Today’s military families are paying at least three times as much for groceries and gas as they did 25 years ago. How did we get here?

As a long-time Navy wife and patron of dependent military medicine services, I am accustomed to having to change PCMs often. However, recent changes have been extreme -- and that’s no coincidence.

Sibling battles are more volatile than conflicts between friends, parents or coworkers. Simple arguments can go from zero to 100 in a flash, because their vulnerabilities are just under the surface. Siblings know exactly how to push each other’s buttons.

Don’t run from those embarrassing moments and misunderstandings -- embrace them. They make the best stories later.

Every person is unique in some way, some more than others. When I forget to appreciate my distinctively authentic personality, I think of Raggedy Ann.

Our exchange is sleazy, yet fair: I buy your overpriced coffee, and you give me unlimited Internet access. However, as long as you are looking for ways to “enhance the cafe experience,” here are a few suggestions.

Since leaving base life, I’ve longed for one or two “kitchen door” friends. The kind that show up unannounced without makeup on. The kind that tell you the commissary is out of strawberries. The kind that let you vent about how long it took for your number to be called at the base pharmacy. The kind that let you be yourself and appreciate you for it.

The first few days of my diet had seemed like fun. But by the second week of most diets, I want someone to hit me in the head with a frying pan — preferably one that has just fried up a dozen crisp slices of bacon — to put me out of my misery.

“There must be a better way to better myself,” I thought on Jan. 1, shoving a two-week-old Christmas cookie in my mouth reflectively.

I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s Eve. Perhaps my distaste for the occasion stems from unrealistic expectations. Maybe I associate it with mediocre parties, painful hangovers or failed resolutions. Or, maybe I’m reminded of my adolescent years and all those lousy babysitting jobs.