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Saturday, April 30, 2011
Inside a U.S. Embassy
If you are interested in joining the Foreign Service, this book, Inside a U.S. Embassy, is a must read for you.
The new edition has an added bonus. It has an article by Clayton Bond and his husband Ted Osius on a day in the life of a "non-traditional" Tandem Couple.
Though if you met them, you'd find that they, like me and my wife, are pretty darned traditional!
ON EDIT: One of my (and your, I assume) favorite bloggers, Donna from over at Email From The Embassy is also in there. So just one more reason you should get this book!
WP: Honor all those who die in service to our country
The Washington Post has a good piece today called Honor all those who die in service to our country that you should check out.
It talks about the difference between the ways military veterans who die in the service of the country and civilian employees who die serving, often in the same places, are treated.
While Congress dictates the way fallen soldiers are treated, it is left to the agency where the fallen civilian worked to decide how, and WHETHER, the employee is honored.
The article goes on to say:
"All those who serve our nation take the same oath of office. Whether they die in a combat zone, in a foreign embassy in a nation at peace or in an IRS building targeted by a citizen who hates the government, they have died in service and honor to that oath. Simple justice demands we return the honor they have given."
Amen.
It talks about the difference between the ways military veterans who die in the service of the country and civilian employees who die serving, often in the same places, are treated.
While Congress dictates the way fallen soldiers are treated, it is left to the agency where the fallen civilian worked to decide how, and WHETHER, the employee is honored.
The article goes on to say:
"All those who serve our nation take the same oath of office. Whether they die in a combat zone, in a foreign embassy in a nation at peace or in an IRS building targeted by a citizen who hates the government, they have died in service and honor to that oath. Simple justice demands we return the honor they have given."
Amen.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Washington Post gets it wrong
For the second time this week, the Washington Post has gotten it way wrong.
Not content with an unsigned editorial earlier in the week on the topic of their error, today they offered a signed editorial (I'll post the link once I find it...it is in the print edition today) saying basically the same thing.
Which is, that Human Rights Campaign and others bullied the law firm house Speaker Boehner selected to defend the so-called Defense of Marriage Act after the President and Justice Department decided to stop wasting taxpayer money to defend an unconstitutional law.
Apparently the post thinks that it is bullying not to reward a firm that takes a stand you don't believe it. (And let's not even discuss the inflamatory use of bullying here at a time when we have an epidemic of gay kids killing themselves because of bullying, because laws like DOMA reinforce to them and to the real bullies that they are second class citizens).
I, and HRC no doubt, believe in everyone's right to representation in court. Even the slimiest criminal has a right to a defense.
However, do you think that a firm defending a member of the Klan should get a civil rights award? I don't.
And I don't think a firm defending DOMA should get a top score from HRC's equality index.
And if my lawyer were defending such a law, I'd want to be told, so I could take my business elsewhere.
And this is what HRC did...they told the firms LGBT clients, via social media, what the firm was doing. And they declined to continue to give the firm a high score on their equality index.
That isn't bullying. That is taking your money and spending it with those who support you.
Not content with an unsigned editorial earlier in the week on the topic of their error, today they offered a signed editorial (I'll post the link once I find it...it is in the print edition today) saying basically the same thing.
Which is, that Human Rights Campaign and others bullied the law firm house Speaker Boehner selected to defend the so-called Defense of Marriage Act after the President and Justice Department decided to stop wasting taxpayer money to defend an unconstitutional law.
Apparently the post thinks that it is bullying not to reward a firm that takes a stand you don't believe it. (And let's not even discuss the inflamatory use of bullying here at a time when we have an epidemic of gay kids killing themselves because of bullying, because laws like DOMA reinforce to them and to the real bullies that they are second class citizens).
I, and HRC no doubt, believe in everyone's right to representation in court. Even the slimiest criminal has a right to a defense.
However, do you think that a firm defending a member of the Klan should get a civil rights award? I don't.
And I don't think a firm defending DOMA should get a top score from HRC's equality index.
And if my lawyer were defending such a law, I'd want to be told, so I could take my business elsewhere.
