...PREFACE...
In the year of 2014 after several issues that had arisen in my personal life over the years though especially since after waking up from the coma from my Psalm Sunday 2000 head injury with a subarachnoid hemmorage in the frontal temporal lobe of my left side of my brain with headaches, migraines cognitive disorders, memory deficits, and having went from College Algebra with Calculus to 2nd Grade Math; my son James and I had gone with my now ex-boyfriend Jesse Leroy Hoover Jr to the #Lakewood/#Tacoma area of the state of #Washington. Granted initially I had spoken with my son and the two of us agreed the state of Florida was preferable to the two of us after the paperwork had been filed for a couple of months in reference to my daughter his sister, however when I went to my first #country #music #concert after looking for one to attend online through #google in March of 2013; the only country music concert I found through that online search through several pages had been for #stoneylarue at the #cowboywsdancehall in #SanAntonio #Texas. I was doing everything I could for both my son and my daughter as equally and as best as I could, for both of them. While I tried for myself as well, my children were and are always my priority. Though I have the issues I deal with and have since waking up from the coma from my Psalm Sunday 2000 head injury, I always wanted to make sure no matter what; my children were able to be proud of me and what I did as I never wanted them to be embarrassed nor especially ashamed of me being their mom.
That evening a male named Kevin would not leave me alone nor would his wife reel him in to stop harassing me, though that event is another discussion for later. The short of the long is after multiple attempts to get my attention Kevin would not stop until I verbally defended myself which came after he attacked my weight, as well as the corset I was wearing in the #smokingsection outside. The San Antonio Police Officers who arrived I thought were there to help Kevin since I did not look like someone who typically enjoys country music though instead he also attacked the San Antonio #PoliceOfficers through his name calling and taunting. He called them "Po Po" and "Pigs" and asked "Where's the bacon and the donuts?" I then verbally put Kevin in his place for having the audacity to speak to the Police Officers in such a tone of voice and so harshly when they were there to assist him and though I knew they had not known of what Kevin, his two male friends (one of which is my now-ex-boyfriend Jesse Leroy Hoover Jr and the other a former Navy male from California), as well as Kevin's wife and her two or three female friends; choosing to follow me wherever I was around the Cowboys Dance Hall and choosing to continue to pester me worse than the annoyances of the fruit flies when one has had a banana on the counter in the kitchen for more than two days. After I told Kevin what I thought of him and his choices he went back to deliver his wife two beers on a knee as she demanded before she and her friends went inside the Cowboys Dance Hall (you can read more of this in my first two books "Finding A Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing" and "Finding The Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing"). After Kevin left me alone, my now-ex-boyfriend Jesse Leroy Hoover Jr approached me and what was supposed to be a one night stand turned into a relationship.
Though I did not hide my injury effects nor lie about them as he was fully aware of them the night we met before he and I went to his apartment in #Selma Texas nor from his friend who said he was the Mayor of Selma (though I recently looked the picture of whom that male was for that time and that was not the look of the male who I met at the Pizza shop in Selma Texas who claimed he was the Mayor of that city - that male was around 5 feet 5 or 6 inches, stocky build, silvery gray hair, a polo shirt, and said he was in the Air Force stationed with Jesse during his Officer Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas), he was nearby me when I learned of my identity theft as the night we met I had told him my son and I were moving to #Florida; hence the disclosure of the one night stand if anything had occurred, which obviously such had. Jesse said he had been speaking with a recruiter for Officer Candidacy in Iowa when working in communications though entered the Air Force from Houston Texas and his brother David worked for Exxon in Houston, but he was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage Alaska with his friend David Warner or Werner when the attacks happened on 11 September 2001 when we spoke at Cowboys Dance Hall in San Antonio at the Stoney LaRue concert.
When I learned of my identity theft beginning in February 2008 but not until May of 2013 learning of because it had taken that amount of time for any other apartment complexes I had filed my requests with to respond to me to tell me of the problems with my #creditreport that was when Jesse Leroy Hoover Jr. suggested the state of #Arizona. He explained to me "because of only the good memories with boy James and Lidia for [me] in Florida, it would be heartbreaking for James and [I] to go to that state and instead, we should go towards the west." Though I told him of multiple people who had already been told of my plans for a few months, Jesse told me "they don't need to know that as remember who you pissed off" as I had shown him various threatening emails and #fetlife messages to me.
Also in the back patio of the Thousand Oaks Apartments & Town-homes in San Antonio before leaving Texas after the court case in the San Antonio court was when my now ex-boyfriend Jesse Leroy Hoover Jr had discussed my medications with me. Such details I wrote of in my first two books "Finding A Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing", and "Finding The Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing". Though Jesse changed the plans from Florida to then Arizona to then Washington state, he originally discussed getting me to Alaska but because I knew I needed my son to be in school; I dealt with a few discussions; of which in Arizona I had been informed Jesse's firearms were not in the storage until as he said they were when we arrived in Arizona, but in the room.
