On the Road Again...

I'm once again headed into the Belly of the Beast, also known as the San Diego Freeway system. This time I'm on a mission of mercy, so nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

My purpose for once again braving association with insane SoCal drivers this afternoon is my initial screening/orientation for volunteering with the Red Cross. I hope to volunteer in the Pendleton or Balboa hospitals. This is the first time since I've been involved in troop support that I've lived close enough to do anything like this. Everything I've done--"adopting" soldiers, Valour-IT, etc., has all been via long-distance (with the exception of my trip to DC and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs last December).

Apparently the Red Cross acts as kind of screener for those who want to do military volunteer work. I guess I have to convince them I'm not some nutjob who either worships service members or is planning to husband-hunt in the hospital (apparently this is a real problem with some volunteers), and then the RC will turn me over to the Navy for more training.

Hopefully it won't be too hard to get the RC to take me seriously (looking as old as I do, haha!). I'm thinking my involvement with Valour-IT will help me, but I'm starting to worry they'll take one look at that and put me somewhere administering something via computer, haha! I don't want to do that because I'm sick and tired of interacting with the world via only computer; I want to get out there and actually work directly with others! I'm a people person!!

Anyway, I'm not looking forward to the drive downtown. I had hoped I'd perhaps be able to have lunch with Lex as my reward for facing traffic again, but he's at sea this week. But please send all prayers and thoughts you can this direction. I've never liked driving, and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm a bit cursed these days...

But I'm excited to finally be able to volunteer, and I'm not gonna let any latent driving fears get in the way of that. But so help me... if anything else happens, I may just crack! :)