Not Your Momma's MilSpouse Archives

The Identity of Me

May 29, 2015 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Cyndia Rios-Myers, Guest Contributor

I know me. Most of the time.

I know what I look like, what my preferences are and what makes me tick. My husband of 14 years knows me on sight. My son knows me in that magnetic way that children know their mommies.

Sadly, though, proving that I am me is tricky.

At our last duty station in another state, I had a lot of people who could vouch for me. My coworkers knew me. I had business cards that bore my name. The caller ID for my office phone and the LED display displayed my name too. Many knew that I was me.

My military family life meant a transfer to another duty station in another state. My work identity (along with my job) was gone. My driver’s license expired.

My primary ID card became my military dependent one, which was alright by me. That laminated pink rectangle gave me the power to drive on military installations, to get cheap gas, to speak to Navy lawyers, to get free medical care and to get discounts from stores out in town as well as the ones on base. The card is so powerful that it makes my expired, out-of-state driver’s license valid.

I never leave home without it.

Still, that powerful pink card does not make me forget about my driver’s license. That card, expired as it is, still holds value. It identifies me in a way that is not dependent on anyone else’s employment. However, when it is threatened, I feel threatened.

The first time my driver’s license was questioned was during my last military ID renewal. I was told that because my ID did not have my hyphenated name on it, that it was not valid. The renewal was held until the renewing authority decided that he would “let it slide.”

The second time it was threatened was the scariest. A notary came to our home to supervise the signing of the closing documents of our home sale. Upon review of my driver’s license, the notary declared it as invalid for signing purposes. With a petrified heart and shocked ears, I listened as he explained the reasoning behind it. Because it has been issued more than 5 years ago, it was not good enough for my signing of documents.

After recovering from my shock, I produced my military ID. The notary then said that my military ID was not a valid ID either.

All while trying to keep my cool, I asked him to provide proof that my military ID was not “good enough.” Calmly, he did.

California notary rules state that:

A United States military identification card with a required photograph, description of the person, signature of the person, and an identifying number is an acceptable paper identification document.

My military ID has a picture. It has my signature and an identifying number too. However, it does not contain a description of me. Once upon a time, dependent IDs listed height, weight and color of hair and eyes. However, they no longer contain describing information.

Thankfully, I was able to find 2 validly licensed individuals to vouch for me and I was able to sign the documents that enabled me to sell my home.

Related: I’m a Mother, Not a Martyr

Along with giving me horrible news about my identification, the notary did give me valid advice. He told me to procure a passport, as it serves as identification that no agency would dare argue with.

As soon as we moved to our new home, I did just that. I found the nearest issuing agency and scheduled a time to go. Along with completed application forms (for myself and my son), I brought along my birth certificate, my marriage certificate, my Social Security card, my driver’s license, and my military dependent ID. Lots of proof of me.

I braced myself for some sort of argument regarding my military ID being valid as identification, but did not need to. The passport lady smiled as they took my picture, my forms and my money. I smiled too.

I feel more secure now, having my passport, my military ID and my driver’s license too. My pictures are on all 3, along with my distinctive name.

As of last week, I am a licensed California driver, with a current address, current name (my old driver’s license had my maiden name on it) and with an expiration date that is far into the future. It’s a good piece of armor for me.

However, I know that my passport, my military ID and my driver’s license are not watertight vouchers for my identity. At any given time, some official in some office somewhere might find a reason to null the value of any one of them.

I simply have to remind myself that I have time on my side; time to prove that I am me to those who would question that. Perhaps time will also serve to remind me that my personal value is not something that can be questioned by others.

Cyndia Rios-Myers is a writer based out of San Diego, whose past experiences include 6 years in the Navy (full of lovely sea-sickness), many adventures working in customer service, and being happily dragged across the country while her husband finishes his own career in the military. When not writing essays, articles, women’s fiction/suspense novels, or paranormal novellas, Cyndia can be found reading, cooking, hiking, homeschooling her son, watching HGTV, or unapologetically wasting time on Pinterest and other social media outlets. You can keep up with her musings at http://cyndiariosmyers.blogspot.com/ or on Twitter at @criosmyers.