The last few messages were threats which were what a #congressman could do who is the dad of my former relationship who I had not known was a Congressman when he and I were dating nor not up until I received that email, the former relationship having military connections, and what could happen to me, as well as his sister's law enforcement associations; which Jesse said was the reason why I had to listen to him instead. My now ex-boyfriend had told me after he ended the relationship "It would be safest for [me] to get out of the state of Washington, but not to return to Texas" Ironically because of my Medal of Honor Art Project as well as several other situations, I am in the state of Texas as I write this. I wish I could write of this being simple, but it is quite complicated. More so than what I have blogged thus far, however because of what I wrote in my first two books which were registered through The Library of Congress (yes, I just realized that connection) might have had important details which needed me to return to the state of Texas. Despite the messages I read which I received from 2010 January through to that point in 2013 of which as an example of what was read aloud at a Temple of Flesh event in July of 2019 was so minor compared to the first sets of threats I received, though not to make light of what they received but obviously not something I would write or say.
Due to my discussions with the very nice males at Criminal Investigation Division (#CID) at Joint Base Lewis McChord (#JBLM) in #Tacoma Washington who pointed me in the direction to contact The Pentagon and then the Tacoma Police Pointing me in the direction to contact the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), my letters began in reference to initially discuss my Medal of Honor Art Project. Though my letters inevitably began to discuss other aspects such as when I landed at the bottom of the ocean among other aspects in my first two books, I eventually made my way back to the state of Texas after my son joined The United States of America's Armed Forces Army Branch. Though he chaptered out, I am still proud of him for trying to go to the Army to better himself. However I know he is so much smarter than I am, and he has capabilities of intelligence which have always had me standing in awe of him; just as I was in awe of his sister's my daughter's intelligence levels.
...My Medal of Honor Art Project...The Beginning...
After finding the rental house in Lakewood from an Air Force Sergeant (E7?) and his wife through #formilitaryonly and sending information in reference to apply to then move in, I saw a sign for Calvary Cemetery. I wanted to walk through the area to clear my thoughts as so many aspects were moving too fast for my thoughts to process and though my now ex-boyfriend Jesse Leroy Hoover Jr would not enter the area, I felt at ease walking through the fields. Having grown up going to #OldTennentPresbyterianChurch in #Tenent #NewJersey and being around the history of that church as well as the square mile cemetery surrounding the church once used as a hospital during The Revolutionary War and where General George Washington's private litrine is out back, I felt comfortable and a sense of solace when meandering along my way through the paths. As I walked as felt correct for me to go, I stumbled into the section of the oldest portion of the cemetery grounds after walking through the Catholic section. There a knee high marker caught my attention amongst the multiple markers throughout all of the grounds, and I walked towards that particular one. As I got closer I tripped over what I thought were merely pine cones from the surrounding and above tree, however I realized there was another marker for that individual when I started to clear the shininess.
There before my very eyes was a Medal of Honor recipient from the GAR (General Army Republic), and I almost fell down in awe of being around such greatness. The thoughts which flooded my mind washed away what emotions were running rampant throughout my brain, and I instantly felt a sense of peace overcome my entire being. I continued to clean that marker to see the details of the Medal of Honor, and look at his name. I listened to the wind as the breeze rattled the branches of the tree branches above my head and the bushes in front of where I stood, and off in the distance I heard several birds chirping before they went to sleep. I just felt what I felt, and I heard what I heard.
Upon returning to the rental house, I turned the television on in the room I had been kept in. The news showed another forest fire in the state of California and the sensations which I had when at the Calvary Cemetery overcame my thoughts, which gave me the idea for my Medal of Honor Art Project. Though I had thought of doing something similar to what I had created before in New Jersey when going through my #confirmation class, I had forgotten much because of my Psalm Sunday 2000 head injury, though I had remembered discussing about the two electives I had taken during that course. I never forgot about the elective nor the Confirmation Class, nor the idea I had back then; albeit my plans for such were supposed to be after I became the first female Command Sergeant Major of The United States of America's military, however that Psalm Sunday 2000 head injury effects prevented such in uniform.
I ran out of my room and though my now ex-boyfriend Jesse glared in my direction, I went upstairs to speak with my son James about my idea. When I tried explaining to him of my idea for the artwork, my son smiled at me and simply said "Okay, Mom." When I went downstairs Jesse wanted to know "What all that fuss was about" and I explained to him my idea for my Medal of Honor Art Project of which he told me, "That sounds weird, but whatever. I have stuff for I.T.T. Tech to finish up, so go back to your room. You know what happens when you are around too much technology, remember what the Geek Squad person said at the Portland Best Buy?" I nodded, and returned to my room.