And this is what HRC did...they told the firms LGBT clients, via social media, what the firm was doing. And they declined to continue to give the firm a high score on their equality index.
That isn't bullying. That is taking your money and spending it with those who support you.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Well that's not how I got in...
If you needed more evidence that those in power have no respect for the Foreign Service, just check out this article:
Prisoner? No, Your Honor, I’d Rather Be a Diplomat
Yes, you read that correctly.
It seems that former NY state senator Vincent L. Leibell III, pleaded guilty in December to corruption charges, is going to be sentenced in two weeks, and prosecutors want him to spend two years in prison.
Leibell (R - Putnam Co.) has a better idea.
He wants to be a diplomat, maybe someplace like Iraq or Libya.
He of course has no experience and doesn't speak any of the languages used there, but then again, maybe he thinks his corruption experience would help him deal with any corrupt officials he met with.
Oh, and then he'd like to get a Master's in Diplomacy.
Even Leibell’s successor in the Senate, former Air Force officer Gregory R. Ball, a former Air Force officer, doesn't get it. He called the proposal a “slap in the face to all troops.”
No, it isn't.
It is a slap in the face to all diplomats.
Prisoner? No, Your Honor, I’d Rather Be a Diplomat
Yes, you read that correctly.
It seems that former NY state senator Vincent L. Leibell III, pleaded guilty in December to corruption charges, is going to be sentenced in two weeks, and prosecutors want him to spend two years in prison.
Leibell (R - Putnam Co.) has a better idea.
He wants to be a diplomat, maybe someplace like Iraq or Libya.
He of course has no experience and doesn't speak any of the languages used there, but then again, maybe he thinks his corruption experience would help him deal with any corrupt officials he met with.
Oh, and then he'd like to get a Master's in Diplomacy.
Even Leibell’s successor in the Senate, former Air Force officer Gregory R. Ball, a former Air Force officer, doesn't get it. He called the proposal a “slap in the face to all troops.”
No, it isn't.
It is a slap in the face to all diplomats.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
More Like Slammed Shut
I thought I was on a plateau.
I was wrong.
I am falling into a hole.
And that hole has a name: avatud uksed
It means "Open doors" and is the name of our new Estonian textbook.
You see, we finished the basic textbook (hold your applause) and have graduated to the next one.
Apparently we are now at the high school level...or not, if you ask me.
This book makes me feel whole new levels of stupid.
And I only have 10 weeks left to get to my 3/3.
I was wrong.
I am falling into a hole.
And that hole has a name: avatud uksed
It means "Open doors" and is the name of our new Estonian textbook.
You see, we finished the basic textbook (hold your applause) and have graduated to the next one.
Apparently we are now at the high school level...or not, if you ask me.
This book makes me feel whole new levels of stupid.
And I only have 10 weeks left to get to my 3/3.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
DiploPundit: Don't Be a Passhole
DiploPundit says "Don't be a passhole, go vote in the AFSA Elections."
I completely agree.
Don't know what a "passhole" is? According to DiploPundit, that is "someone who opts out of participating in a decision, but then complains bitterly about the outcome."
There are a lot of passholes in the Foreign Service. Although active duty Foreign Service make up more than 63% of the membership of AFSA, we were just 43% of the votes cast in the last election. Retirees are just over 26% of AFSA, but they made up 47% of the last vote.
Your vote matters.
I agree with DiploPundit that retirees should have a voice in the direction of the Foreign Service.
But DiploPundit adds (and I agree):
"..the active members of the Foreign Service, as the largest voting bloc and as the folks who have been repeatedly deployed to warzones, hardship/unaccompanied and dangerous assignments in the last decade, and who will continue to deploy to increasingly challenging assignments in the years ahead -- they need to have their voices heard, in shall we say, more appropriate collective tone of voice.
And-- they won't have their voices heard unless you, the active members, participate in greater number in the process of picking your own representatives.
The Foreign Service has changed in so many ways in the last decade alone. I think candidates who are on active duty, who have served in warzones or hardship assignments, who have specialized skills in management, human resources, and other functional skills, those who have professional spouses navigating unemployment overseas -- those with compelling and recent experiences from the trenches can only add to better representation of the rank and file of the service."
