Singapore/KL Bangkok Stuttgart Washington DC Toronto Colorado Springs San Francisco

Wednesday may seem a little late to be posting about the weekend, but seeing as I'm already a week late on writing about my trip, what's a couple days here and there?

Anyway, I went to work Thursday (bad idea) and then spent Thursday night at home, resting up a bit and unpacking my suitcase, though not even starting the mountain of laundry that needed to get done. Bear in mind that after getting home from the Disney trip I was only here 36 hours before heading off to Asia, so there was Disney laundry plus pre-Disney laundry stacked up. Since Mickey Mouse wasn't here to do it for me I needed to tackle it myself, but Thursday night I was just a wee bit tired, so that didn't happen.

Friday the 4th I met up with Stan for lunch, then we headed into the District to the National Gallery of Art. I wouldn't normally go into DC on the 4th of July -- it's kind of a madhouse -- but we figured we'd be out well before the nighttime festivities, so no big deal. As it turns out there were plenty of tourists already heading into the city, but that's OK, we moved pretty quickly past them in their confused daze.

At the National Gallery we saw an exhibition from the National Museum of Afghanistan, featuring pieces from older cities there that were a few thousand years old. After seeing the mix of styles I realized how much that country had really been controlled by others throughout its entire history, giving me a better idea why everyone I met there looked so different and spoke different languages. And yes, the symbolism of this event was not lost on me...last 4th of July, of course, I was actually in Afghanistan, though I didn't see as much gold there as I saw in this exhibit.

Afterwards we headed back out to Virginia and went to see Wall-E, which was a cute little Pixar film that was a bit different from other movies they've done (not a whole lot of speaking, for instance). It was cute and had a charming little love story to it, but it took a little while for me to get into it.

We came back to my place to make dinner and wait for the fireworks show. From my balcony you can see the fireworks not only in the District on the National Mall (the big show that gets featured on TV) but also all the smaller shows in the towns around here. Unfortunately, there were clouds and lots of humidity this night, and that combined with the smoke from the show managed to obscure all the National Mall fireworks from view, at least from here. At least we could see the smaller shows around the area. Plus, the beer and bratwursts were good.

Saturday I took a tour of the White House in the morning (one of the people in my office does some part-time work there and was taking a family on a tour, and had an extra spot for me) and then came home to watch the Wimbledon women's final. Good match. Later in the evening, after a jet-lagged induced nap, I met up with Kevin at a restaurant in a kind of sketchy part of the District (Kevin revels in sketchy parts of town!). Stan met up with us and the three of us went to a club that features carnival sideshow acts...in this case, your basic geek (swallowing balloons, hammering a nail into his head, that sort of thing) and his burlesque-dancing wife. Interesting, fun, and a little bit different.

Still not sleeping so well I managed to sleep in until about 9am Sunday then got up to watch the Wimbledon men's final. After a few hours of rain delay, not to mention the longest (and best, in my opinion) final match in Wimbledon history, it was about 4pm. Hmmmmm. Adrian and i went to see Hancock, which frankly left me a little disappointed. Guess I expected something a little funnier, and the story took an odd twist that wasn't really resolved, in my most humble opinion.

Afterwards, when we got home, we got a bad phone call: Adrian's dad had been taken to the hospital with what looked like a second stroke. We raced over there only to find some confusions, and after a less-than-stellar performance by the hospital staff (and, in my opinion, Adrian's siblings) we finally found his dad. He didn't look to bad, and a CT scan showed no problems, but they were keeping him to run some more tests. As it turns out, he did have another stroke, so the family needs to keep a close eye on him from here on out. Here's the thing: we have the ability in this country to treat people who are at risk for a stroke (and he's now had two) and allow them to enjoy a good quality of life, but it takes a little bit of effort, and I personally think the family -- including his dad -- needs to put that little bit of effort into it. Just my 2 baht worth.

Monday I was back in the office (bleh) but after work Stan and I had dinner (and ice cream!) then went downtown to see a screening of a show about the US and China for the Discovery Channel. We felt very intellectual.

And now life is back to normal. Other than waking up at least once in the middle of the night every night, I'm getting back to normal. Oh, and I started running again Tuesday, YAY!

And the laundry is getting done.

Labels: Friends, Running, Work

So last night, after writing that I was about to go out and was very excited about that, I laid down for just a minute...and woke up 20 minutes later, just after 11pm. I figured I still needed to get ready, then take the train to the Castro, and of course, I had to be up by 7 this morning...so, it just didn't happen. I realized if I was that tired, that I was already falling asleep, that perhaps I should stay in so that on Saturday I could be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for work...which of course is the reason I'm here.

But I just got in and I AM going to dinner in a little while, and I am determined to go out tonight and catch a bit of this town's spirit. I've been cooped up with a bunch of professors this week (thank goodness for Carol and Giacomo...we could rag on other professors over lunch, something I can't do with too many other people). Anyway, it's OK to stay out tonight even though I'm up at 7 tomorrow...after all, I'm not the one flying the plane.