Excited about my Medal of Honor Art Project, I took a break from typing and organizing my books to focus a bit on something different. Though I had already completed organizing "#FindingaSilverLiningBySusanMeeLing" the complimentary book "#FindingtheSilverLiningBySusanMeeLing" needed to be completed in a similar format, but in a different way as well. The two books had to be separate even though telling aspects of my life experiences, but the second book "Finding The Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing" allows the reader a break from the heaviness of the realities within the first book I wrote "Finding A Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing". I thought if I had compiled everything into a single book, that would be difficult for people to find anything worthwhile in my life and would cause too many people too many depressive thoughts. With having everything of such in two separate books the ease of being able to flip from one to the other when needed and when ready, would allow people to find something they could relate to and smile about. Though I did not know at the time there would be legalities for certain aspects I wrote of from things I had been told, hence my return to the state of Texas. If one were only read "Finding A Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing" I thought people would instantly be upset and have rash reactions but if one only read "Finding The Silver Lining By: Susan MeeLing" then the thoughts would only be I was making fun of everything, and that was my purpose for the two books being separate; to balance each other for each reader who might peruse through the pages.
Once I began getting the locations of the Medal of Honor recipients markers for the state of Washington of which in my first search I found a total of 57 Medal of Honor recipients for the entire state, I began planning the route of which I would go to pick up each marker's rubbing. I went immediately to where I could and planned for the longer trips for when my son was in school so there would be no worry, as he would be taken care of and okay. If anything was needed of me, I would be able to return to the area fairly quickly to assist where necessary. In Seattle Washington where there are 6 Medal of Honor recipients in one cemetery (?Acadia?), I went to the front office to speak with the front desk office worker. That female told me she thought my Medal of Honor Art Project was a wonderful idea and gave me a map, to find the six different males. Though I got lost finding each one and was frustrated as to my lack of direction navigation capabilities on land, I was more upset by the fact I spent hours cleaning dog poop off of each of those markers. Due to the fact I cannot and do not believe in halfway doing anything I try and I believe in giving every bit I can when doing something, I spent hours cleaning off each individual piece of dog poop from each one of the six markers. I knew I could not simply brush the dog poop to the side because I could tell some were fairly fresh and then I would need to spend extra time rubbing the poop out from the engraved beveling, thus I picked up each piece by hand with a piece of paper to remove from the marker.
Each plaqueard was more than six feet long and more than four feet wide, and each marker had been covered from top to bottom and side to side with various pieces of dog poop. Initially I thought they were pine cones, but the smell was very much the indicator. When I had cleared the third marker and completed the rubbing of to then go to the fourth marker, I thought I heard people laughing in the distance. When I looked up I saw some people walking by, but over in a different area of the cemetery. I continued doing what I could to ensure each Medal of Honor recipient's spirit and marker knew I was being respectfully, and ensuring the cleanliness of each of their markers. When I finished the final rubbing for Nakamura which I could not complete his marker rubbing the same way as the others because the sprinklers had been on just before I arrived and the downward marker was saturated with water, and I was barely able to complete the rubbing for the standing marker; however I was determined. I still cleaned off the pieces of dog poop though there were far fewer in that area, than the other five marker's individually. Though around the time of the second marker I felt myself feeling ill and sick from my headaches turning closer to migraines, I could not go on without clearing off each marker; as I knew the others would be the same. Though I wanted desperately to crawl into a ball because of the excruciating pain I felt, I could not allow myself to leave the other markers as such; and though I suffered greatly because of the pain and sickness I was feeling, I could not go knowing the other Medal of Honor recipient markers were going to be looking as horrendous as I had found the prior ones. Of many aspects of my Medal of Honor Art Project this particular group of markers has still left me infuriated of how people could be so cruel, to such courageous soldiers with such valiant actions for the sake of their fellow brothers and sisters in arms; as well as the country of The United States of America, and the world.
As I continued my Medal of Honor Art Project I had completed around thirty five rubbing or thirty eight rubbings, before I allowed myself to do the artwork portions. During the times when I was at the house in my room, I typed and began working on the other series of books in fiction format; while completing the last portions of the first two books I wrote. Once the first two books were completed, I sent the information to #TheLibraryofCongress through #legalzoom online as I had already created a business so I could get a license to ensure the safety of everything I was doing. If you research how much it costs to purchase land for a burial and then look at the prices for the markers you will learn what I had when I grew up in New Jersey, that is the most expensive land anyone will ever own per square foot. I was not willing to be responsible for paying out of pocket the costs to repair anything if I had accidentally tripped and knocked over a marker, and the requirements which it would cost to reset the foundation for the markers; as the insurance would cover that. Though I also knew better than to just walk through a cemetery area and not pay attention to where I was going, but that is a whole other ball of wax.
