The wonders of the NCC

Currently I am on a business trip (what's known as a "TDY" in the military) to Virginia. It's called the "Leesburg Conference". Even though the conference center is not physically IN Leesburg, it's actually in Lansdowne, VA it's still called the Leesburg conference. Whatever.

The Conference center, formally called The National Conference Center (or the NCC as the post title refers to), is a compound that was built by Xerox way back in the days of TQM and TQL. That was what they used to call things like Six Sigma and AFSO 21 now a days. It was built to be 'genius' and 'efficient' in it's design and layout. You eat here, sleep here, have conference sessions here, classes here, on and on. And I will be the first to tell you, it's the most F*CKED UP LAYOUT EVER CREATED. There is no rhyme or reason to where your room is or where the conferences are. It's built in series of underground tunnels that are so confusing that the top medical minds of the Air Force can't figure out where to go.

I would really like to meet the person who came up with this design, and then meet the approval authority who said "This is bloody brilliant! Go with it!" and bitch slap 'em both.

Speaking of dying...

Actually, more like THINKING I was going to die...

At about 4:15 this morning my dog, Macy, alerted to something. It doesn't happen very often, but I just assumed it was a squirrel or something animal related running in the yard. About 3 minutes later the smoke alarms went off in my house. Now I may have blogged about this previously, but in case I didn't allow me to shed some background light on fire alarms and me...

During the past year I spent in Korea, I lived in a dorm. And in that dorm, the fire alarm went off about 17 times, always in the middle of the night. And every time it would go off we would have to get up, go outside in the cold, and wait for the fire department to 'clear' the building so we could take our weary asses back in and go back to sleep.

Back to this morning...the smoke alarms in my house go off. In my sleepy state, I reverted back to being in Korea. I was PISSED. I slowly got up, opened my eyes and Macy barked again. Oh fuck. I am not in Korea. The alarm is in my house. I go out into my hallway and can both see and smell smoke. Fuck. I have to save Macy. "MACY!" I shout. Wait, I have no clothes on. Fuck. Throw on jeans and shirt. All of which are inside out and/or backwards. Grab the following...Macy, phone, computer. These were the things on my mental list of "items i would save if ever in a fire". How neat that you remember that during times of panic. What you don't think about however, is that while you are trying to remember how to disconnect the cable from the back of the computer, visions of fire blocking you from getting downstairs and out the door fill your mind and you wonder if it's worth saving the computer if it means having to leap like Superman out your second story window.

Get downstairs, put dog and computer in car, back car out of garage a safe distance from house. Leave car running in case it needs to be moved farther away from house. Go back inside house, phone in hand, still see and smell smoke. It's gettin' real. Dial 911. Pace around house while 911 operator listens to you rant about having just bought the house and amusing you as you ask if you should open door to attic. I'm convinced it's coming from there. I am afraid enough to NOT open attic. Enter bonus room. The smell of something burning is overpowering. This is insane. Think "thank god I bought insurance". Put hands on doors of bonus room interior to see if they feel warm (remembered that one from elementary school, thank you). They don't. Still convinced my attic is in flames. Where are the fire people dammit??? Right, I live in bumfuck North Carolina. It's a 10 mile drive from the closest fire department. Go outside. Look up at house. Fully expect to see home's attic engulfed in flames. No flames. Wow. Maybe I will get lucky.

First fire person arrives. It's a volunteer firefighter. I bring him into house. We go upstairs. He the smells smoke too. But the smell has diminished somewhat from what it was before. He asks, did you turn your heat on for the first time last night? Nope. Did that yesterday. It was on a couple times during the day. Still, never thought of that. Would new heating generate enough smoke and heat to set off my alarms?? Apparently so.

The good news is that the fire people said that I was the 6th house that night this happened to. I guess all's well that ends well, no?

If I died, what would I want people to remember about me?

This was kind of fun to write. Not nearly as morbid as I thought. Or maybe it is and I am just wierd. Anyway, here it is:

I would want people to remember how happy I was. I would want people to think of me as someone who lived life and enjoyed life. I hope that people would speak about me and not ever be afraid to bring up my name in conversation. It's good to remember people you liked and it's enjoyable to talk about them. It helps to keep their memory alive.

I hope that when people speak about me the sentence always starts with a laugh and something like..."...Ilisa always did this thing that was so funny..."

I want people to smile when they think about me. Hell I hope there are memories of me that make people laugh out loud on a regular basis. Perhaps it'd be ok if people shed a tear or two because they miss me, even if it's several years after I am gone. It's humbling to be thought that highly of.

I want people to remember how much I loved Halloween no matter how old I got. I want people to think of me and smile every time they see anything related to Snoopy.

If GOD FORBID i was to die young those around me would have to put their own feelings aside and remember that I would want to donate my organs. Also I truly hope that they would remember that I felt very strongly that quality of life is WAY more important than quantity of life.

I hope people remember me with respect. I hope people remember me as a good person. Perhaps someone they'd be proud to have their children emulate when they become adults. I hope people remember my work ethic and never as someone who was lazy, apathetic, or disingenuous. I hope people remember me as honest, trustworthy and generous.

Mostly I hope that the people I loved never had to question how much I loved them.

MySpace and Facebook and Plaxo...oh my!

