Just a few things I felt like sharing/getting off my chest today. First, those of you who read the zombie blog know about this, but that blog really made me notice something that I think demonstrates the fundamental difference that seperates a Marine from a civilian.

If you propose a hypothetical disaster or catastrophic emergency to a person and ask them what they would do or what their plan would be in that situation, their immediate instinctual reaction will almost universally be to lay out a plan, often perfectly well-thought out, for keeping themselves alive. Some will include plans to save their loved ones as well.

But if you pose that same question to a Marine, their first and immediate instinctive reaction will be to lay out a plan to save not only themselves, not only their loved ones, but to save EVERYBODY. If you haven't read that blog, and you're curious, go to Strangef8's "What's your Zombie Plan" blog and have a look, you'll see what I mean. Lots of people responded with what they would do to save themselves, or save their families, or in some cases simply enjoy their final days as much as possible before their inevitable doom.

Without a second thought, I immediately laid out a plan to save the entire human race. I didn't even realize the magnitude of the strategy I was laying out until I finished it and noticed the contrast with everyone else. It was just instinct. Automatic. I never once gave a thought to my own survival, I only focused on how to rescue and protect as many survivors as humanly possible, even going so far as to plan out how the rescue efforts could spread out and cleanse/recolonize the entire globe.

It was actually a pretty cool feeling to recognize how instinctive it has become for me to forego any thoughts of my own safety and survival and focus so intently on how many other people I could save. And I realized, that's the difference that seperates Marines from civilians. And if you'll forgive me for taking just one little political stab: that same difference seperates McCain from Obama. I'll say no more about that. I have another topic to discuss, but this blog is long enough already... I'll make another.