Katy Perry - Part Of Me

Okay, okay... so I just saw the new Katy Perry music video, "Part of Me". I was a bit disappointed at first to see her portray a female Marine, and was like, "that b*tch doesn't rate to wear that uniform!" I quickly got over it as I saw the video a couple times more. Then, it dawned on me. That was me in 2004. The a-hole is not really worth noting, but heck, I actually relate to this damn song/vid.

In 2003, I met this guy aka douchebag-- and fell for him, ugh. I had plans on going into the Marine Corps, but he didn't want me to. So, I ended up living with him, and almost didn't go into the Marine Corps, because he told me that he wouldn't wait for me. He wanted me to be a suzy homemaker at the ripe age of 19. I wasn't ready to be that for any man. So, a few months dragged on, and I had a ship date for June. He decided to kick me to the curb the day after Mother's Day. I remember packing my belongings, sitting on his front porch dialing my recruiter's office. I was ready to ship immediately. However, my ship date had been taken since they hadn't heard from me a couple of months. I felt so stupid. I went back to my mom's house for a month, got a job as a waitress, and received a new ship date for August. I found out a week or so prior before my final ship date, that I was leaving to Parris Island sooner. A girl had gotten pregnant, and I was slated to leave in July. Hallulajah. I was so upset with this guy, and the Marine Corps was my official way out.  I went to bootcamp, finished, came home to find out that he had missed me. I was a fool, and decided to go on dates during boot leave, thinking that we were going to be okay. I went on to Marine Combat Training (MCT), got injured, and had to remain behind in medical rehap platoon. I had called him before Christmas to arrange a flight home for Christmas, and then he notified me two weeks before my leave, that he had found someone new. Huge slap in the face. I had given him my Marine Corps ring during boot leave, and I retrieved it back during Christmas.

Honestly, it was the best thing that did happen to me. He was completely wrong for me, and I got fortunate enough to find my husband when I was on active duty. I just can't help but crack up to how I relate to this video. 

 In fact, I remember thinking, I'll never let a man do that to me again... I had finally grown a pair, and did something empowering for myself. So, as much as everyone wants to bash the video, for Katy wearing a uniform that she didn't earn, or the glorifed scenes of being on the beaches with landing assault vehicles, in my eyes, as a real female Marine, I was like, "Holy shit.. that was me back then..."