I spent the morning fighting with my paper shredder. Right before lunch, I gave up on it and decided I needed a new one. It was then that I broke one of the golden rules of living on a military post...never go shopping around lunchtime...especially on Thursdays. This might seem a bit odd to you if you don't live a military life so I'll try to explain it some, along with some other rules of living a military life.
1. Never go shopping around lunchtime...especially on Thursdays! The PX (it's like a department store on post, think Wal-Mart...the old school version, not the supercenter versions) on each post has a food court. It is a popular lunch destination for Soldiers, so around lunchtime the PX is packed. Thursdays (at least on training posts, like our current one) are generally graduation days for basic training. So, on Thursdays, not only do you have to deal with hungry Soldiers in your way, but you also have to deal with newly graduated Soldiers and their families.
2. Never curse all those moving trucks blocking your street because soon enough those trucks will be blocking the street in front of your house.
3. Whatever you do, do not piss off the people at the housing office. They can make your life miserable. They can assign you to some horrible house, ticket you for leaving your Christmas decorations up until Easter and nag you to death over parking in the yard. Happy housing people will ignore all these things.
4. Make sure you have enough groceries to get through all Federal holidays, because they shut everything down. Seriously, you can't go buy a loaf of bread around here on Columbus Day.
5. Don't get caught talking on your phone while you're driving. It'll cost you $500! I was reading the court proceedings in the post paper the other day. Talkers got fined $500 while speeders going 10-15 over in residential areas got fined less than $100. So, by all means, speed...just don't do it while talking on your phone.
There are so many more quirks that you pick up on when living on a military post. Many are the same from post to post, but many posts also have their own quirks. For instance, where we're at right now, the commissary (the grocery store) is closed on Mondays. I'm sure in many ways it's like living a normal civilian life, just with a lot more moving!
Our Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions
1 week ago
What was wrong with your shredder? I used to have big fights with my paper shredder before I realized I was stuffing too much paper in it. Now, I don't do that. I hope the one you got one that turns out to be a good one. Another couple of pointers, don't forget to occasionally to oil it, and don't let it overheat.
ReplyDeleteMy sister's boyfriend is enlisting in the Marines (I believe) so I'll be sure to pass this onto her if they're still together when he starts moving around ;)
ReplyDeleteI think I should make my own: How to be a civilian in a military town.
1. Stop getting mad all the military people get discounts on everything
2. Don't go shopping on the 1st. I swear this is when everyone gets paid cause it's a madhouse...
etc. :) I even got asked at my job interview today if I lived here because the boyfriend was military. No, no, he just designs the ships...does that count? It should. See #1 :)
And never EVER go to the commissary on payday.
ReplyDeleteThat is so interesting. It has to be really frustrating to you though. I couldn't imagine not being able to buy bread on Columbus Day - that's so crazy!
ReplyDeleteI have learned that stay far away from the commissary the day before a major holiday! If you do manage to get a parking spot, you won't find what you went there for. Oh, and if there is a "chance" of snow....the post will close! So be prepared...get your bread and beer!
ReplyDelete