Circling about is amusing

I used to be on the debate team in high school. In fact, the public high school I attended was well know on the national level for policy (team) debate, and my partners and I did quite well. (It also probably helped me get into college, but that’s another story or another time.)

A big part of policy debate was to have evidence to back up whatever argument or counterargument you were laying out (at an extremely rapid clip). So I and the other members of my high school debate team would spend many hours every week digging around, clipping and preparing evidence sheets for any and every argument we could think of that may have some tenuous connection to that year’s topic.
We always found a tie in to some apocalyptic scenario for every topic; don’t you see that changing the juvenile crime policy in the United States will cause a global nuclear disaster? Yes, seriously, totally.

Now, however many years later, in those same policy journals we read and clipped for evidence, I’m beginning to see some familiar names. Some of my fellow debaters are now publishing the articles in journals we used for sources way back when, and that the high school policy debaters are now cutting. How funny is that? Don’t know about you, but it definitely brought a smile to my face.

The two week update: This time, the phone call

It’s time for the two week update on my adjudication status. I decided to liven things up by *gasp* a phone call instead of e-mail. (seriously, it was a bit of a letdown).

Yep. No difference. Still in adjudication. This time, they told me that my file was going to be at least 30 days in adjudication. Which, doesn’t really help me, as we’re past the 2 month mark now. However, when I told them that I was told in October that the adjudication would be completed by early November, they were very confused why I was told that.

Ah well. Next update, right before Thanksgiving.

Two week update…

No change. Blah…

Glimmer, my ass. It’s the long haul.

So, back about a month ago, I had a lovely of hope that I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for my clearances, and yeah… that’s been squashed like a bug. It’s one month later and I’m still in adjudication. Classes are set for the year, and the next training class is the first week of January. Those invites go out early-mid November. Time’s ticking…

But, I’m keeping busy. The editing, of course, and the random assortment of hobbies. Trying to kayaking a couple more times before the boathouses close at the end of the month, and there’s always the RenFaire, which also ends this month. And I’ve started Russian classes yesterday (Oct 13) at the Russian Cultural Center in DC. Twice a week, two hours each session, for six weeks. Nominal cost, $80 for registration and book fees. Not bad.

More waiting…

Talking to the FS registrar’s office today, I found out that a) my clearances are still incomplete, and b) all the October invites have been sent. On the upside, my score is apparently good enough to get into the Jan or Feb classes, assuming my clearances are in.

A glimmer of hope

After hearing for about a month that my clearance status was “pending”, I called for my 7-10 day check up on Friday to hear that it’s now in adjudication, which is the last stage of the security clearance process. After this, I’ve got the Final Suitability Review before the roster. Not sure if I’ll make the 149th training class (October), but I do have a glimmer of hope, as the 149th hasn’t been filled yet.

It’s hard to not get a bit frustrated, but I know that this process is going lightning fast in comparison to some of my friends. Their clearance process took much longer, over a year in some cases.

Crossing my fingers. Next call time is the 21st.

The fly

By mistake, I knocked over a piece of pottery onto a glass mug and the mug broke. This is one of those “commemorative” mugs you get when you go somewhere and attend some event. However, this one has some history.
I got this mug, from a friend, when we attended an event together. But the circumstances surrounding the event ended badly, and I kept it (though tempted to break it) in anger as a reminder. As the years passed on, the wounds of the broken friendship began to heal, and I began to forgive. Because I missed my friend, and had valued the conversations and insight our friendship had provided.

We began to communicate again, and it appeared that things were progressing to a point where maybe, just maybe, I could consider us friends once again.
But that was a false hope, as communication became more and more one-sided and I got frustrated at the 180 turn about, once again. I stated plainly that I was tired of the lopsidedness and walked away.

So I look at this glass mug, which traveled across time zones and states, to meet an ignoble end at the butt of a 7th grade pottery piece, falling on it as I tried to smack a fly. And I see the physical embodiment of the end a friendship, which, like the mug, met an ignoble end.

I do not regret the friendship. It was full of ups and downs; I learned a lot about people, how I interact with them, and some very valuable lessons about interpersonal relationships.

However, even optimists eventually see the writing on the wall. We just try a couple extra times before doing so. C’est la vie.

Time to Jump

So… today’s my 30th birthday, and I am in my parents’ house, waiting for another major shift in my life.

I think the 20s were a decade of changes and searching. Discovering that my goal of being a professor was a goal that I pursued for so long, and yet was totally not what I expected or wanted; graduation, KG’s death, revolving and evolving relationships….. I’m hoping that history doesn’t repeat itself that I’ve actually learned something from the tumult.

But it’s also interesting that the age people snicker about and consider to a milestone in one’s life is in fact, a milestone. (There’s truth in them tales, eh?) This is the year that I’m truly leaving academia and engineering for something completely different. And I’ve got butterflies.

They are the same butterflies that I had, standing on a cliff side in Santa Rosa, NM, about to jump into clear, dark blue 62 degree water in the middle of the desert. And now, I’m making a massive career change, not knowing where it’ll take me or how it’ll go or end. Time to jump.

FS Update: Apparently, I know how to speak Korean

Just found out that I passed the phone test for Korean, but they wouldn’t disclose the score. Passing is a 2/5 using the ILR scoring system. Now my score is a 5.7 (5.3 + 0.4 language bonus) which would put me a little higher on the register when I actually get on it. (think positive! )

So… back to waiting for security….

More of the Potomac…

Paddling from Thompson’s Boat Center, past Georgetown and back. Aug 1, 2009. A great day – nice, upper 80’s, partially cloudy.
Two hours on the water followed by a great burger at Five Guys… nice way to start off a Saturday.

End of the trip!