As I said before, I believe strongly that AFSA's President needs to be active duty. The Foreign Service of today is not the Foreign Service of old. We are not all retirees, with some of us just retiring in the future instead of the past. Some of us will leave the service because of the hardships we face. Some of us will leave the service because we don't value training enough. Some of us will leave the service because it does not take care of our needs and the needs of our families.
That is, we will unless we have a "union" that understands not just the needs of the retirees, but also the needs of the active duty Foreign Service.
That is why I voted for Susan Johnson, Daniel Hirsch and the entire slate Susan put forward. (and why I am writing in Mary Glantz, who was on the previous board and is unexpectedly staying in DC for another year). Because I think that despite the nastiness of the last election, this diverse group has worked together and is moving towards a better balance of active duty and retiree needs.
And that is why I hope you will vote, regardless of who you vote for.
So don't be a passhole.
I completely agree.
Don't know what a "passhole" is? According to DiploPundit, that is "someone who opts out of participating in a decision, but then complains bitterly about the outcome."
There are a lot of passholes in the Foreign Service. Although active duty Foreign Service make up more than 63% of the membership of AFSA, we were just 43% of the votes cast in the last election. Retirees are just over 26% of AFSA, but they made up 47% of the last vote.
Your vote matters.
I agree with DiploPundit that retirees should have a voice in the direction of the Foreign Service.
But DiploPundit adds (and I agree):
"..the active members of the Foreign Service, as the largest voting bloc and as the folks who have been repeatedly deployed to warzones, hardship/unaccompanied and dangerous assignments in the last decade, and who will continue to deploy to increasingly challenging assignments in the years ahead -- they need to have their voices heard, in shall we say, more appropriate collective tone of voice.
And-- they won't have their voices heard unless you, the active members, participate in greater number in the process of picking your own representatives.
The Foreign Service has changed in so many ways in the last decade alone. I think candidates who are on active duty, who have served in warzones or hardship assignments, who have specialized skills in management, human resources, and other functional skills, those who have professional spouses navigating unemployment overseas -- those with compelling and recent experiences from the trenches can only add to better representation of the rank and file of the service."
As I said before, I believe strongly that AFSA's President needs to be active duty. The Foreign Service of today is not the Foreign Service of old. We are not all retirees, with some of us just retiring in the future instead of the past. Some of us will leave the service because of the hardships we face. Some of us will leave the service because we don't value training enough. Some of us will leave the service because it does not take care of our needs and the needs of our families.
That is, we will unless we have a "union" that understands not just the needs of the retirees, but also the needs of the active duty Foreign Service.
That is why I voted for Susan Johnson, Daniel Hirsch and the entire slate Susan put forward. (and why I am writing in Mary Glantz, who was on the previous board and is unexpectedly staying in DC for another year). Because I think that despite the nastiness of the last election, this diverse group has worked together and is moving towards a better balance of active duty and retiree needs.
And that is why I hope you will vote, regardless of who you vote for.
So don't be a passhole.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Welcome to the 120th!
Unless my PJ-induced level of relaxation (I took today off...) has me confused, today is the first day for the 120th Specialist Class, and I wanted to wish them a warm welcome!
We have a couple of bloggers in that class (or at least we do until they get the lecture that may or may not make them stop blogging...sigh. Hang tough y'all!) and I wanted to call your attention to them as I move them from the "Future FS" blogroll to the Foreign Service blogroll.
So please stop over at:
Milestones
and
World Craft
and give them a warm welcome!
We have a couple of bloggers in that class (or at least we do until they get the lecture that may or may not make them stop blogging...sigh. Hang tough y'all!) and I wanted to call your attention to them as I move them from the "Future FS" blogroll to the Foreign Service blogroll.
So please stop over at:
Milestones
and
World Craft
and give them a warm welcome!
A Place for our Stuff
Extra points for you if you get the reference in the title.
I got word this morning that we have been approved for our housing in Tallinn. It looks to be a great place...entirely too big but I'm not complaining!