What Employers Need to Know about Military Spouses

May 28, 2015 By Amanda Crowe, Program Manager of In Gear Career, a program of Hiring Our Heroes and the U.S. Chamber Foundation Leave a Comment

As the executive director of In Gear Career, I have heard a lot of military spouses talk about their perceptions of what employers must think of them. I have also heard real-life stories of what employers have SAID to them. These types of discussions always spark the debate about whether or not you should advertise the fact that you’re a military spouse.

The idea that we have to think about our “military spouse-ness” as a title or status-of-sorts kind of irks me.

I am proud to be married to a military member, but my current affiliation with the military is only part of who I am. In fact my “military spouse-ness” is probably the least relevant thing about me when considering me for employment (my current job aside of course). I also have a great education, tons of experience (both volunteer and paid) and a dedication to work hard and give my position with your organization my all. Don’t you want to know those things about me? Don’t those things hold weight?

Why must it always come back to what my spouse does?

I understand the perceptions that accompany the military lifestyle and certainly there’s no escaping the fact that most military families live in an often changing and often unpredictable life, but the following list are 5 things that I think all employers should know when the hiring of a military spouse seems “risky” or even daunting.

5 Things Employers Need to Know about Military Spouses

1. We didn’t choose this life.

I realize this one may ruffle a few feathers, but hear me out. Of course I chose to marry my husband—and for me, he was already in the Navy when I made that choice, but here’s the thing: I had no idea what it really MEANT to be married to a Navy guy. At the time we were married I worked in the Defense sector so it seemed super easy. Anywhere he has to go there will be a job for me: WRONG.

Does anyone ever really know what a marriage is going to be like the day they say, “I do”? I don’t think so.

There are too many things to learn along the way. For military spouses that can be anything from getting orders to a country that literally won’t let you work outside the home (hello resume gap!) to getting orders to the ONE place in this country that doesn’t have your career field (Ft. Polk, anyone?).

Related: Armed with Grit, Army Wife Transferred Fed Job 5 Times

So please, please understand that when we joined our lives with our service member we literally could not imagine all the effects it may have on our careers. You can bet we’re working our tails off to keep that career on track though and we’d love to bring our dedication to those career goals to your organization.

2. We really do want this job and we’ll do what it takes to do the job well.

If we’re applying for jobs, it’s not because we want something to do. It’s either a financial necessity for our family or simply because we have a desire to work and career goals of our own (or all of the above). Please know that just as any other employee you have, we will have a plan in place to assist us with the uncertainty of life so we are able to give our full dedication to the position with your organization.

Although we may not have truly known what we were getting into when we married our service member, we’re learning along the way and we’ve developed strategies to navigate whatever may be thrown at us on the job or off.

I’d actually say that being a part of the larger military community may mean we’re better equipped from the starting gate. Just like anyone we have to get to know new people in a new town, but we’re often put in the path of those folks very quickly in the military world. We’ve learned to lean on our village when needed.

3. If you’re wondering how the skills we have on our resumes apply to the position you’ve advertised, please ask us.

Due to the fact that we have moved a lot and have had to reinvent ourselves, our resumes may look a bit disjointed. We get that, but if we applied to your position, we know we can do it. It’s often hard to get everything we’re capable of on a resume, but we can definitely fill you in on our experience and how we can be an asset to your organization in a short phone call.

4. Our varied experience can be to your benefit.

There are plenty of articles calling military spouse employees dedicated, adaptable and capable of thinking on their feet. All of those things are true, but let’s take all of that one step further.

Military spouses have lived everywhere. Many of us have had the experience of living in a big city, living in a small town, overseas and just about anywhere you can think of. This varied experience can make us very relatable to even a very broad customer base. We’re chameleons that way.

5. We don’t think we’re special.

This may actually be the biggest thing of all. We don’t want charity, we don’t want special attention or special consideration.

We simply don’t want what our spouses do for a living to count us out before we’ve even started.

We want to be recognized for our own skill set, our own accomplishments and viewed as the valuable asset we know we can be to your organization.

As I said at the beginning of this article, there is no denying that the military life can bring some unavoidable realities, but with millennials expecting to change jobs every 2 to 3 years, please don’t view us as transient employees. If given the chance, military spouse professionals may just prove to be the best risk you’ve taken.

What else do employers need to know about potential military spouse employees?

