Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 8, 2021 6:46:55 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]Judy nodded, understanding every word. She, too, had once had her own unhealthy habits, ones she'd receded into for protection. The instinct to let good enough alone, for fear of losing precious progress and comfort, was familiar to her. "I wasn't there, but I know that you've made great progress in the last 13 years, and in fact, that's why I want to see where you can be 13 years from now," she said. "I don't think you should give up on the punching just yet, but I'd like for you to try other things, to keep growing, to keep making progress. I've seen a lot of trauma, mine, my crew's, and I've found that for a lot of people, creating something or other helps."Jovireh could see the growing collection of crocheted animals and other tchoctchkes on Judy's desk (the clothes went straight to their recipients), but in fact the Captain was thinking of her cooking, and of music. She adjusted her grip on the dermal regenerator. "Let's do your other hand."
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 8, 2021 7:19:12 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]Jovireh smiled lightly, grateful that there was still hope for her yet. As Judy finished with her one hand, she flexed her fingers a couple times, before switching her mug and offering her other hand. "It's been a few years since I've tried creating anything... but all my attempts before came to a screeching halt when I lost patience or got frustrated." Her lack of patience had been a problem in many aspects of her life for as long as she could remember. She'd gotten better about it in some ways - such as being able to follow an order and focus on the task at hand regardless of what it was, but when it came to things she was doing voluntarily, it was difficult for her to force herself to keep working on it when she wasn't getting results.
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 8, 2021 17:01:28 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Quarters]Judy nodded. That was something she could certainly understand. "That rules out painting, sculpting, and a lot of musical instruments, but there are still a few things I think you could try," she said, as she thought of what was still on the table. "You could try cooking. You get results quickly enough, and eating can be therapeutic as well."And though Judy wasn't going to mention it, you could also cook the kinds of brownies she baked back in college.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 10, 2021 7:05:36 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]At least the Captain didn't make any comments along the lines of 'you just have to keep at it' or 'practice makes perfect'. Jov had heard enough of those lectures throughout her life. It really wasn't a surprise that she brought up cooking, and the young woman raised an eyebrow slightly in amusement. She didn't know of anyone who would say they could picture her in a kitchen for any reason other than necessity. However, now that she thought about it, perhaps it would be nice if her mother could teach her how to make the Romulan dishes she'd always made before... It was so difficult to find Romulan cuisine in Federation space. The ingredients likely would still have to be replicated, but to taste hlai or travit again... That alone would be worth it. "I'll give that a try." Jovireh replied, taking another sip of her tea. Of course, she did have one past time that was less destructive and more helpful than punching bags... but it involved another person, whom was currently unavailable. That in itself was its own share of issues for her. Taking another sip, she lowered her mug and her gaze, watching the dark liquid swirl for a moment before speaking again. "Has there been any word from Caldonia?" She asked quietly. Jov hadn't wanted to bring it up, as she could only imagine how Judy felt about the whole thing. But as far as anyone knew, the Petty Officer was acquaintances at best with the five who'd been left behind. If she didn't ask, she'd have to rely on the gossip chain in the lower decks, and she was already praying that the rumors sweeping around weren't true.
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 10, 2021 19:58:11 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]Judy nodded. All she could ask of Jov was to try. "Let me know if I can help."However, as the topic turned to Caldonia, the smile was wiped from her face. She'd gotten better at controlling her emotions on the topic, but not at hiding the pain. "We have sources that indicate they're still alive, but releasing them is still a distant prospect," she whispered, her own words hitting her like a punch in the gut all over again. Still, she kept it together. This time, there was no hot flash, and very little blushing.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 11, 2021 2:12:25 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]Jovireh nodded silently, regretting having brought it up at the obvious effect it had on the other woman. But having confirmation all five were still alive was better than sifting through rumors. "They're resourceful," she reminded Judy quietly, hoping to provide at least some comfort. "When we got back from Serenity, Shavan said he'd gotten himself out of worse situations than that before. I'm sure he's putting that experiece to good use now." In her attempts to provide reassurance, she didn't consider the fact that calling a Lieutenant by his first name after only working together once would be giving the Captain a lot more information.
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 11, 2021 2:54:52 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]"I hope so," Judy whispered. "I hope so."Jov's use of the first-name basis hardly registered on the Captain's radar, a mere blip she brushed aside. "Well, if you do need a cooking instructor, or a kitchen, I'm more than happy to help with that," she offered, shifting gears entirely. The enlisted quarters, she believed, had only a replicator, whereas her own quarters had a massive kitchen she was happy to lend out. What's more, both herself and Max loved sharing the craft with others, such as Saya and Thea.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 11, 2021 16:24:12 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]The conversation shifted back to cooking, and Jov let it. Without being listed as a contact for any of the five, she wasn't privy to any further information. It was frustrating, but she understood Judy's position, and she had been the one to suggest to Shavan they keep their personal involvement secret. Suddenly that particular regulation infraction seemed a petty thing to be concerned about. "I'll remember that, thank you." she replied to the offer with a smile. Taking another sip of her tea, she let her thoughts go back to the potential new hobby. "There are a few recipes Mother cooked often when I was a kid... I think I'll start by asking her for those."