My panel discussion today on couterterrorism went really well. The other speakers have done some very interesting research and we got a good discussion going after all the presentations. Everyone in the audience and on the panel seemed to have a good time, which suggest I'd be a good party planner if I ever need a job. I was a little nervous about it as I was supposed to comment on their work and some of what they're doing is a little beyond me, but it all worked out really well and they seemed to appreciate my comments, so yay.

And as I was going to lunch, aiming for the place Carol told me about, I ran into Carol and Giacomo (yay!!). Turns out they were already at the place she'd told me about...I'd misunderstood where it was and would have walked right past, becoming hopelessly lost. Fortunately they were sitting outside and yelled very loudly...twice. I should really pay attention when someone yells my name, but of course I always assume it's the paparazzi.

It's been a good week work-wise, but I could use a few days off here to just enjoy the city. I do like San Francisco and I forgot that when I go to conferences like this, the conference is about all I get to do. Good grief, I've been to 4 conferences in Chicago and have seen almost nothing beyond the hotels! But I do need to get back to work next week so I'll just need to schedule some off-work time out here sometime.

This is my second trip to the west coast in a couple weeks and I have to say I'm liking it more and more. Portland was so laid back, San Francisco has such a nice energy...as I sat in the restaurant on the 46th floor of the hotel this morning and looked out at the Golden Gate Bridge rising up through the mist covering the bay I thought "yeah, I could live here."

Labels: Travel, Work

San Francisco is going very well. It is mostly about work...I am in the conference from 8:30 - 5:30 each day and then have had work-related meetings most evenings, either over dinner or something like that. Tonight I had a really interesting dinner with some professors from Singapore.

Best part has been seeing Carol over lunch Wednesday, and she looks FABULOUS. (oh, and she's smarter than me, too)

Tonight I'm going to venture out to a club for a little dancing and Saturday night I am hoping to as well, before flying home Sunday. Oh, and I am finally speaking at this conference Saturday afternoon.

I realized today that I've seen very little of this city this week. Other than a couple hours down in the Haight-Ashbury area after arriving Tuesday, I haven't been away from Union Square. Fortunately, that will change in about 40 minutes.

Labels: Travel, Work

Went out with my former student yesterday after arriving, and that was very cool. We grabbed a couple beers and got caught up on all we've done since we last saw each other nearly 2 years ago. I came back to the hotel and did some work while he ran errands, then we got together with his girlfriend for dinner...after that the three of us met up with some of his friends and we went to shoot pool and have some excellent Portland beers. A good time was had by all, especially by me when his friends thought I was a student, too. heh heh heh

This morning I had a minor problem with my alarm clock...somehow it was turned off, I don't know if I did that or not. Anyway, I woke up 10 minutes before my first meeting. I'm proud to report I made it on time AND i looked sharp!

Labels: Bars, Friends, Work

I am heading to Portland, Oregon, for a quick business trip. I have a meeting all day Saturday and will come home Sunday. I feel like I will spend more time on airplanes than i will spend awake in Portland.

This is my first time there and I'm excited to visit. Also, one of my former students -- who left our school in Colorado and transferred to a university in Portland -- is going to hang out with me. We've been talking online the last few months and it sounds like he's doing well -- I'm excited to see him and get to know him outside the classroom!

Stan came over last night for dinner and Lost. Then there was a new episode of South Park. We were going to follow that with a movie I'd gotten but Stan, being the mature one, said he should probably go home and let me go to bed, seeing as I had to get up at 5am to fly out. I'm glad he did, I kinda needed the sleep!

Labels: Teaching, Travel, Work

Last night Stan and I went to a discussion at a major think tank. We heard an author discussing a new book about changing relationships in Asia, about the nature of agreements between countries there, about the role of the United States and China in Southeast Asia, how India and Russia fit into all this. Very interesting stuff that ties in nicely with a research study I'm currently doing. The audience, as is common in Washington DC, was made up of professors, retired diplomats, senior government officials, and some other very smart people.

Afterwards, we went to a bar where, if you take your shirt off, you get free drinks.

Labels: Bars, Friends, Life, Work

I've been out sick for a couple days. Everyone else seemed to be getting sick at work last week, guess it was my turn. I really wasn't that bad off...my body is pretty good at fighting off sickness, it just makes me really tired when it does. But since I didn't have anything really urgent at work I felt comfortable taking a couple days to try to feel better. Glad I did...we had a bad ice storm Tuesday that messed up the commute home for lots of people, and a lot of our folks didn't even make it into work Wednesday as a result. So if I was going to be out, these were the days to do it.

A bunch of people suggested today that I shouldn't be there...whether because I looked really sick or because they didn't want me infecting them, I don't know. But I needed to go in and will go back Friday as well, I have some stuff which does need to get done now. I'll just try to avoid sneezing on anyone.

Here's a question on office etiquette: when you see someone in the boss' office, would you walk in on their conversation? I never do, unless there is something very urgent the boss needs to know about, and that is pretty rare. So how come today, whenever I went in to see one of the senior folks, people felt compelled to come in and either interrupt or just sit down and start contributing their thoughts to our meeting? One guy stuck his head in the door and said "am I interrupting anything?" Um, yeah. If there was nothing going on, I wouldn't be here, I'd be back at my desk working. I told him to let us finish, and he took off. Later, I was trying to fill one of the directors in on what happened at the Atlanta meeting last week and 2 other people came in and joined the meeting, turning it from 15 minutes (which is all I thought it would take) into nearly 2 hours! Plus, 2 other people stopped in just to ask a question about something that could have waited. Come on!! Didn't these people learn manners as a kid? I guess it's too late for me to fix their behavior -- if their mother didn't do it, it's probably too late for me to change it -- but I will let them know they're annoying and embarrass them in the process if they're too dumb to get the hint.