Want a Gun in Your House? 10 Things You Should Know

May 20, 2015 By Guest Contributor 2 Comments

by Heather Wilson, Guest Contributor

Since ISIS’ distribution of a hit list targeting military personnel and their use of social media to threaten military wives, milspouses are facing dangers that seemed non-existent before the now standard presence of the internet in our lives.

Military spouses are actively seeking methods to protect themselves and their families. For some, topping the list of options is gun ownership.

There is, of course, a roadblock which Congressman Scott Rigell of Virginia addressed earlier this month when he introduced the Protect Our Military Families’ 2nd Amendment Rights Act. Active duty military personnel are exempt from laws that require them to be a resident of the state in which they wish to purchase a gun however, this exemption does not extend to their spouses. What Rigell is proposing would allow husbands and wives to purchase guns outside their state of residence.

Never a decision to be taken lightly, if you are contemplating the purchase of a firearm here are 10 things you should know about bringing a gun into your home:

1. Whether a Gun Is Right for You

Owning a weapon and being prepared to use it are 2 very different things.

Can you deal with the potential consequences of taking a life?
Will the gun work for your lifestyle or will you worry about who has access to it?
Are you confident in your abilities to maintain and utilize a gun?

It is imperative you are mentally equipped to take on the responsibilities that come with not only owning a gun, but pulling its trigger if the time comes.

2. What the Gun is for

Do you want to own a gun for self-defense purposes only? Do you want to have the ability to modify your weapon in order to hunt? Do you want to just shoot at the range to blow off steam? Is it an emotional comfort to make you feel safe?

Make sure your decision is informed and for the right reasons. Don’t allow yourself a false sense of security because you own a gun.

3. If You Are Eligible to Own a Gun

If residency is not a concern, consulting your state’s Bureau of Firearms website is a simple way to obtain the requirements to purchase a gun. Your local police station or the gun shop in which you wish to make your purchase can conduct a background check for you. There is usually a fee involved.

You will not be deemed eligible to own a gun if you have a history mental illness, felony or domestic abuse convictions, you have a convicted felon living in your home, you take certain medications, you are not a U.S. citizen or you are not of age. The age requirements vary dependent upon the type of firearm you wish to purchase and the state in which you live.

4. State and County Laws

While the federal government has its own regulations, each state also has its own set of laws. Federal law takes precedence, but you should know both.

If you are PCSing and will travel across state lines, you will need to consult your current state’s laws for transporting a gun in a vehicle as well as the laws of each state through which you travel.

5. Military Base Firearm Laws

In addition to federal, state and county laws we exist under another set of rules reserved for military personnel and their families. If you live on a military installation, you may not keep a gun in your home. You may not even drive onto base or post with a gun in your vehicle unless it is registered with the provost marshal.

All guns must be stored in the armory. In order to use it, you must check it out of the armory and return it as soon as you are finished.

You also may not carry it anywhere on base unless you are on-duty military police or a civilian police officer conducting official business, even if the state in which you live has issued you a concealed carry permit.

6. How to Educate Yourself

In addition to online resources some military installations offer gun education classes and shooting ranges through MWR. If these are not available on your base or post, organizations like the National Rifle Association offer instruction and training. There are also programs designed for women and courses are tailored to your specific needs.

7. How to Educate Your Children

One of the biggest concerns and controversies with bringing a gun into the home is the potential exposure to children. The daughter of a firearms expert, I grew up with a healthy respect for guns and they were always present in our home. They were not hidden from my siblings and me, and my father addressed our questions rather than trying to prohibit our natural curiosity.

Be proactive and answer your kids’ questions before they try to find things out on their own.

Take advantage of resources that are available to empower you and your children. Project Child Safe provides a video to help you get the conversation started and has issued a child’s pledge that will let your kids know you are confident in their ability to keep themselves accountable to your gun safety rules.

8. The Type of Gun that’s Right for You

My husband can shoot a .45 easily while the recoil packs a punch for me. I also have very small hands and reloading ammunition isn’t easy for me when it comes to certain weapons.

Hand size and strength should be taken into consideration when selecting a gun. Some people decide on a shotgun because it has a more forgiving trajectory and requires a less precise aim.

There are several factors to consider. The gun shop can help explain which weapon would be best for your needs. Don’t hesitate to ask questions! They will be happy to answer them for you. If they aren’t, go somewhere else.