Just before taking the first group of my #MedalofHonorArtProjectBySusanMeeLing pieces into McClendon's Hardware, I had sent a facebook message requesting help to find a Medal of Honor recipient named Bud Hawk in the Bremerton region. Online I could not find the information and as Mike and I spoke online, we set up a time to get together to meet. He took his truck as I drove my car to various locations of several other Medal of Honor recipients including a location in Restil and he showed me what he did for John Nibbe's marker, and grinned when I told him I had already completed the rubbing for his Medal of Honor Art Piece. We discussed the grave of The Unknown Soldier in that cemetery and how that location was the only area he had seen Rhododenron plants bloom twice in full, but were not ever-blooming versions or species. We went to the #Bremerton Naval Shipyard and discussed a few different aspects in reference to Bud Hawk and how he was awarded his Medal of Honor, with his daughter by his side; which was amazing to listen to. When we discussed SCUBA Diving as Mike was once in The United States of America's Navy, I told him a little bit about my SCUBA Diving and when I landed at the bottom of the ocean when going to The USS/USNS #Vandenberg near the Florida Keys of Key West #Florida. I told Mike there once was a former sailor I dated who discussed something of that area with fishers, but I could not remember because of my Psalm Sunday 2000 head injury; and Mike seemed a little concerned as a group of youth went by on their bicycles and skateboards. Though he wanted to take me into the Military Museum in Bremerton, the location was closed for the day; but was still a wonderful day and set of experiences.
Within the time of taking the artwork to #mclendonshardware in #Tacoma on Pearl Street, I knew how the casings had to be. I was introduced to Tom an extremely nice male who was in The United States of America's #Navy, and we discussed my idea for the framework. I told him the wood needed to be unfinished and a light color because I did not know what the decor of certain areas would be and if the location had unfinished oak wood furniture, the #MedalofHonorArtworkBySusanMeeLing pieces would fit in perfectly. If the Medal of Honor Artwork pieces went to a place with darker wood furniture and/or laquer finishing, the coating would be a simple process. When Tom saw the artwork I made of my Medal of Honor Art Project was two sided and he inquired as to why I had done as such, I showed him the front. The front of the art piece for my Medal of Honor Art Project was of the marker rubbing with whatever felt appropriate to pain, when flipping the front over to the back I showed him the commendation of the Medal of Honor recipient I had found online. If there was a spiritual symbol I usually had completed a prayer which was associated with the religious marker, but if there was not a religious symbol I painted a quote from what I could find online which felt most appropriate for what was completed for each Medal of Honor recipient. Once encased in the glass the art could be hung on the wall on either side but if there was a light, the one side would shine through to the other side. Tom said he did not know how long it would take for him to complete each piece and I told him I knew it would take a little bit as there were probably other orders which would go in between and/or he was waiting on the parts to be shipped in, which was fine. I knew I could plan the next portions as well as continue writing, which he smiled. I told Tom and others I would and had dropped off the completed pieces of my Medal of Honor Art Project at the cemetery locations for the family and if the war they earned the Medal of Honor had been too far back for the ability to locate the family and/or were in a Washington Soldier's Home I took the completed pieces to an #AmericanLegion, #DAV (Disabled American Veterans), #Military Museum. or a #VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) so their brothers and sisters could find something to enjoy and learn from those Medal of Honor recipients of their state.
...My Medal of Honor Art Project...The Middle...
The order of which I had completed picking up the rubbings as I found their locations online for my Medal of Honor Art Project as well as dropping off the completed artwork pieces are as follows (there is a Page in reference to the Medal of Honor recipients whom I found information for online but could not find their markers and the reasons why):
* #Washington State Pick Ups: 2014-2017 * #Washington State Drop Offs: 2015-2018 (55 Total)
* #Oregon State Pick Ups: 2016-2017 * #Oregon State Drop Offs: 2017-2018 (17 Total)
* #Montana State Pick Ups: 2016 * #Montana State Drop Offs: 2017 (20 Total)
* #Idaho State Pick Ups: 2017 * #Idaho State Drop Offs: 2018 (16 Total)
* #Nevada State Pick Up: 2017 * #Nevada State Drop Off: 2018 (1 Total)
* #Utah State Pick Ups: 2017 * #Utah State Drop Offs: 2018 (2 Total)
* #Wyoming State Pick Ups: 2017 * #Wyoming State Drop Offs: 2018 (6 Total)
* #Colorado State Pick Ups: 2017 * #Colorado State Drop Offs: 2018-2019 (22 Total)
* #SouthDakota State Pick Ups: 2017 * #SouthDakota State Drop Offs: 2018-2019 (3 Total)
* #NorthDakota State Pick Ups: 2017 * #NorthDakota State Drop Offs: 2018-2019 (4 Total)
* #Iowa State Pick Ups: 2018 ...see Post #3...
* #Illinois State visit: 2018 ...see post #3...
...continued in two more journal entry blog posts...