Am I surrounded by idiots, or is it really just something wrong with me?

Labels: Life, Work

Not much going on. Work is going well...I'm finding I actually have a positive influence on how this group performs. Nice to know I still have some group management skills. I think a lot of the reason for my success is that I'm not one of those guys who talks a lot...we have plenty of people who seem to be talking just so it looks like they have something to say, even if all they're doing is repeating things that have already been settled or offering examples no one needs or cares about. My experience has been, if I don't say much, then when I do speak up, people tend to listen because they're not tired of me and they realize that if I'm offering an idea, it must be one I think is pretty important, since otherwise I'd just be quiet. It seems to work.

I'm also catching up on my reading, which is nice.

And yeah, apparently there's a really big Vietnamese community here in Atlanta, and there's also a Chinatown of sorts (I never knew that), so maybe I can find some New Year's stuff going on this weekend.

Labels: Travel, Work

Hope everyone has a wonderful Lunar New Year, and that the Year of the Rat brings you lots of good luck and happiness.

I'm in Atlanta for a few days for work. Meetings meetings meetings. Then all these old men want to go to the hotel bar and get drunk. Yeah, like I'm going to do THAT. I used to live a couple hours from here and often came here for fun so I'm going to reconnect with those roots.

After flying in today I stopped off at my favorite bookstore/coffee house. I picked up the local gay newspapers and have since discovered that the clubs I used to go to are gone. I've sent out a couple e-mails to folks asking about new places; I have to work every day but hope to go out Saturday night before flying home Sunday.

There are some people here I know but I'm out of touch with them. There's Michael, an ex-boyfriend, who has suggested he wants to meet up when I come to town but who isn't returning my e-mails. There's also Matt, a short-term roommate and even shorter-term FB from many years ago (my god, he's turning 30 this year!), but we have not been in touch in many years so the only way I would see him would be by randomly bumping into him (and as we all know, that happens to me a lot!).

I have plenty of work to keep me busy at the hotel, so I'll probably just focus on that.

Oh, and last Saturday was fun. AQUA had a night out at Town nightclub in DC and a fun time was had by all!


Danny and I at Town

Labels: Friends, Travel, Work

Yesterday at lunch I went running and was changing clothes in the gym afterwards when I ran into one of my bosses (one of the good ones). As I was walking to the shower he said, "oh, hey, that was a great report you sent me last night, thanks very much. Nice work!"

As I say, I was walking to the shower. Which means I was naked.

I've never in 41 years (42 as of this coming Sunday) gotten a compliment while naked before.

Well, not a work-related one, anyway.

Labels: Work

As with all years past I'll take today to kind of wrap up there last 365 days. It's been a wild ride of a year...things I expected got shifted around, things I totally didn't expect popped up, and all in all one of the best things I can say about the year is that no one shot directly at me. Though the year isn't over for about another 8 hours, so we'll see.

There are some things I mentioned last December that I was going to do that, unfortunately, didn't get done. I was planning to upload all my journal archives from before the big Diary-X crash, but the external hard drive where they're stored has crapped out on me and I can't get them off of it. I need to buy another drive and have someone go in and get the data off the bad one to transfer to the new one, but so far I've been lazy and haven't done that. Another thing I'd hoped to do was work on my dissertation, finally turning it into a book I can publish. I think there are some good ideas in there (and someone must agree...my dissertation spends a lot of time checked out of the two libraries where it resides) and I need to get it out into a more mainstream forum before time passes me by. I got going on it in earnest toward the end of the year at work but then some other things came up that took precedence. However, I've got a schedule for finishing it and I guess I can just bump the schedule a couple months and get back on it, and then I'll be fine.

Some totally unexpected things came up this year and I guess I should expect the same in 2008. The biggest was that I went to Afghanistan for 2 months, in June and July, to train the faculty at a military school. This was my second war (though, unlike Iraq where I got shot at every day, this time I only heard gunfire but never had it directed at me) and I think I'm done with the whole "war" thing. Of course, I thought that after Iraq, too. My time there was interesting and I felt I did some good, so even though there were some hardships there, at least it was rewarding. I have to say, though, that it hardened my resolve to get far away from the government when I leave my job in 2009.

My job has been a big let down in some ways this year, though I have tried to find an upside. I realized by the end of last year that I wouldn't be doing the work I signed on to do. Since then I've found I don't have much to do at all...we are overstaffed in my office, and my boss has no concept of "leadership" so I haven't really been given a clearly defined job to do. I've been taking on tasks as they come in, which is not really my strength (I'm best at the "long range" stuff) so I've been bored. That, in fact, is a big reason I volunteered for Afghanistan. I talked over the problem with my bosses when I left, but in the 5 months since I returned, nothing much has changed. Rather than complaining to them about it, I looked around for a position in another agency, but finally decided instead to take advantage of the free time I have at work to work on projects for other organizations and also start doing some serious planning for my post-government future. I also managed to publish a chapter in a book about the war in Iraq, so that's cool.