It has enough bedrooms that each of our pets can have their own room...hmmm, I wonder if post thought I meant that my "kids" were actually kids...
Anyway.
It is walking distance to the Old City, the Embassy and, perhaps most important of all...a dog park.
Now if we could just get them to approve my wife coming with me THIS August (and not next August), all will be right with the world.
I got word this morning that we have been approved for our housing in Tallinn. It looks to be a great place...entirely too big but I'm not complaining!
It has enough bedrooms that each of our pets can have their own room...hmmm, I wonder if post thought I meant that my "kids" were actually kids...
Anyway.
It is walking distance to the Old City, the Embassy and, perhaps most important of all...a dog park.
Now if we could just get them to approve my wife coming with me THIS August (and not next August), all will be right with the world.
Friday, April 22, 2011
I have a date
A date with destiny.
Or despair. Depression. Dementia.
On of those.
That date is July 7.
That is eleven weeks from yesterday.
That is the day I will take my final language exam, the day that I will find out if I get that all important 3/3, if I get to go to post without a language waiver (or if I have to extend in training, thereby making my teacher, who would like to have a vacation too, HATE me). Also the date that I learn if I will be getting language incentive pay. Which I will need to offset the locality pay cut I will take to go overseas.
Thankfully the LTS and other training gods smiled on me and set my test for 2 pm. They had at first suggested it start at 7:30 AM(!), which is a recipe for failure. I don't do mornings.
Of course, this news could not have come at a better time (insert sarcasm here). Right while I am hitting another "Oh my god I am stupid" phase.
My teacher assures me it is actually because I have improved so much that I want to be able to say more and in more complicated ways.
She could be right...or I could just be getting stupid again. It happens in language training.
Or despair. Depression. Dementia.
On of those.
That date is July 7.
That is eleven weeks from yesterday.
That is the day I will take my final language exam, the day that I will find out if I get that all important 3/3, if I get to go to post without a language waiver (or if I have to extend in training, thereby making my teacher, who would like to have a vacation too, HATE me). Also the date that I learn if I will be getting language incentive pay. Which I will need to offset the locality pay cut I will take to go overseas.
Thankfully the LTS and other training gods smiled on me and set my test for 2 pm. They had at first suggested it start at 7:30 AM(!), which is a recipe for failure. I don't do mornings.
Of course, this news could not have come at a better time (insert sarcasm here). Right while I am hitting another "Oh my god I am stupid" phase.
My teacher assures me it is actually because I have improved so much that I want to be able to say more and in more complicated ways.
She could be right...or I could just be getting stupid again. It happens in language training.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Mul on mantel!
Which means...I have a coat.
I finally bit the bullet. Okay, actually I finally found, after a lot of searching, a price I wanted to pay for a coat that seemed to be of the quality I wanted.
I found a deal on a Mountain Hardwear Downtown Down coat and it arrived yesterday.
It comes almost to my knees (it is supposed to be mid-thigh, but I'm short!) and is 650 count down. It has cuffs on the sleeves to keep the wind out, a detachable hood, and fleece on the inside for extra warmth. It is only water resistant, not water proof, but I found online that I can use Scotch Guard for Outdoor Material to make it waterproof (something very important in Estonia).
I do not, however, think this will be my true winter coat. I think this will be my fall/early winter coat. And maybe my spring coat. This coat has great reviews, but I am not sure people have used this against an Estonian-type winter. And it seems really light, especially compared with my really old down coat (appropriate for going out in the snow but not work), and I don't think that they have come up with great innovation in down, since it is the geese who actually make the down.
I plan to use my wool/cashmere dress coat as my summer coat!
I finally bit the bullet. Okay, actually I finally found, after a lot of searching, a price I wanted to pay for a coat that seemed to be of the quality I wanted.
I found a deal on a Mountain Hardwear Downtown Down coat and it arrived yesterday.
It comes almost to my knees (it is supposed to be mid-thigh, but I'm short!) and is 650 count down. It has cuffs on the sleeves to keep the wind out, a detachable hood, and fleece on the inside for extra warmth. It is only water resistant, not water proof, but I found online that I can use Scotch Guard for Outdoor Material to make it waterproof (something very important in Estonia).