9. Proper Maintenance and Storage

After each shooting session, you should always clean and lubricate your weapon. If your firearm is simply being stored it can be checked every couple of months to make sure it is not drawing moisture. Newer, high-quality gun safes have built-in dehydrators to prevent rusting and when it comes to storage, there are many options; open display (guns in a rack hanging on the wall), closed display (glass enclosure) and fully concealed gun safes.

Some people want their guns under lock and key and others want them readily available for use. Selecting the right option is dependent upon who has access to the weapon and state law.

10. Practice, Practice, Practice (Muscle Memory)

Through repetitive drawing, reloading and shooting with both hands, you will learn to go through automatic motions so you can stay focused on a potential threat. You will not always be in a controlled setting with bright lights and safety cover. It’s very likely if you ever have to draw your weapon and actually shoot, it will be in a low-light, adrenaline-pumping situation.

To get to the point you can use your hands without having to look at them and have confidence when you pull the trigger, you have to practice!

10 Things #MilSpouses Should Know About Gun Ownership

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It goes without saying gun ownership is a serious commitment. Should you exercise your right to own, always maintain a healthy respect for your weapon and the Constitution which allows you to keep it. Stay educated. Stay informed. Stay empowered.

Are you considering getting a gun? What questions do you have about gun ownership as a military spouse?

A note from the writer: Special thanks to my husband– firearms expert, hunter, former police officer and U.S. Navy sailor for sharing his knowledge for this article.

Business Traveler NA’s Business Traveler of the Year, Heather Wilson, is a corporate event marketing manager proudly married to a Navy sailor. A newlywed and proud cancer survivor who made history with her belly-button, she is addicted to loose-leaf tea and despite being half-Colombian has never had a cup of coffee in her life. Heather blogs about her adventures and all things “life” at Life of a Traveling Navy Wife. When she’s not traveling the world, you can find Heather with her husband on their Harley Davidson enjoying the beautiful San Diego scenery, strolling through Balboa Park walking her pet lizards, giving back to her community and trying to figure out to which hair color she should finally stick. You can follow Heather on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+.

4 Reasons MilSpouses Make Great Entrepreneurs

May 6, 2015 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer 2 Comments

by Hannah Becker, Guest Contributor

8 a.m.: I breeze through my inbox and put the final touches on half a dozen outgoing articles.

10 a.m.: I hop on Skype to record an interview with fellow female entrepreneur on the other side of the country. We chat about career, family, education and societal issues.

11 a.m.: I stretch with 30 minutes of yoga and meet the hubby for a lunch date.
Rest of the afternoon is spent developing marketing strategies for start-up clients, intermittent with coffee breaks and dog walks. I wrap things up at 4 p.m. and hit the gym for some cardio.

Yes, this is a typical day in the life of this entrepreneur. Yes, I am a military spouse defying the depressing statistical report of 90% of military wives jobless or unemployed.

Like far too many military spouses, I encountered great challenges when pursuing more traditional professional goals. About the time I would find a new job, we’d move, yet again.

My professional contacts were scattered all across the country and my career development had been erratic to say the least. More often than not, I found myself attempting to pull that “perfect position” out of a hat every time we relocated.

In less than 2 years, I’d had 7 different jobs, none of which mirrored my advanced education or skill set. It wasn’t working.

Enter entrepreneurship.

Having failed at yet another attempt to integrate into a new location and find a job, I decided to take the plunge—employ myself. Starting a new business wasn’t easy, but it was very, very worth it. As an entrepreneur, I no longer had to spend hours as a discouraged, underemployed professional, longing for a life not filled with cardboard boxes and change of address forms.

Instead, I was able to enjoy and experience the places we traveled and the people we met, without buckling under the ever-looming fear of professional suicide.

Entrepreneurship saved my career and it might be able to do the same for you.

Given the unique lifestyle military spouses lead and the challenges encountered, military spouses are extremely suited for the demands of entrepreneurship. Check out these 4 reasons military spouses make awesome entrepreneurs and see if this unique career path is right for you:

Common Community

The military community is more than an organization or affiliation; it’s a family. While every duty station may have its distinctions, its people all represent the same community–a community of patriotic families that provide a terrific segment of the consumer market to service.