That planning, which I talked about at the end of last year, has moved forward. 2007 was my year to figure out what I want to do next, 2008 is my year to get things in place for the transition, and 2009 is the year it all comes together. So far this year I've developed a number of job plans and looked at the costs and benefits of all of them, trying to come up with the best option. I have a pretty good business plan laid out for my own consulting firm, and I'm also looking into teaching possibilities in the DC area. I still have some things to learn about, like marketing and such, but overall I have a decent idea and I want to start making it happen next year, testing the waters a bit. My goals are to have interesting work taking advantage of skills and knowledge I have, a flexible schedule, travel, and good money. While I'm wishing, I'd also like a pony. But hey, if you don't try, you can never succeed.

The one advantage of work this year has been the opportunity for travel. I've been to Hawaii twice, once for work and once for a combination of work and vacation. I've visited San Francisco twice, as well as Dallas and Tampa, and a trip to Atlanta which was very short and pretty boring. I also made it to Chicago, where I gave a paper but also got out of the hotel, which I don't often do on business trips to that city. Adrian and I also took a non-work trip to Puerto Rico for a long weekend last spring, and we met friends in New York back in February, while I also had a solo trip there in October. The big trip for me, of course, was to Asia in September, partially funded by work but also using the 10 vacation days I still had to use by the first of October. That. Was. Amazing. I got a day in Bangkok, though Bom had to go out of town and I wasn't able to see him. It was my first visit to Vietnam, and I got to spend a few days in Hanoi. Then I was off to Kuala Lumpur for 5 days, which was so much fun I still smile when I think of it. Afterwards I had 3 days in Hong Kong, which was a great time, then I headed back home and went to work the following day. Needless to say, I was a tired pup for a week. A planned trip to the Philippines for work got called off, though I hope to go in the coming year. I also am planning to get back to Singapore and Malaysia this year -- I got a research grant for a policy study and need to do some interviews in both countries. I'll probably add some Bangkok and Hong Kong time to that trip. And there are some other professional possibilities that might take me back to the region next year, though if that doesn't work out, I'll probably take a vacation over there.

As always, the best part of traveling is seeing old friends and meeting new ones. January's trip to Dallas led me to meet Ken from Bangkok who's now in Miami...a completely random meetup in a club, neither of us realizing the other was in town, and never having met before...how weird is that? In March I met Paulo while dancing in San Francisco, and in November we got to meet up again and go to dinner and get to know each other more than a dance floor with loud music allows. My time in Afghanistan allowed me to meet some professional colleagues who are pretty cool, so that was nice. After returning I saw I'd gotten e-mails from a couple folks on Fridae and after chatting with them I later got to meet them, so yay for meeting Eddie in Malaysia (who has tuned into a very special friend, someone who has captured his own place in my heart) and later Tony in Hong Kong. Also in HK I got to meet Eric, whom I've known over a year online but hadn't met yet. Of course, the big group meetup was in Kuala Lumpur, where I got to meet David, Frankie, Sam, Daniel, Paul, Alex, Jason, Jason Jr, Janvier, Cheryl, Thaddes, and Adrien. And of course, there was William...if you ask me why two people form a a strong emotional connection, I couldn't say, but if you ask me if it exists, I'd say YES! Can't explain it but I feel a special bond to William, and I think it's more than just the name thing. heh heh And no, it's not a physical thing, so the skanks among you can quit worrying about that. The last trip of the year, to Honolulu, led me to meet Kester, who is also friends with a couple people I know in Singapore...small world! And of course, October's trip to NYC led me to meet Paul, a very special guy who e-mailed me pretty much every day I was in Afghanistan, which helped...another "Fridae friend" who has tuned into a very cool real world friend. I also had the pleasure of meeting Joel on that trip, who is as funny and insightful in real life as he is on his blog that I've read for over a year.

This was also a year for new friends right here at home. Danny and I have finally gotten to know each other after a brief meeting in 2006. I met Vu and Troy and have gravitated into their circle of friends. Dan from Baltimore is another great guy I've gotten to know. And of course, Linh and I met late in the year and already I feel a strong friendship growing. I'm a lucky man.

Some of my existing friendships grew stronger this year. Ethan and I have gotten closer...the fact that we now work 2 blocks from each other makes it easier to get together during the week, and that's very cool. I got to meet up with Fritz a few times this year, both here and in Hawaii. Justin and I have gotten to know each other better as well. I didn't get to see Allan in Singapore this year, which is a real shame 'cuz I miss him, but I'll see him in the new year. Same with Bom. A few of my friends have had a rough time of it...one suffered a loss midway through the year, other friends have had serious problems in their relationships...but I think everyone is strong enough to bounce back from these and move forward.