I do not, however, think this will be my true winter coat. I think this will be my fall/early winter coat. And maybe my spring coat. This coat has great reviews, but I am not sure people have used this against an Estonian-type winter. And it seems really light, especially compared with my really old down coat (appropriate for going out in the snow but not work), and I don't think that they have come up with great innovation in down, since it is the geese who actually make the down.
I plan to use my wool/cashmere dress coat as my summer coat!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
And Then There Were Two
So today was the last day for one of my classmates.
He took his test today...I hope it went really well.
He isn't leaving yet...he has more training to do...but once again I am reminded of just how little time we have left.
Cue panic.
It suddenly occurred to me that I am not feeling like I have improved much since we got back from our immersion. And so now I am worrying about whether I will get my 3/3.
Not that this would be the end of the world...it would mean the end of my vacation, since I would get extended in language. But it wouldn't be the end of the world. Or maybe it would be...I could really use a vacation, and I think my wife will die if we don't get one soon.
Still, I can't shake the feeling that I should be better by now. Long-term language training is HELL on your self esteeem. No matter how good a language learner you are. No matter how good or nice (or bad or hateful...I have really lucked out on that account! Not all language teachers are created equal.) your teacher is.
So twelve weeks....11 1/2 really. Not much time to become awesome. And not a lot of time to get everything organized, since so many other things are up in the air...little things, like whether my wife will be with me.
Sigh.
He took his test today...I hope it went really well.
He isn't leaving yet...he has more training to do...but once again I am reminded of just how little time we have left.
Cue panic.
It suddenly occurred to me that I am not feeling like I have improved much since we got back from our immersion. And so now I am worrying about whether I will get my 3/3.
Not that this would be the end of the world...it would mean the end of my vacation, since I would get extended in language. But it wouldn't be the end of the world. Or maybe it would be...I could really use a vacation, and I think my wife will die if we don't get one soon.
Still, I can't shake the feeling that I should be better by now. Long-term language training is HELL on your self esteeem. No matter how good a language learner you are. No matter how good or nice (or bad or hateful...I have really lucked out on that account! Not all language teachers are created equal.) your teacher is.
So twelve weeks....11 1/2 really. Not much time to become awesome. And not a lot of time to get everything organized, since so many other things are up in the air...little things, like whether my wife will be with me.
Sigh.
Monday, April 18, 2011
We Missed You!
We had a nice GLIFAA lunch with the 160th A-100.
We had several folks show up from the 160th, including allies (we LOVE allies!).
It was good to get to know some of the newest FSOs. They speak well for the future of the Service!
We had several folks show up from the 160th, including allies (we LOVE allies!).
It was good to get to know some of the newest FSOs. They speak well for the future of the Service!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Let's Do Lunch!
GLIFAA tries to have a brown bag for each new orientation class. Monday, the 18th, is the brown bag for the current A-100 and anyone else who would like to join us.
We LOVE allies!
We will be in one of the rooms off of the cafeteria at FSI (C-2107 I think, but I need to verify that!) beginning at 12:10.
Hope to see you there!
We LOVE allies!
We will be in one of the rooms off of the cafeteria at FSI (C-2107 I think, but I need to verify that!) beginning at 12:10.
Hope to see you there!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Beginning of the End
We had a party today for the first of this crop of Estonian students to head off.
He wasn't in our regular class...he was just doing the short course. Still, I have served with him before and am delighted to serve with him again. So I am happy for him and sad to see him leave.
It signals the beginning of the end.
Next week, one of our core three in class will test and head off to other training. Then it really starts to get real.
We only have 12 weeks left of training. Twelve weeks to get to that elusive 3/3.
A little unnerving, but also a little exciting.
I think I would be more excited if more were nailed down for me and my family.
We still don't know what is going on with my wife's training.
Will she with me in August? Stay behind for a year? Only six months? Go to Baghdad instead? We just don't know.
And then today, we got our housing assignment.
It isn't the place I wanted, but I am sure it will be fine. It looks like it is gi-nourmous. And our bed will definitely fit in the master bedroom.