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 11, 2021 21:37:49 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]Judy smiled broadly. Oh, how talking about families (hers or others') brought her joy. And Devra, in particular, was a sweetheart. "That sounds lovely. The best recipes are the ones that get passed down from parent to child," she voiced her approval. And then she paused. Should she say more, or was it none of her business? "Beyond that, your mother is, in my opinion, a delight to be around, and she seems happy to be here.""A delight," was an understatement for the woman who had volunteered herself to hear Judy's innermost burden, but it conveyed the general message.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 12, 2021 7:54:06 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]Jovireh grinned wryly, relieved to hear that her mother hadn't been hassling the Captain. "I honestly haven't seen her this happy in a long time. She likes to be useful... Her job on Earth just wasn't that fulfilling I guess." It did make her happy to see her mother smiling so much. And the woman had so far kept to her word by not trying to monopolize all of her daughter's free time. "She can be a bit intrusive at times, but she always means well." Jov continued, recalling the rather blatant way Devra had brought up her private life during dinner. Thankfully she hadn't continued to pressure her to meet "her boy" over the last several weeks. Jovireh had been able to tell her that she had a friend among the Caldonia 5 without further inquiring into the nature of the friendship. She didn't expect that respect for privacy to last forever though.
Tag Judith Eastman
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 12, 2021 18:03:22 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]"A little meddling is just what mothers do. It's a form of love, however overbearing you may find it in the moment," Judy remarked, smiling. However, it wasn't her own meddling in her children's lives that came to mind. "Even at my age, my mother still feels the need to offer her advice. And she, herself, she was a four-term mayor of New York City, among other things, but she can't brew a cup of coffee without her mother, my grandmother, making herself known."Judy rarely mentioned her mother's distinguished political career, but in this case, it made her point.
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 12, 2021 20:46:33 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]Jovireh chuckled softly. "It's not the advice I mind... It's the incessant questions." Back at the Academy a good portion of her therapy sessions had been learning how to deal with her mother. After losing her husband and career so suddenly and all at once, the woman became almost intolerable of her over protection and need to be completely involved in her daughter's life. The method of deflection she had used at the dinner was one such example of what she'd learned - Maintain a boundary by offering an alternative. Such as "no, you can't meet the person I'm sleeping with, but you can meet my best friends." She had been skeptical the first few times she tried it, but just like at the dinner it had worked wonders in redirecting her. "I don't think all children need a therapist to tell them how to communicate with their mother," she added wryly, taking another drink of tea.
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 12, 2021 21:44:12 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]Judy took a deep breath. This was certainly no ordinary relationship, much more complicated than any of the decades-long mother-daughter links in her own family tree. "I'm sure you already know this, but you two went through a shared trauma that no one should have to suffer through," she stated the obvious. She took another breath, as she thought of the recent past. "I can tell you, there were five crewmembers, during the war, on my ship, five that died and left behind broken families, and I've stayed in touch with all of them; I consider them all family."She took a sip of espresso, holding the mug with both hands. "One thing that I noticed with all five families is the way the widow or widower becomes incredibly protective of the kids, and incredibly nosy, no matter the species. I think - and I'm not a therapist, as you know - but I think that losing a parent is like losing your past, it's like losing your childhood. Losing a partner is different, because you're losing the future you dreamed of; you don't get to grow old with that person you'd chosen, and you have to rethink all the things you planned to do, because chances are they all involved the one you loved. The main thing, usually the only thing, that widows and widowers have left of that future is the kids, at least until they can build a new future. I think that your mother is building that new future here."There was a sixth family that could be spoken of, but the spouse who'd had to rebuild there was not a widow - she was a divorcee. Judy Eastman, in becoming Judy Eastman-Williams, had built a new future, and in the process become less overwhelming to her sons.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Mar 13, 2021 0:50:45 GMT
[PO2 Jovireh Velal - Front Ear - CO's Office]Jov listened intently, nodding in understanding as she sipped her tea. "My therapist basically said the same thing." Oh how long ago that had been. "And we did end up getting closer over the years. Learned how to adapt together as well as individuals. I also learned that part of it is that I didn't have much of my own life on the family ship. My only friends were the holograms my father installed for me. Then suddenly we were on a planet, surrounded by people, and I immediately started making my own life without really considering how she felt like she was losing me, too." That was why she had always made a point to let her mother know whenever she returned safely from a mission. Why she did her best to open up about the details of her life, the friends she had made, even the boring details of her patrols. And it was why she didn't mind her mother moving to the station, in spite of her initial hesitation. She didn't want to put Devra through feeling that loss all over again.
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Mar 13, 2021 2:28:30 GMT
[Capt. Judith Eastman(-Williams) - Commanding Officer's Office]Judy smiled softly, approvingly, as she sipped her decaf. "In the long run, there's also a silver lining to it. Because you were so ready to spread your wings, so ready to go forward, you kept the both of you from just shutting in together."She clasped her hands on the desk. There wasn't a whole lot she could say that a therapist couldn't say better. "Is there anything else on your mind?" she asked.
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