It's been important to me to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. Friends have always been the most important thing to me, and I've lost a part of that. It's time to reclaim them, reclaim that fun, and I'm glad I am. I think finally getting active on Facebook has helped. heh heh

As for me? I'm doing well, I think. I got serious about taking care of myself earlier in the year and managed to lose 20 pounds while adding muscle...much of that came from being in Afghanistan, with body armor all the time and nothing to do but work out after finishing my job, and of course I don't recommend that for everyone. I'm pleased I've been able to stay in good shape, though I have faltered during the holidays and will get back into my routine this week. After a few years of some serious body issues I'm actually happy with how I look now and am determined to maintain it for both health and looks. I'm also registered to run in two races next spring. In the last year I've explored some new interests, done a bit of new reading, and made goals for myself that I've later achieved, so that's all good. I may not be thrilled about everything in my life...and I may be a very different person from my normal self...but I think I'm in a good place right now.

The reason I'm a different person, and the reason I'm not totally content with where I am in life, is simple: Adrian and I. At the end of last year he said he wanted to work on things and try to get back together, but it's been a roller-coaster year as far as that goes. I've been up a few times but down most of the time, and that's why I tell many of my new friends "I wish you'd met me before all this because I'm really a much better person than I seem right now." The situation has been so confusing, and so complicated...I think most friends have given up trying to understand it, which is OK since I don't understand it myself. After 16 months of being depressed about it one thing is clear: it needs to get resolved, and soon, so my life can move forward again.

But we have still had some fun...a couple parties at the condo, the trips to Puerto Rico and Hawaii. When I look at the balance sheet for the year, I have to say it comes out with a profit rather than a loss. And I have next year to look forward to: getting ready for my post-government career, maybe doing some teaching, possible finishing writing one book and starting another (need to get to work on those). I also intend to meet some online friends: DanielHenry in KL, Harper and Luke Elijah in Singapore, Huy in Australia, and of course, Azhan in Malaysia (I'll try to sneak you-know-who into my suitcase for you!). I also plan to finally meet derek in Singapore...so strange that I've met his friends and his boyfriend but haven't actually met him yet. I expect to spend some more time in New York, hanging out with Scooter and getting to know Paul better. I'm hoping to see Kester again in Honolulu, and visit some new places: Taiwan, maybe, or Vancouver. I'm scheduled to go to Portland for work, and San Francisco too...that should be fun. I have tickets to see My Fair Lady at the Kennedy Center (thank you Adrian!) and the Spice Girls with Linh. I want to see my KL brothers again. I need to spend some time with Eddie in Malaysia and get Allan to slow down long enough for a hug or two or twelve. I hope to see Bom again and will visit Thailand simply for that reason. I would like my friendships here to grow stronger...I want people to know I'm not always such a mess, I'm actually someone they can count on. The bottom line is, I want to be happier, and I want to make everyone around me happier.

But isn't that what all of us want?

Happy New Year, everybody.

Labels: Friends, Life, Questions, Relationships, Teaching, Travel, Wandering Mind, Work

Got back late from meetings tonight. Decided not to eat dinner...too tired to go out, not hungry anyway, plus I had a burger for lunch (cafe was having a problem and didn't have anything else) and I feel fat. Doing some work here tonight, also gathering info for a friend's trip next month (he is from HK, returning to HK for a visit, and has asked me to get him PLU info...I think that is hilarious). And that's about it. I'm just not in thr mood to go looking for opakapaka boys tonight.

Was planning to have dinner with Fritz tomorrow night but now it turns out I will have a post-meeting meeting with my bosses before they get on the plane for the overnight flight home. I am glad I decided to stay until Friday morning. And of course, i go to San Francisco Friday for the weekend, and am meeting some Fridae friends for dinner. Yay!!! (and yay for shopping!)

Adrian got home OK yesterday, had to work his regular 11 hours today, plus 11 hours Thursday, plus 8 hours each on Friday and Saturday...he didn't have to take days off for his visit out here but he has to make up all the time.

I am so glad we took the vacation days here. When I come to Hawaii to work I really don't get to enjoy it, so I needed the vacation time to have fun. Honolulu is a great place, Waikiki is a great area in which to stay, but it's best when someone is paying for it...if only I can get out and enjoy it.

Labels: Travel, Work

I started working Monday...easy enough. Had a morning meeting, then came back to the hotel for lunch with Adrian. Left him to go shopping and cruise the cute salesmen at Gucci and Prada while I came back to prep for Tuesday's meeting.

Monday night we had dinner with Fritz and Kim before taking Adrian to the airport for his overnight flight home. Yay for Fritz and Kim! Boo for overnight flights! At least he was upgraded. He got home OK today, tired but determined to stay awake until a normal bedtime tonight.

Had a second meeting with the same guy today, then met with a local professor of SE Asia politics to talk about my big, year-long research project, the one taking me back to SG and KL next year. After talking for a couple hours I have refocused my project some, but no worries, I'm still returning to those two places.

Spent tonight working on stuff. The rest of the folks from my office arrived tonight. I am avoiding them. Sitting around drinking mai tais with 60-year old straight men who are thrilled to be away from their wives is not my style. I will go to a gay bar and drink mai tais there instead. Unless I have work to do. Like tonight.

Wednesday night maybe I will go cruise the cute salesmen at Gucci and Prada.