One’s target market for children’s photography services at Naval Base San Diego, will be very similar to the target market identified at Naval Base Pensacola. Just because you change addresses, doesn’t mean your customers’ change face. Such continuity make transitioning from one physical location to the next occur without great disruption, if one’s consumer base includes part of the military community.

And let’s be honest, military families are fantastically loyal–we take care of our own! Veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses are rarely lacking in loyal patrons from the tight-knit military community. Don’t be afraid to let your affiliation known.

Fabulously Flexible

As military spouses, we all know the difficulty of maintaining a mailing address for more than 3 years, yet alone a consistent career. With the erratic training schedules, overwhelming deployments and all too frequent PCSing, military spouses’ careers often require immense flexibility, if a career is to even be a possibility.

Sound impossible? Think again…

Enter entrepreneurship: our society’s most flexible career option. It’s a profession that you can carry with you anywhere you go—whether you’re stationed in Alaska, Japan or anywhere in between! Like those wedding dishes you so carefully pack up for every PCS, your entrepreneurial career can be packed up and carried to your new destination.

High Transition

Locations with high transition rates are often fertile ground for business opportunities. Base areas are transient. Service members, military families and civilian contractors are always coming and going. Every few months, base regions encounter a predictable influx of new consumers. These new consumers are all looking for new service providers, new retailers, new experiences.

Related: 10 Free Resources for Military Spouse Entrepreneurs

Develop a business strategy that targets these highly transient consumers or addresses some of the unique need present in highly transient areas.

Here are a few examples to get the juices flowing:

property management company to assist with rental houses
residential cleaning agency offering services to the temp resident
rental car or taxi service to aide in transporting new and passing arrivals

What these highly transient locations lack in customer loyalty potential, they make up for in a steady stream of new customers.

Terrifyingly Tenacious

Theodore Roosevelt stated, “When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.” Halfway through my husband’s first deployment, I framed this quote over my bedside table; like many spouses’ “marching onward” while their loved one is stationed overseas, I felt I had very well reached the end of my rope.

Military spouses know how to “hold on,” even when life get tough. We weather the storm with a smile on our face, pour oodles of love into cardboard care packages and carry on—tackling all too many life crises–alone. We are strong. We are resilient. We are tenacious.

Milspouses know how to hold on even when things get tough. #milso #truth

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Starting a successful business doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it (like deployments) often involves many long days, limited resources, negligible support and a fair share of uncertainty.

But hey—who better to tackle those temporary hurdles than a tried-and-true, terrifyingly tenacious military spouse?! When we reach the end of our rope—personal or professional—we hold on.

The military spouse lifestyle presents a unique blend of skills and experiences wonderfully engineered to spell success for the ambitious entrepreneur. The tight-knit military community and highly transient geographical locations make for a consistent target market regardless of the ZIP code. The high degree of adaptability, perseverance and downright tenacious fervor that so often characterizes today’s military spouse makes for a fantastic entrepreneur.

If the career path of self-employment interests you, be sure to check out the Military Spouse Entrepreneur Spotlights on NextGen MilSpouse for inspiration and insight into the wonderful world of entrepreneurship.

Are you ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship? What questions do you have about entrepreneurship? Ask us in the comments. We’ll find the answers.

Hannah Becker is a serial entrepreneur, MBA grad and proud military spouse. Author of The Motivated Millennial: An Entrepreneurial Guidebook for Generation Y and Founder/Consultant at HCB Consulting, Hannah is committed to encouraging others to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Learn more about Hannah’s career and publications at www.themotivatedmillennial.com. Follow Hannah on Twitter: @MotivatedGenY or on Facebook.

I’m Not My Momma’s MilSpouse and Neither Are You

May 1, 2015 By Rachel 1 Comment

As a military brat-turned-writer, I’ve shared lessons learned from my childhood and also my new found respect for my mother as a military spouse herself.

Well, it doesn’t stop there. My grandmother was also a military spouse. Yes, I’m a third generation military spouse–and to be honest, I didn’t have the intent to become one! In fact, it was because of what my grandmother and mother experienced as military spouses that I was terrified of what the lifestyle could bring to me and I wrote it off completely.

The military always dictated or influenced my family’s decisions growing up. I was ready to break away permanently…or so I thought!

