I'm Not A Member Of Your Fan Club But....

Sometimes I write to celebrities that have publicly supported our troops. I customize a little email just for their high-profile fabulousness and dash it off. Every time I do it, a piece of my brain convinces me that this could be it. This celeb could just totally fall in love with OAP and we are set! What can I say, Daniellaland has a lot of fantasy elements.

After I saw Oprah have a Marine regiment on her show to publicly thank them and do a surprise reuniting with their families, I emailed her – twice. Both times I kinda thought I was going to be the next one on her couch. She listens intently while I gush about all the great people serving for us and why it is so important to show them we care. Then she takes my hand and tells me OAP is one of her “favorite things” and that she will be a lifetime mega-corporate sponsor through us. She is pretty teary-eyed at this point too. She hugs me as we go to commercial. All that.

Update: It didn’t happen. Could have though, huh?

Sometimes I have front row seats to a Carlos Mencia show, and he is talking about his experience performing for the troops in Iraq. So funny! Afterwards, he is plugging OAP and making fun of everyone if they don’t donate.

Today is Ben Stein. I’ll keep ya posted…… : )

Support our troops!

Happy Tuesday,

D.

U.S.P.S. -- The bane of my OAP existence

Here I sit at a bakery that offers free WIFI wishing my diet coke had rum in it because the damn postal service has me so disgruntled - again!

Today was as much fun as it as ever been (insert tongue in cheek here)! I make an appointment (as they advised) and when I arrive they are not ready for the 50 or so boxes we are shipping -- shocking! How could they not be prepared?! Everyone knows the customer service at the post office is always top notch.

We wait 20 minutes for them to find someone to process our boxes and then they tell us to get started at a window at the end of their front counter. This is not ideal as it leaves us line vulnerable. People who have been waiting as well, watching you schlep 50 boxes up to the counter, tend to get irritated with you sometimes. They don't ask themselves why the postal service doesn't staff better. Instead, they glare and sometimes heckle. Ask Chris -- I have been heckled!

But I digress...

Sooo...we half unload the cart, and then they inform us they are moving us to the back. Niiiiicccceee! They should have let us completely unload it before telling us we need to move. Wouldn't that be less efficient and more disorganized?!

Then we get to the back and the computer is not working, so they are floundering around for another 20 minutes with that. All the while, they are having us do their job! We did all of the moving, all of the stamping and all of the customs forms processing! Are you kidding me?! Good times.

I would rather go back to the pony express days because I swear, left alone with just a horse, I could have gotten those boxes shipped faster.

They did have their A game going when it came time to charge me though. There was no "Sorry we had our heads in our colons" discount. Full price baby!

People ask me all the time if I have to pay any shipping since we send to the troops. I am probably going to break down and weep the next time I hear that question. Oh we pay! We pay big-time!

I think I may feel a little better now that I have e-vented. Could still go for that rum though.....

Support our troops!

TGIF!
d.

My Troop Support Footprint

Why do I do this work?

I am asked this question quite often.

First off, let me just be really blunt here and tell you that “this work” is not much in the skill or nobility arena. I wasn’t glorifying anything when I labeled myself a snack packer. But what can I do? Big hint: not boot camp – I am way too wussy for that, and my cousin will tell you how weak my wrists are.

So armed with that knowledge about myself, and a desire to do something for our service members, I just sort of fell into what I do for OAP.

From the beginning, I have been blessed to have signs and support that have guided and bolstered me along this journey. It has not been without it’s challenges though. As I mentioned in my profile, bookkeeping may be edgy and glamorous, but it didn’t necessarily prepare me for running a company, fund raising, or pricing out Cheez-its (Oh yeah, I do that!)

Seriously though, the service members I have had the privilege of reaching out to over the last couple of years, give me new reasons for continuing this work every day. Quite simply, I believe our troops have one of the toughest jobs this nation has to offer. The absolute least we can do for them is put forth effort to show them they have our heartfelt thanks and support.

I don't want to debate politics, current administration or war. I, and everyone who supports OAP, want to do something more than just talk about supporting the troops. Slapping a yellow ribbon magnet on our cars is not enough. We want to do something – take action every day to make sure our boxes get packed and shipped with one intention: Thanking our brave men and women serving this country overseas.

We are now in the 5^th year of this conflict (impressed with my political correctness?). The majority of our troops have served more than one deployment that takes them away from family, friends and what they know as a normal life back here in the states. Imagine that for a moment. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you want to be reminded that you were supported, and your service appreciated? Would you want to hear your name at mail call? Would you want Cheez-its?? Come on now, you know the answer……

Support Our Troops!

D.

Ugh...Please don't tell me this thing is on!

Ooo...my first blog entry....the pressure!

Web fright has set in. I got nothin! Sweaty palms...racing heart. I thought I had something to say! Damn! I gotta turn this around and be interesting...or not.

Actually, I am supposed to be sending out solicitation emails right now, so we can get some more cash-eesh for OAP. Instead, I have allowed my miraculous powers of procrastination to convince me that creating this blog was an absolute 'right now!' on the project list. Riiiigggghhhhttt.

Today is Thursday though. I love Thursdays. Is that the eve of TGIF that gets me smiling? I don't know, but I do like me some Thursdays.

Stay tuned -- I am sure I will pull something together soon.......

Support our troops!

Happy Thursday!
D.