Labels: Travel, Work

OK, so, first of all...photos:


Fabulous and happy


I think these colors work for me


Angelo...always the gentleman


I shouldn't have done those vodka shots

Yeah, we had some fun. I really like this group of guys...spending Labor Day with them was so much fun, and this weekend was very good, a nice break, certainly more low-key than what we did a couple months ago.

My pumpkin cheesecake was good, but not as good as what Doctor Lorraine makes. I also made some very rich chocolate cookies...so rich that I made them very small, just a tiny serving that exploded in your mouth. Yummy, in my opinion.

We also had fried rice and kimchee, along with traditional American foods. And of course the hot tub was fun also. As was the shopping. And the drag. We were so gay, we did everything gay people do, except have sex with men (well, some of them might have...there were a few couples here, who knows what they did behind closed doors?).

In other news...

Last spring I worked with my old research institute to help create their list of research topics for this year. I made sure that there was at least one topic that dealt with national security issues in Southeast Asia. Then, this fall, I submitted a proposal for a study on partnerships between the US, Singapore, and Malaysia. The project would involve some research about agreements and plans between the countries, which I can do here in Washington DC; interviews with US government officials and foreign diplomats here in Washington; and, interviews with government officials in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Are you sarting to figure out where this is going?

Yeah, that's right. I got the grant. I start working on the project next week. And next spring, probably in April, I will be back to KL and Singapore. So to all my MaGaysian friends: I told you I'd be back. And I will see you soon (well, in 4-6 months, but still, sooner than not seeing you at all).

Yay!!!!!!!

Labels: Friends, Work

I think I like this version better.



Nothing much today. It rained, I went to work, it rained some more, I didn't strangle my boss, I came home. I had the opportunity to get moved to the section that deals with China but my boss squashed that because he is a piece of crap.

Went to the gym tonight to run the treadmill and realized the treadmill allows me to play mind games with myself. Specifically, I get bored running on it, and there's no penalty if I quit early (unlike running on a trail, where if I quit, I still have to walk back) so I syopped after 3 1/2 miles instead of the 5 miles I planned on. I'm a little disappointed in myself. But I'm sure I'll get over it.

Last night I set my alarm clock for 6:15. Unfortunately, I set it for 6:15pm, not 6:15am. So I got to work a little late. But it was still there, waiting for me, when I arrived.

Labels: Friends, Wandering Mind, Work

Not much to report today. Took the day off from work to get the car fixed, blah blah blah, had the battery replaced, yadda yadda yadda, helped a friend with his graduate school application, and so on and so on, got an e-mail from the office that my boss' boss is upset that she's been cut out of something that I've been working on. Oops. Pretty sure I'm not to blame on that one, not that that matters in the end.

Labels: Friends, Life, Work

Watched Transformers tonight, another one of those movies that came out while I was off saving the world for democracy in Afghanistan. Fun film, I'll bet it was great on the big screen. I never watched any of the Transformers cartoons as a kid so I didn't get some of the tongue in cheek references to the old show. But that's OK, because IMDB.com filled in the gaps.

A friend of mine in Malaysia took some photos over the weekend and showed them in his blog. They are beautiful, he's very talented, makes me want to take photography classes.

Speaking of friends in Malaysia, another finished his final exams Tuesday, and as it happens I'd sent him a little gift and it arrived the day of his last exam. So, big celebration day for him. I felt good, I think it made him very happy and I just wish I could have given it to him in person. Yay Eddie!!!

An interesting possibility has come up at work. The fact that I'm even mentioning the tiniest hint about it means I have probably ruined any chance it will work out (karma can be a bitch) but if it does I will be about the happiest man in the known universe.

Lastly, in accordance with Ethan's schedule, I ran 5 miles again today. That bitch.

Labels: Friends, Stuff, Work

I'm back, in plenty of time for tonight's Halloween party and Angelo and Josh's. Adrian is finishing up his costume right now, and I need to shower and shave and slip into mine before leaving in a couple hours.

The trip was...eh. Nothing too special at the conference. Friday I just watched, and I met up with a couple folks from my past professorial life, but not folks I'm close to. I did meet a professor from Singapore and I'm going to try kissing his ass to get his department to bring me over for some guest lectures. I await the comments on me kissing Singaporean ass (sometimes I swear I make it too easy). The papers I heard presented yesterday were nothing special, though there was one on China and Taiwan that may be useful for my office, so I guess I justified the trip.

This morning I chaired a panel discussion that went pretty well...if anything, I took up too much time that the audience wanted to use for questions and answers...there were many more questions than I expected so it would have been better if I'd shut up earlier. After that I was off to another panel where I was presenting my paper, discussing some research I'd undertaken for my job (research that my office has been uninterested in, because it's only about the future of our organization, certainly nothing important). That went OK, though there was only a little interest in my paper...actually, the audience for this discussion was about 1/4 the size of the earlier panel, which was too bad. After that I made a mad dash for the airport and got there about 20 minutes before the plane boarded...I'd upgraded to first class so at least I could stretch my legs and not feel squished.

