Sunday, August 23, 2009

Thrown into the deep end, but still breathing

Which is still kind of hard, but easier than even a few days ago (although I'm constantly starving and thirsty, which sucks). I only did four classes this week, and didn't make it to haganah at all, which is really sad. (Although, in all fairness, I will point out that I got partnered up with Sir for kickboxing on Thursday AND did the outside run in the smoke, which didn't help.) I did, however, end up floor conducting the belt test on Friday. I wasn't supposed to - I had told Sir earlier in the week that I'd help out with the test because I knew one of my classmates was testing for his third degree and they would need board holders and adult sparring partners - but the kid who was supposed to floor conduct had something come up at the last minute. I found out I was doing it when Sir introduced me to the testers. Nothing like surprises. I'd assisted Mr. R with it before, but never done it on my own. Sir told me afterwards that I'd done a good job, and he didn't think until halfway through that I had never done it before and he hadn't had to teach me like the kids who usually do it. All in all, it was fun, though.

Work was okay this week. Recruiter was gone almost all week, so I got a crash course in how to deal with (or, more commonly, find) a bunch of different kinds of files. I also found out that the 148th won't let me go to the November tech school (and therefore Basic next month) because of the followup tech school we have to go to. The February Basic date means that I will have to get separated (honorably) and then re-enlist because it will be more than a year since my date of enlistment. I can't get any of my benefits (enlistment bonus or GI Bill for school) until I've completed the initial training, and if I have to re-enlist, there is a chance that the bonus won't be available again.So I'm kind of ticked at them right now. Yay for more paperwork and more time wasted. And, my application for the commission got kicked back because I'm not ALREADY an officer (gotta love website applications), so I'm going to talk to the recruiter and maybe some of the officers at the 216th this week and find out what some options are. There might not be any - like I said, I know they're really wanting someone they don't really have to spend much time training - but it would be good to know that I've done everything I can to get it. Between that and the 148th right now....well, if the squeaky wheel gets the grease, I'm gonna be squeaking pretty loudly. What are they going to do? Kick me out? Oh wait, they're going to have to do that ANYWAY!

In knitting news, I'm in a hockey/knitting swap with some other members of the Puck This! group on Ravelry. My swappee is a Canadiens fan, which of course, is almost impossible to find stuff for around here. It's been challenging to hunt for stuff and come up with ideas. I think I have about half the package done now. I'm waiting/trying to find a few more things, and then I'll get it sent out.

New ERAU class next weekend with the general again. Can't wait!

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