Immortal. asked:

I’m studying a poem by Margaret Junkin Preston and it’s called ‘A Bivouac In The Snow’. It’s about the American Civil War (The War Between The States).

In the poem it makes a reference to a ‘Xerxian army’.
Here is the whole stanza.

Round the bright blaze gather,
Heed not sleet or cold;
Ye are Spartan soldiers,
Stout and brave and bold.
Never Xerxian amy
Yet subdued a foe
Who asked but a blanket
On a bed of snow.

Does anyone know what the ‘Xerxian army’ is in reference to? I can’t seem to find it anywhere..

Any help, even just ideas or thoughts would be good.
Thanks

Lara N asked:

i’m making a blanket for my boyfriend for a christmas present because he is in the national guard and going to be in africa for a year and he leaves in may. I am going to have a bible verse about safety and protection embroidered on the back of the blanket. but i do not know any off the top of my head. also can anyone think of another good verse to do with love that i can put on there too. we are going to get engaged when he comes back next year so i want something to represent how much i care about him and stuff. any ideas will gladly be welcome. thank you.

Hulktress <3's Nathan G!! asked:

I do, i wished my granddaddy was still here, he told the best stories. I cant remember alot but he told me one time, when he was stationed in Europe because of WWII, this very old poor woman, came up to him and asked for a army blanket so she could make a coat out of it. And he gave it to her My grandaddy was sooo nice and inspirational even though his life was so hard and sad.

JamieL asked:

Does anyone know if they exist and if so where are they hidden? Thanks

shellshell asked:

Since my husband left for training (Army) HIS CAT WILL NOT STOP ****** ON THE COUCH! At first I thought is was because she missed someone being home for 10 hours a day no one was home. Then i quit my job and she is STILL DOING IT only now she does it while i am in bed not while i am up. Her litter is the same her food has SLOWLY CHANGED she was on kitten and moved her to indoor nothing else has changed she has ALMOST RUINED the couch she has peed on it so much! I’ve tried all the urine removers I even wrapped the cushions in trashbags and then covered the couch with a blanket still nothing she pees to the back of the couch to where in is on the back and then runs down to under the cushions. So now the whole back of the couch and the underside is soaked in urine AGIAN this will be the 3rd time in 5 months I have had to completly strip the cushions and SCRUB the couch. HELP I AM GOING INSAINE!?!?!? My house stinks and I **** IT. And YES her litter is clean and the vet says she is fine!
Do you think maybe a litter box on the couch would help? I am open for any suggestions other than the obvious of getting rid of her.
No this isnt where he sat it is where I sat I took over his spot out of missing him.

Yes she is locked out of my bedroom at night but always has been we have had her since birth so that is nothing new to her.
No visitors on the nights she does it and she usually sleeps on the other couch (where he held her and played with her). Nothing new at all on the nights she does it. Anymore that you need to know feel free to ask if it will help you help me lol.
AND NO WORRIES I WILL NOT GET RID OF HER!!! She is his cat and that is HIS choice!

Rich asked:

I’m currently in the military deployed to Iraq. When I get back, I will have one year remaining on my contract. I will soon be faced with the decision on whether to stay in or get out.

By the time I get out, I will have served six years and will be at the pay grade of E-5. I have no college under my belt. After getting out, I will not be able to attend college, because I have a family to support. Since I only have experience in combat arms, the best paying job that I can get is with Federal, State, or Local Law Enforcement.

Would it be more beneficial to retire from law enforcement or the military? If I stay in the Army I will have to continue to miss out on my four year old daughter growing up, and miss another countless amount of occasions with my wife. However, I don’t ever have to worry about them going homeless or hungry.

If I get out, I still have a chance at being successful and would be alot happier having the opportunity to come home every day and have a higher earning potential. However, I have to gamble with living on the economy. And that’s even if I actually secure a job with some department.

From my comparisons, it would seem that getting out would be a good option for me, but for some reason, deep down inside I couldn’t imagine getting out of the military, even with the deployments (currently on #2), and putting up with the other BS about being in the military. I don’t even know if I love the military or **** it, my mind changes twenty times a day.

Am I just afraid to take chance in the outside world? Has my six years in the military given me a security blanket that I don’t want to let go of? Or is it a sense of patriotism keeping me in? It’s gotta be something. I’m seriously about to go nuts trying to make my mind up.

I know that there’s alot of you out there that has been through this. What did you decide to do and do you regret your decision? Thanks in advance for the replies.

ilovemyjori asked:

Im stationed in Iraq with the army and i’ve been here a little over 2 months. I have 10 months left on my tour and i keep having this dream and its driving me nuts i dont exactly understand what it means.

Me and my wife just recently bought a new sectional couch just before i deployed because i was going to be making so much money over here. I keep having this dream here that me and her are cuddled on the couch wrapped up in blankets *****. And we’re kissing each other and keeping each other warm cause its winter. I go home in February for leave so its going to be cold. We’re kissing and saying how much we love each other. Oh and then i keep saying how much i cant wait for our child to get here. She’ll be 7 months pregnant and february and thats the only part of the pregnancy i’ll be home for. I understand the fact of the possibility that i miss her and thats how i feel comfortable but is there more to the dream.

And yes the childs mine i found out 2 days before i deployed she was pregnant. Thanks for your time and sorry its so long

seamus g asked:

“The doctor’s hands were gripping the rail of the bed, his eyes fixed on the small tortured body. Suddenly it stiffened, and seemed to give a little at the waist, as slowly the arms and legs spread out X-wise. From the body, ***** under an army blanket, rose a smell of damp wool and stale sweat. The boy had gritted his teeth again. Then very gradually he relaxed, bringing his arms and legs back toward the center of the bed, still without speaking or opening his eyes, and his breathing seemed to quicken. Rieux looked at Tarrou, who hastily lowered his eyes. They had already seen children die- for many months now death had shown no favoritism- but they had never yet watched a child’s agony minute by minute, as they had now been doing since daybreak. Needless to say, the pain inflicted on those innocent victims had always seemed to them to be in fact what it was: an abominable thing. But hitherto they had felt its abomination in, so to speak, an abstract way; they had never had to witness over so long a period the death-throes of an innocent child.”- The Plague, Albert Camus

Dave M asked:

My mom got a black lab a few weeks ago. I am waiting to leave for the Army so I have been staying at home with the dog. She is now 3 months old. And in the last 3 weeks, I have gotten her completely house broken. She is a brilliant dog. For some reason, she would always go to the bathroom on my moms bedroom floor. I broke her of that and now there are no messes in the house. Except now she has peed twice on my moms bed. After the first time, my mom of course went and washed the sheets and blankets. But then, after they were clean, she did it again. Anybody know why she is doing this?

hotstepper2100 asked:

If you–for no other reason than you are in good terms with some powerful people–were given a million dollars, a blanket pardon for anything you may do (as long as you don’t kill or hurt anyone), a small army at your disposal, and only one night to do what you want to do with all of this, what would you do and why?