The one bright spot of the weekend was dinner last night with Seen Meng, who is from Malaysia. He came here to earn his PhD in economics, and decided to stay here for work once he was done. He visited home in KL this summer after graduating...in fact, it turns out we were in KL at the same time last month. It was fun to compare notes on the city and the culture there...he and I saw many things the same way, which made me feel very Malaysian. Anyway, he took time out from his busy schedule (he has a big professional exam on Monday that he's preparing for) to have dinner, and I'm glad he did because that was the best part of the trip.

Well, that, and running into the Thai boxing team in the hotel lobby. And no, of COURSE I didn't change my route just to walk with them a couple extra minutes. Well, maybe I did.

Labels: Travel, Work

I'm here in the Windy City for a couple days. I'm at an academic conference, the first one I've been to in a year and a half. Even though I'm not a professor now I might want to be again someday, so I need to stay in practice. I'm running a panel discussion Saturday morning, then later giving a paper on some research of my own. Immediately after that I head to the airport and fly home -- it's Halloween party time and I've got one to go to Saturday night. Yay for parties! I haven't been to one since...last Saturday. :P

I know a couple people here in town but won't get to see them this trip. I wanted to try to meet up, but because I'm here such a short time I have to meet with a bunch of work-related folks in the time available. I'm not yet sucking up for my next job, but I'm getting close to that point.

I just pulled out a shirt to iron for tomorrow and suddenly remembered it has French cuffs...and I forgot my cufflinks. Good thing I packed an extra shirt!

This is the third or fourth time I've been to this city, I can't remember, always for conferences, and I've always stayed at this hotel. It seems like this is all I've seen of Chicago, so I definitely need to schedule a fun trip here instead of a work trip. I'm sure it has a lot to offer but I don't really know what.

Oh, and there's some sort of international boxing tournament going on here, and the boxers are all staying at my hotel. I came back earlier to find the Brazilians and the Russians warming up in the hallway outside my room. Is that giving anyone any naughty ideas???

Labels: Travel, Work

Jet lag update: I did point out in a meeting that "we" (meaning "he") and "dicked up an operation" and it would have bad long-term consequences for our organization. He knew what I meant. I also saw two outcomes from yesterday's outburst: first, we had a division meeting about problems in the office, so at least some stuff got out on the table, and second, I got out of a 2-day meeting this week I didn't want to participate in, because he's afraid of what I might say. YAY!!!!!

This was to be a post about Hong Kong but it's after 1:30am and I get up at 6:30, so that ain't happening. I went to the gym tonight, then fixed dinner, watched the premier of Heroes from last night, then went out for mooncakes and tea at a friend's. So no blogging. But hey, here are my KL photos.

Enjoy!

Labels: Friends, Travel, Work

I scrambled around this morning looking for my Metro card, my keys, my shoes...yeah, I didn't get too organized after getting home last night.

Rode the late bus in. Thought I would leave early to get back here and go to the gym but instead I yelled at my boss and a colleague took me down to Starbucks to chill out and we talked for 90 minutes so I got home much later than expected.

Since I miss KL and HK so much, I had Chinese food tonight. But it is the kind of Americanized Chinese food you don't find overseas. General Tso's Chicken, anyone?

I need to go find mooncakes tomorrow. There's a Vietnamese bakery nearby that supposedly makes good ones. Happy Mid Autumn Festival everyone

I still have much to write up about my trip, but it's bedtime...just stayed up to watch the season premiers of Simpsons and Family Guy which we TiVo'd last night. Spider Pig, Spider Pig...

Oh, and I need to post photos too. Tuesday. Yeah. Gives me something to look forward to.

Wish I could access all this stuff at work. But the government takes a dim view of such things.

Now I suppose I should look for my Metro card before going to bed...

Labels: Stuff, Work

heh heh I made Adrian watch "Blades of Glory" tonight (and the title is a line from that, we aren't threatening to cut each other's heads off).

While I was in Afghanistan I saw both "Talladega Nights" and "Blades of Glory," starring Will Ferrell, which made them movies Adrian was unlikely to ever see. But I asked him nicely and he watched "Talladega Nights" soon after I returned, and this week "Blades of Glory" came out on DVD (and I moved it to the top of our Netflix queue, without of course bothering to mention it).

For a guy who said he'd never want to watch a Will Ferrell movie, Adrian sure can quote the lines from them.

I have now seen "Blades of Glory" three times in about a month. That is pathetic. But fun.

I'm a sex addict. It's my cross to bear.

In other news, my boss did the first smart thing I've ever seen him do: 2 hours into this morning's meetings he said to me "I could go home now."

Me too. I would've been fine if we'd never gone in the first place. So we headed to the airport and caught a flight home about 6 hours early. And yay for that.

Labels: Life, Travel, Work

Friday I went to Vietnam. Without a passport, even.

OK, actually, I went to a meeting at their embassy here. But of course, an embassy is considered sovereign territory of that nation, so when we sat down the lady we were meeting welcomed us to Vietnam. Cute.

Part of the meeting was to determine when I would be going, either for the meetings of my original plan in mid-September, or for another set of meetings later in the month. Looks like I'm sticking with my original dates, so YAY, because not only will those meetings be more interesting, but also, my boss and one of the old guys from the office are going to the second set, and I don't want my first time in Hanoi to be with them.