So I get an online invitation today from an old friend and previous work colleague to "accept her invitation" to Plaxo.  Apparently I joined Plaxo at some point, but I don't remember doing it.  I am now connected with her through Plaxo, Facebook, myspace and Linkedin.   I am guessing that there are even more out there that I don't know about.   Interestingly enough I have people that I know on all four that may or may not also be on the other three.  Mostly people I have worked with at one time or another.  I find that Facebook has lots of people from my high school days that I hadn't heard or even thought about in close to 20 years.  It's been a hoot and a half catching up with those folks!   Facebook and MySpace is mostly people I worked with when I was still doing the corporate America gig.   Same with Linkedin.  I am not quite sure which direction Plaxo is heading yet.   I suppose it isn't all bad.  To be honest, if it wasn't for internet networks, I probably wouldn't have any networks at all. 

I regret not updating this blog more often than I do.  I find that over the years it has changed somewhat from being all about my life in the Air Force to being just about my life in general.  I suppose it takes a bit of an ego to write about your life in a forum where others can simply click on your link and read about you.  Do I really think I am that interesting?  Not really.  But it's a cool outlet.  I can write what I want, when I want it and offer up no apologies on anything I spew forth.  It's my blog, dammit. 

Besides, I met a man recently and he's got the link.  Suppose I should make an effort now to update more often.  No pressure or anything though (hi Eric!).

Ten great things going on in my life

Life is good.   I am giddy and excited about all that is happening right now.  Here is a list of 10 great things happening or are about to happen in my life!

1.  I got promoted to Captain!  For those of you who remember the movie Stripes,  I am now "Captain Stillman".  Lucky for me, most of the people I work with are too young to remember John Laroquette's infamous character in the movie.  Also lucky for me, unlike Laroquette, I am a woman.  :)

2.  I am leaving Korea in 2 weeks and 4 more days!

3.  I am going to North Carolina which, in my opinion is one of the most beautiful states on the east coast.

4.  Bought myself a great house with 4 bedrooms and a big yard (see picture!)

5.  I will get my doggy back!  I can't wait to see my Macy Moo again!

6.  I will get my car back!  I can't wait to drive my car again.  

7.  My boss loves me.  It's a really big deal when your boss loves you.   It can make or break your daily life and mine is awesome.

8.  My coworkers love me.  See #7 for why this is a good thing.

9.  When I get back to the states, I get to and become a shoe-whore again.

10.  I had a pedicure today to prepare for # 9, and my toes look pretty.

Reflections

One year in Korea has come and gone.  I'm still here, but on my way out.  21 more days and I will be back on U.S. soil.  For the 3rd time in 12 months. 

I came here to Korea knowing full well that I would be gone for a year.  No mid-tour, no leave, nothing.  I was gunning it out for the full 12 months, then taking 30 days to visit my family in between my move from Korea to North Carolina.   Then life happens.  This past year has been both the best and worst year of my life.  The first 6 months were wonderful.  I traveled to China, became confident in my new role as the Executive Officer at the hospital where I work, and met some of the best people in the world.  The next 6 months started with the death of a great man, my uncle Dan.  The original Godfather and a true testament to the term "family man".  I had such a tremendous amount of love and respect for my uncle and developed an appreciation for his quirky brilliance as an adult.  The respect continued to grow into true admiration and no matter how much time passes, his legacy will live on in the lives of the members of our family. 

Four short months later came the greatest loss I have ever known.  The loss of my father, Norman Stillman (aka Hunter Silvastorm).  There are no words to put into perspective what my father means to me.  Everything I am, I am because of him.  I am proud of who I have become.  I am proud of what I do.  I am proud of how far I have come in this life.  All of this, and all I am, I owe to him.  I am not the same person I was 3 months ago when he was still alive.  I miss him every day.  The hardest part is not being able to pick up the phone and call him.  We talked every morning and every evening.  Even while I was here in Korea and my morning was his evening and his evening was my morning.  There was no one on this earth I enjoyed conversing with more than dad.  Work, life, politics, movies, scruples, business, TV shows, science, nature, dogs, family, love. 

Dad and I knew how special our relationship was.  I was daddy'slittle girl in every sense of the word.  Rest peacefully, dad.  Tell mom I love her.

Tomorrow..."Happier times ahead"

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10 things about me you may not know

At least once a day I think about this blog and come up with some clever, or what I perceive to be, witty subject matter that I can come home and blog about.  Then I come home, get tired and just don't do it.  But I always read my brother's and sister in law's blog.  Sometimes I get inspired enough to steal one of their ideas and use it for my own blog.  They both wrote a list of 10 things you may not know about them.  Hence the title of this entry and the meat of the matter.  Here are 10 things about me that you may not know...

1.  I was the arm wrestling champion of my squadron in Tech School back in 1990.  I beat 22 females and 3 men before I almost collapsed from exhaustion.

2.  I did a stint in Law school that I loved and still miss to this day.

3.  I was a contestant on "The Weakest Link" TV game show.  I was the first one voted off.

4.  I am convinced that the only reason I succeed at most things I set out to do is because I have failed enough to be terrified of failure.

5.  I have stood on the Great Wall of China.

6. I have a dog that I love so much that I sometimes question if it's normal.

7.  The observation deck at the top of Tower Two of the World Trade center was my favorite place on the face of the earth.

8.  I would love to be able to swing dance, clog dance and play piano, but I have zero rhythm, horrible balance and zero talent for musical instruments.

9.  I sat here for 15 minutes trying to come up with something for number 9, and couldn't.

10.  I am terrified of spiders and currently live in a country with the largest concentration of huge black and green "Banana Spiders" in the Pacific.