When I reached dating age, I went for the rebel dudes with long hair that were so not military-like. I was adamant about putting the lifestyle behind me and exploring the world on my own AND on my own terms.

In an ironic twist of fate, a handsome young soldier came into my life like a ton of bricks in the best way possible. As the story goes, I fell in love and had to be with him…military and all.

Then, reality set in (cue the dramatic music) and I remembered the challenges that the 2 most influential women in my life faced.

As an Army wife would I lose my identity?
How many sacrifices will I have to face as a military spouse?

The detail that resonated with me the most about my mother’s military spouse experience was her struggle with maintaining a career. When my parents met, she was making a great living as a musician. My mother went through college with a music scholarship and can play the violin and guitar. Aside from her talent in music, she studied accounting and finance, so ultimately that’s the field she wanted to break into once she was done with music.

Once they got married, it took my mom almost 10 years to secure a position in the field of her preference. We moved around too much for her to showcase her skills or she was too afraid to step out of her comfort zone. It wasn’t that other military spouses wouldn’t understand. On the contrary, it was because they didn’t think it was possible and they had ZERO resources for military spouse employment at that time.

My mother’s amazing tenacity lead her to her dream job. But, what happened to those that really didn’t have the help, guidance or tenacity?

Fast forward to today, there are a serious amount of amazing resources out there for military spouses. Think: In Gear Career. Think: MyCAA Think: Military Spouse Preference Program. Think: My SECO. To boot, there are a serious amount of military spouses (National Military Family Association, SpouseBuzz, Military Spouse magazine, Military One Source, and every instillation’s spouse Facebook group) out there to help each other armed with all those resources!

Not Your Momma’s MilSpouse Fact: 93% of active duty spouses are female.

Military spouses have always been there for each other. From duty station to duty station, the military families we interacted with were the best. Truly, they were extensions of our family. My grandma is even still apart of the military community going to church on base and my parents have to make their monthly visit. Despite the trials and tribulations the military brought to your life, it also brought togetherness.

Luckily for this milspouse generation, there is still a strong sense of community. Also, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard seasoned spouses say that the military spouse dynamic is changing. As an observer from generation to generation, I see a big difference. It’s happening and things are real.

Military spouses are in the workforce, kickin’ butt and takin’ names.

For starters, there are more working spouses. I think it’s becoming easier for military spouses to enter the workplace as more and more women as a whole are following suit.

The Internet is a HUGE help in keeping connections and also allowing the ability to work from wherever the heck you want. I wouldn’t have been able to do what I do without it!

Not Your Momma’s MilSpouse Fact: 40% of military spouses are employed. 12% of military spouses are service members

There is still a struggle for military spouse employment. According to the 2014 Blue Star Families military lifestyle survey, 43% of military spouses find that military spouse employment is an issue. The amazing thing out of this though is we have a voice, which is refreshing. So, don’t stop voicing your opinion and let’s keep working to stomp out the employment issue.

Military spouses are a diverse bunch.

Although, there are still things that are frowned upon like complaining to your spouse’s command for days away, the identity crisis issue has subdued a whole lot. My mom used to tell me that their first year was the roughest part of their marriage. That was mainly due to the complete and drastic life change coupled with living in a foreign country. She couldn’t easily connect with the friends she left when she got married let alone when they moved from one duty station to another, the best way to maintain communications was through long distance phone calls or snail mail and this was in the 80s and 90s!

As a result, she felt like she lost herself a bit with getting used to everything that being an Air Force wife brought. It was easy to have your husband’s job be at the forefront of conversations. At least for my mom, she spent a lot of time trying to figure out where she fit into the equation.

Not Your Momma’s MilSpouse Fact: There are nearly 187,000 male military spouses around the world according to DoD.

Today, military spouses can easily remain connected at all times without needing a long distance phone call. We can just hop on our computers or smart phones to video chat. Because I’m able to maintain and connect with the life I had before the military came back into myself, I don’t associate with my husband’s job a lot. I write about being a military spouse, but I talk about me and my experiences–and to tell you the truth, what my husband does isn’t that interesting anyway.

Now, I’m so proud to be among the ranks of military spouses as we continue to push the envelope everyday! From my grandma’s generation to today, the changes may seem small, but all in all these changes are making a huge difference in our lifestyle.