Vietnam

“I” thought that “I” would do an author background check. In truth “I” never heard of Ally Condie the (Young Adult Author) who was born on November 2, 1971. “I” believe by her being born in the 70’s she is considerate an aspirant of Generation X. As children in the 1970s, a time of shifting societal values, Gen Xers were sometimes called the "latch key generation", due to reduced adult supervision compared to previous generations. This was a result of increasing divore rates and increased maternal participation in the workforce, prior to widespread availability of childcare options outside the home. As adolescents and young adults in the 1980s and 1990s, Xers were dubbed the "MTV Generation" (a reference to the music video channel), sometimes being characterized as slackers, cynical and disaffected. Some of the cultural influences on Gen X youth were the musical genres of grunge and hip hop music and independent films. In midlife, research describes them as active, happy, and achieving a work life balance. The cohort has been credited with entrepreneurial tendencies, and was the last generation in the United States for whom post secondary education was broadly financially remunerative. Her birth sign is Scorpio and her life path number is 11. Ally’s birth flower is Chrysanthemum and birthstone is Topaz and Citrine. The New York Times bestselling-author of the young adult book series the Matched Trilogy. The first book in the series Matched was optioned by Walt Disney Company. She resides near Salt Lake City with her husband Scott; they have three sons and a daughter. She has two sisters, Elaine and Hope, and a brother named Nic. The 48 year old American young adult author has been alive for 17,520 days or 1,051,200 hours or 63,072,000 seconds.

I’ve been on the planet earth 23,360 days if anyone cares to know. I’m asking myself why did “I” even mention it. I’ll let you know why in a minute or 60 seconds “I” think.

There were precisely 546 full moons after her birth to this day. In western culture, the four principal phases of the Moon are new moon, first quarter, full moon, and third quarter (also known as last quarter). These are the instances when the Moon's ecliptic longitude and the Sun's ecliptic longitude differ by 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively. Each of these phases occur at slightly different times when viewed from different points on Earth. During the intervals between principal phases, the Moon's apparent shape is either crescent or gibbous.

Again, don’t ask me why “I” am even mentioning this or why “I” keep repeating things. I’ll explain why a little later and let you be the judge, jury and mental executioner if “I” even remember. “I” don’t even know what a lunar moon is.

Ally Condie was born on a Thursday. The 'thur' on Thursday in which is actually derived from the Norse god Thor. People born on Thursdays are generally a fun to be around, which means Thursday's babies get to be the life of the party.

Ally Condie was born in the Year of the Horse. People with Chinese zodiac Horse zodiac sign like entertainment and large crowds. They are usually popular among friends. Their strengths are clever, kind to others, perceptive, and talented. But they can also talk too much and be donkey stubborn. I’m a scorpion too again if anyone cares to know. “I” know that “I” don’t care to know nor actually remember. “I” was born in the Year of the Wood Sheep. Wood Sheep are really friendly people who others like to flock to. We are smart, compassionate, quiet and somewhat dependent. If we can remember.

Our lucky numbers are 2, 3, 7, and lucky colors are brown, yellow, purple and agent orange.

Ally was a former high school English teacher who lives with her husband, three sons and one daughter outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, running, eating, and listening to her husband play air guitar.

Finally, “I” realize what I’ve just shared isn’t adding up to the subject matter unless you the reader omits any prevalent things “I” mentioned about yours truly.

“Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I'm glad for that.” That quote to me brought back true feelings and reality. My first meaning of that quote and last meaning of that odd quote would be that when “I” went away to join the armed services to serve in War World II or was it the Vietnam Skirmish as it was always referred to. “I” can’t exactly remember because “I” have a flat metal plate used to cover large defects of my skull following major trauma like from stepping on a hidden land mine and the need for army inexperienced doctors to decompress my brain. 4 to14% of polymethylmethacrylate metal plates and 3 to10% of hydroxyapatite-based metal plates replacement.

People may joke about someone having a steel plate in their head, but in the case of the punctures to my skull.  The hole in the skull of my brain was plugged also with 50% of a permanent titanium-based metal plate.

After not being able to walk directly through those metal detectors at the Social Security Office and hearing Alien and North Korean signals from all the satellites in space. There are approximately 3,000 satellites operating in Earth orbit, according to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), out of roughly 8,000 man-made objects in total.

“I” discovered researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology, however, have just announced the development of biodegradable metal plates that will stimulate my 70% metal skull into healing itself. As the bone grows back in, the metal plate in my daily headachingly head will one day disappear.

What was “I” talking about? Oh, yeah! “I” had to leave the love of my life behind as “I” served my country even though when “I” returned home to be called a baby killer (what the ignorant American people didn’t know was that them Japanese soldiers did to pregnant women when they occupied much of Asia. They didn't even wait for the babies to be born before they killed them. They just slashed the mother's belly and killed both the mother and the baby. In Vietnam (“I” was there” I” think) we may have killed babies but not purposely. You may want to ask how many US veterans saved Vietnamese starving, sick and wounded babies during that war) and the love of my life was now married with 2 children by two different baby daddy’s. “I” was torn between recalling the one true love of my life at the time or simply forgetting as “I” usually do. Shortly after my return to what “I” believe was not civilization with all the protesting and dudes running off to Canada it was discovered that “I” contracted Agent Orange.

Agent Orange was an herbicide and defoliant chemical, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides. It is widely known for its use by the U.S. military as part of its chemical warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. It is a mixture of equal parts of two herbicides, (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid, and dioxin. In addition to its damaging environmental effects, traces of dioxin found in the mixture have caused major health problems for the many of us individuals who were exposed.  “I” don’t know what all that scientific talk is about, but I do know my urine is sometimes orange. The quote allowed me to learn what one felt when left standing at the alter in full military garb and she runs off with my brother and best man.

If only “I” could truly understand what “Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I'm glad for that.” Maybe Ally was talking about a root of a tree.

The largest organism in the world, according to mass, is the Aspen tree whose colonies of clones can grow up to five miles long. The largest such colony is Pando, located in the Fish Lake National Forest in Utah. It definitely grows side by side for life.

I’m glad that “I” was drafted because “I” would have never known that my true love wasn’t capable of ever being faithful.

Oh, yeah before “I” remember or forget as I generally do to mention the reason why “I” used “I” in quotation marks in this true story 32 times. “You” count them. What happens to a love struck man who served in Vietnam.