans. You do not want to go through life with regrets, so if you want to join the military then do it. The sooner the better. It gets harder to make that jump as you get older.
If I may interject on your choice of service. I think you would be much happier in the Navy or Marine Corp. Just my opinion. I hear more good things from guys that were in those branches then in the Army. |
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Potato-VS-
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Joined: 16 Jul 2002
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 1562
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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Good points from both of you. I guess it is really my decision to make its just that it ticks me off so much to see my family acting this way about my decision in life. Like you guys said it is my choice. Either way I wanna get away from here.
Pornstar: when I say army I am refering to the military as a whole. I suppose its completly different terms and I would go into the marine corps then onto SO/SOCOM if I had a choice.
<TVB>Potato |
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