But because it is so huge, Post has to get a waiver for us. Because there are only two of us. Plus, even though we will be section heads, we are still only mid-level.
So more waiting...another week or two. More things up in the air.
I've blogged before on how you have to give up your need to plan when you join the service, right?
Yeah, I'm still working on that.
He wasn't in our regular class...he was just doing the short course. Still, I have served with him before and am delighted to serve with him again. So I am happy for him and sad to see him leave.
It signals the beginning of the end.
Next week, one of our core three in class will test and head off to other training. Then it really starts to get real.
We only have 12 weeks left of training. Twelve weeks to get to that elusive 3/3.
A little unnerving, but also a little exciting.
I think I would be more excited if more were nailed down for me and my family.
We still don't know what is going on with my wife's training.
Will she with me in August? Stay behind for a year? Only six months? Go to Baghdad instead? We just don't know.
And then today, we got our housing assignment.
It isn't the place I wanted, but I am sure it will be fine. It looks like it is gi-nourmous. And our bed will definitely fit in the master bedroom.
But because it is so huge, Post has to get a waiver for us. Because there are only two of us. Plus, even though we will be section heads, we are still only mid-level.
So more waiting...another week or two. More things up in the air.
I've blogged before on how you have to give up your need to plan when you join the service, right?
Yeah, I'm still working on that.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Back to Area Studies
I haven't been in area studies for a bit.
We (my classmate and I) missed a week for our immersion.
And then, for the new area studies studies, our instructor played Everything is Illuminated again. Those who had seen it were excused.
So I was back today...and it was a pretty good one.
We had a speaker come talk to us about Polish politics. And even though I am not going to Poland, I found the talk interesting and relevant.
Just wanted to give credit where credit is due.
We still have no news on my wife's In Country Language Training. We are crossing fingers, toes, eyes and everything else we can think of that her appeal will be approved.
I really don't want to spend another year apart.
We apparently got our housing assignment today and it wasn't the apartment we requested. However, it is supposed to be a bigger and even better apartment nearby.
I can't wait to see the pictures.
We (my classmate and I) missed a week for our immersion.
And then, for the new area studies studies, our instructor played Everything is Illuminated again. Those who had seen it were excused.
So I was back today...and it was a pretty good one.
We had a speaker come talk to us about Polish politics. And even though I am not going to Poland, I found the talk interesting and relevant.
Just wanted to give credit where credit is due.
We still have no news on my wife's In Country Language Training. We are crossing fingers, toes, eyes and everything else we can think of that her appeal will be approved.
I really don't want to spend another year apart.
We apparently got our housing assignment today and it wasn't the apartment we requested. However, it is supposed to be a bigger and even better apartment nearby.
I can't wait to see the pictures.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Freudian Slip
So here's something funny.
I now know enough Estonian to make a Freudian slip.
We were talking about the budget and how we were relieved that the shutdown had been averted so we didn't lose our pay.
What I meant to say was:
"Tänan Jumalele" or Thank God.
What I actually said was:
"Tänan rumalele" or Thank Stupid.
You can just make of that what you will.
I now know enough Estonian to make a Freudian slip.
We were talking about the budget and how we were relieved that the shutdown had been averted so we didn't lose our pay.
What I meant to say was:
"Tänan Jumalele" or Thank God.
What I actually said was:
"Tänan rumalele" or Thank Stupid.
You can just make of that what you will.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Who Was Happy To Go To Work Today?
Me, that's who.
Yes, really.
I really love my job...I also really like getting paid for it, so I can do other things I really like.
Like pay my bills!
I also like being better able to focus...my background is solidly and proudly working class. My mom came from mill workers and military, my dad from coal miners and military (we believe in service). I am the first in my family to graduate college, and I was graduated from a state university in my home state. Nothing fancy here.
And I know from experience what it is like not to have enough money to pay my bills. I know, and wish I didn't, how long you can put off paying certain utilities before they get cut off.
I haven't been in that position in years, far longer than I have worked for the Department. But I remember it...and I never want to go there again.
So yeah, really really happy to be at work today.
