Where I continue to be defeated by my oven (and time management)...

So, apparently I was a huge whiner in my last post and this resulted in many people checking in on me. (Which I did enjoy...it's always nice to get emails and phone calls. I'll take the guilt check ins, I have no shame.)

I would like to apologize though, I am not always a wallower in my own pity type (only on days that end in y.) But since I've whined about my personal life, it's time to give a bit of my professional one (this is, after all, a half-donkeyed attempt at a foreign service blog.) Talking about work is always hard in a blog- it's difficult to express clearly the balance between the challenges of this job in its ways without complaining too much or overly selling the exuberance I still get when I finish a hard day of work. I feel a bit like a wet behind the ears recruit sometimes when I talk about how excited I am, with that shrink wrap smell still clinging to my cheap blazer. Perhaps I'm a masochist when it comes to how much I get a kick from the rush of endorphins that I sip on like a corporate attorney sips on his morning espresso when I'm running around.

We've been having some annoying system hiccups, like any major entity that relies on giant web networks and huge servers as well as cross international dependent pings and whatnot. (insert fancy computer lingo here) It really makes the feeling of cooperation and teamwork apparent when a team lead announces to the room that "it's hands on deck, people", and like an ancient warship from the latest Liam Neeson film, we rise as one to the windows. LES push cases through, scanning bar codes and fingerprinters trying as quickly as possible to get those prints on the system. When we're under pressure, it's every window being made available- I was in the privacy booth at one point, which was fun because it was so...well, private, compared to the usual line interviews. But there's a real understanding by everyone in the section that you want to throw your 110%  in, that everyone will stay on until we get all the applicants out, that we can do this.  And more often than not, at least in the last two major efforts I've been a part of we have always surpassed expectations. Does that mean we may spend some extra time after work finishing our admin, clearing other processes- probably. But we still managed to make things work.

Found this randomly online...but mmmm, food.

Don't get me wrong, it can be really tiring. A couple of us left work at 6:45 today (and only because the IT people kicked us off for an upgrade at 6:30) and came to the same conclusion that we all could use a good drink to destress. Japanese yakitori skewers and spicy ramen was fabulous with a cold beer as we talked about aimless things and tried, but failed to avoid the subject of work. ("So I had this TCN today...")

If you look closely, you'll see the man that fell asleep with his hands still gripping his chopsticks in his ramen bowl...skills. 

I also arrived home one day to find cookies from my housing company. Win.

Last weekend, some of us went in for a couple hours to clear out some IWP cases as well as other admin work. I guess it can say something about my lack of an outside work social life that I had no problems going to work on a Saturday at 8AM. (Whatever. That's what God created caffeine for. ) Not to say I didn't enjoy my weekend- after we got out, there was a trek in search of good Indian food (a success) and later on, an evening of molding on the couch with K, reheated leftovers, ice cream, and Battlestar Galactica. (Another success.)

I did get warned by a colleague not to bite off more than I could chew. I have a personality that naturally wants to be helpful- I have been described before as a burnt marshmallow, rough on the outside, but squishy and sweet on the inside, as well as delicious on graham crackers with chocolate. I put up a fight, but generally, I enjoy doing new things and getting a sense of new projects. It can be very much like juggling a lot of water balloons though- it requires concentration, good multitasking and time management, and just when you think you're good and ready to get rid of some balloons, people toss you some new ones based on how well you supposedly did on those last ones. Not to say I've done anything super important (trust me when I say I am far from exemplary at post), but it is refreshing to be given room with an assignment and just....run with it. You fail, you succeed, a lot of it is probably dependent on how good you are at juggling those balloons.

And yet, I meet people like one of my colleagues, who while I was griping to others about how glad I was to finally leave work, was sitting at his desk writing thank you notes and taking down information about some people he met at an outreach trip. It really embarrasses and humbles you a bit, knowing that whatever you thought you were good at, you're probably surrounded by people who can do it just as well or better. Personally, I dig it. They say imitation is sincerest form of flattery and damn, I'm willing to show some people how good of a Elvis impersonation act I can do. (Except for his suits. I just don't have the hips.)

This is the me I'm afraid the Dept will find out one day. 

We also recently celebrated the season with an official holiday party. Partially to have some holiday cheer, partially to give thanks to the LES on all their hard work during the year putting up with American officers and personnel, every section contributes by throwing their dignity out the window and throwing a skit as part of the holiday showcase. Or in my case, since I couldn't rope anyone else, co-hosting the event. It was embarrassing, but as my mother always loves to point out, I've had no shame since I was 4 years old and volunteered myself for a spelling bee contest in a language I did not speak, and so I survived (as I have many things in my adult life.)

To show you how professional this blog is, here is a page out of a spa massage place we went to this weekend. No, I did not get either of those treatments. 

My cohost was fabulous and showed up to post with an Uncle Sam costume which brought back many great memories of my A-100 off site and follies performance. I miss my classmates lots and enjoy very much their updates and how their lives at FSI or post is going. (I do propose for next year, in case anyone is reading, that we do an international gift swap, assign someone to everyone regardless of location, and that way allow those at post to receive something special in the mail as well. Not that I want a gift, but knowing people at smaller posts may enjoy something different. Or I just want to participate in something cool. ) Knowing that I have to bid for my 2nd tour next year is jarring, especially since time seems to fly here. I have classmates who will have barely been at post a month by the time the summer bid list comes out. Crazy, isn't it? By this time next year, I'll know where I'm headed to in 2016...whether it's for more training, another language (based on my current Chinese scores, that's probably a given), or straight to post after home leave. I wonder how long it'll be before I meet everyone again.

So enjoy some pictures (I've been very busy at work and kind of too tired to go out exploring, so not that many this time.) I did go to the flower and insect market here and pay $80 for a live Christmas tree and ornaments in order to get the holiday feel going for when Coffee arrives. But I also keep getting distracted wanting to buy everything... I do have a lot of candles and useless seasonal gear that got shipped in my HHE that I'm very grateful for, since it is less money spent at Ikea here. This job could turn you into a hoarder... ("But what if I need double ply Easter pastel paper and I don't have time to Amazon it?!")

I needed to buy a lightening to VGA wire for my laptop...and stumbled upon this as I was trying to escape from the tech madness. 

I comforted myself after the electronics store escape with a crepe. Mmmm....sugary.

...I honestly have no clue. But lots of people were decorating banners??

Buy yo xmas trees here. And poinsettias. Unless you have a cat. 

Yes, it was as delicious as it looks. 

Yummy Paella place that opened up. 

It's on our list to try...

THIS OVEN HATES ME

Baking attempt #7:....the defeated caramel espresso cheesecake

Fancy holiday party nearby that I crashed. 

I won fancy tea in a raffle! TEA!

Random holiday spirit at the malls. 

My tree!

I'm also still working out Christmas cards...if you would like something, feel free to drop me your address to my email: choosetea AT gmail.com

Puppy's judging face as she disapproves of all the things I keep shipping for Coffee to bring. 

Peace out.