Yes, really.
I really love my job...I also really like getting paid for it, so I can do other things I really like.
Like pay my bills!
I also like being better able to focus...my background is solidly and proudly working class. My mom came from mill workers and military, my dad from coal miners and military (we believe in service). I am the first in my family to graduate college, and I was graduated from a state university in my home state. Nothing fancy here.
And I know from experience what it is like not to have enough money to pay my bills. I know, and wish I didn't, how long you can put off paying certain utilities before they get cut off.
I haven't been in that position in years, far longer than I have worked for the Department. But I remember it...and I never want to go there again.
So yeah, really really happy to be at work today.
Saturday, April 09, 2011
Sorry to Disappoint Them
Don't you just know they were scheming on how to redecorate the place once the government shut down and they were finally able to take over FSI?
Working On It
Okay, so we have a budget.
I am happy, relieved and still pissed off.
Why did it have to go right to the edge before the people whose job it is to pass the budget and who would be least affected by a government shutdown could get off their collective a$$es and pass a budget? And could we go ahead and do the 2012 one, due in September, while we are being agreeable, rather than giving federal employees another collective ulcer and panic attack?
That said, I am trying to relax, breathe, and focus on the positive. I can go to work. I can pay my bills.
And I can focus on trying to get the Department to agree to let my wife come with me to post in August.
I can also start thinking again about going to post.
So today, I finally recycled computers that I have had longer than my wife. Arlington was having a special recycling day, so I removed the hard drives got rid of the rest.
And I have started thinking of other things I can donate to Goodwill. Like my crappy bike. And the old bread maker we have NEVER used. And the VCR and tapes we haven't touched since the advent of DVDs. And the stereo that plays CASSETTES (to be fair, it plays CDs too, but who doesn't just use their ipods these days?). And I got buy in on all of the above from my wife, so a trip to Goodwill is in my very near future.
I also checked out this site, and I wonder if any of you have heard of/used it:
StrongVPN
I saw it suggested to someone as a way that you can do things like watch tv on hulu when you are overseas. Or order things from the US like e-books for your kindle when the servers want you to be originating from a US IP address.
That would make living overseas much easier.
Speaking of which, when I was in J'lem, I also used ShipitAPO when we wanted to order electronics and such from places that would not ship to an APO address. They give you a physical address where your order is shipped, then they send it on to you at the APO for a small fee. I found it very worth it.
Okay, back into planning mode...maybe soon my inner calm will return.
I am happy, relieved and still pissed off.
Why did it have to go right to the edge before the people whose job it is to pass the budget and who would be least affected by a government shutdown could get off their collective a$$es and pass a budget? And could we go ahead and do the 2012 one, due in September, while we are being agreeable, rather than giving federal employees another collective ulcer and panic attack?
That said, I am trying to relax, breathe, and focus on the positive. I can go to work. I can pay my bills.
And I can focus on trying to get the Department to agree to let my wife come with me to post in August.
I can also start thinking again about going to post.
So today, I finally recycled computers that I have had longer than my wife. Arlington was having a special recycling day, so I removed the hard drives got rid of the rest.
And I have started thinking of other things I can donate to Goodwill. Like my crappy bike. And the old bread maker we have NEVER used. And the VCR and tapes we haven't touched since the advent of DVDs. And the stereo that plays CASSETTES (to be fair, it plays CDs too, but who doesn't just use their ipods these days?). And I got buy in on all of the above from my wife, so a trip to Goodwill is in my very near future.
I also checked out this site, and I wonder if any of you have heard of/used it:
StrongVPN
I saw it suggested to someone as a way that you can do things like watch tv on hulu when you are overseas. Or order things from the US like e-books for your kindle when the servers want you to be originating from a US IP address.
That would make living overseas much easier.
Speaking of which, when I was in J'lem, I also used ShipitAPO when we wanted to order electronics and such from places that would not ship to an APO address. They give you a physical address where your order is shipped, then they send it on to you at the APO for a small fee. I found it very worth it.
Okay, back into planning mode...maybe soon my inner calm will return.
Friday, April 08, 2011
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