Went out to Apex again Friday, saw Angelo for the first time since getting back, as well as Josh and Albert and Rueben and Prakash and Anna. And then Ethan and Vu and Choy were there. And Danny showed up, whom I also hadn't seen since returning. Then I ran into Dancin' Mike, who's back on his school vacation from Barcelona...boy is looking GOOD! And finally -- and this was the random one -- I bumped in Teguh, whom I knew when I lived here before. I totally didn't recognize him, he looks so different now...taller, longer hair, back to his natural hair color. Looking great! Anyway, we had seen each other in the club but I didn't realize who he was...when he came over to talk to me I was surprised, when he knew who I was I was VERY surprised, and when he said "you don't remember me..." I looked into his eyes and knew who I was seeing. Wow. Haven't seen him in 5 years, not since right before we moved, and Adrian and I have often talked about him, wondering how he is doing (somewhere along the way I lost his contact info). Anyway, he is doing great and that is always nice to see.

Labels: Friends, Life, Travel, Work

Work was better today because no one -- including me -- was being a jerk. And that's always nice.

I broke down and bought a strawberry smoothie at Dunkin' Donuts since the smoothie shop near my office closed down. I think I should just make my own and bring them in. Dunkin' Donuts should stick to donuts.

Went to get some Chinese food at lunch but turns out the place closed while I was gone. I refuse to believe they had to close because they didn't have me buying stuff there for the last couple months. Seriously, it's not my fault. I brightened up a bit when I went to the Subway sandwich shop and the guy there said "hey, haven't seen you in a couple motnhs!" I'm not sure what it means when the sandwich guy noticed that I was gone...I mean, I only go there every couple weeks as it is, if that much. he was very interested in what Afghanistan was like. Or maybe he was just flirting. Who knows?

Wish I had something exciting to report but no such luck. Maybe Thursday.

Oh, I know what I can do: give some kudos to my Singaporean friends for holding their pride festivities in the face of all kinds of government opposition. Yay for you guys!!!!

Labels: Life, Work

Tracy will be happy, I did the right thing today. Got our last-minute project done even though I had to beat up a couple of folks to get it finished. Well, not really. But I wanted to beat them. If they blow off stuff until the last day they can't sit around and have great philosophical discussions about it, they need to just get it done and out the door.

Also got the car window fixed today. The whole automatic window assembly needed to be replaced. Oh well, that was 400 bucks I didn't need anyway.

On the upside, I went to a Vietnamese bakery tonight with Ethan to pick out some food for a little party we're having here this weekend. Then we went to dinner. I tried to speak Vietnamese from the menu but the nice lady couldn't understand a word I said. Yay for Ethan ordering for me.

Oh, and Dancin' Mike came home for a visit today. Yay!!!!

And now I'm having a strawberry smoothie. Yum.

Labels: Life, Work

Just finished my first week back in the office. Sometimes I think I prefer war. But at least there are no bats flying around the office. So it's better than a tent.

There are definitely some positives right now. We had a big meeting Wednesday of different agencies that work together. There are some new people involved in what we do and they actually want to contribute rather than being big bitch whore sluts (OK, there's only one of those I have to work with, and she's in Hawaii, and her new boss was here, and he's very cool and I think we can work well together). I'm actually going to get to do some worthwhile, long-term planning for my work, which doesn't sound quite as sexy once I typed it as it did when I first thought about it. Hmmmmm. Anyway, that's what I was supposed to be doing all along, and didn't get to.

Something else I was supposed to be doing was working with some Asian countries, and of course, that never quite happened. But since getting back I've been redefining my job, and I think I'm going to get to do some fun work.

In fact...they are finally sending me to the region next month. I go to Vietnam for a few days, and then I have some vacation time I need to use by the end of September, so I'm going to tour around Vietnam and then go see some friends in a couple countries before coming home. Yay!!!! Details to follow.

But yeah, some things stay the same. Today I kind of called out my boss on the poor leadership in the office. I didn't call her by name but she knew. I didn't do it disrespectfully -- trust me, I had her nodding along with me -- but I put her on notice that things are going to be different. One of the big problems with government agencies is you get a lot of people who are there for 20 years and can't see beyond the walls of their office...the stereotype of the government bureaucrat, yeah...well, that stereotype exists because it often happens that way.

But I think I'll stay. I have some options to go work elsewhere but on the whole I think this is the best choice for me right now, and I think I can do some good there. I'm making the commitment to stay there for another year and a half, but after that, the world opens up.

Oh, and I'm going dancing tonight so YAY that.

Labels: Work

Normally, "the Big Tent" would mean the circus. But not this time. Though sometimes things seemed circus-like.

So yeah, my teammates and I lived in a 20-man tent for 7 weeks. It was supposed to be temporary but since we were there such a short time they never moved us into anything better. The tent was designed to be temporary so there was no place to hang clothes, the bathroom was a porta-potty, the showers were in a temporary structure...it was like the thing was designed to say "thank you for coming, but now please leave." Which I was happy to do.

I used my top bunk as my closet.

There were only 5 of us from our team in the tent but of course there were other people. We got up to 16 people at one point, and that was a little much.

A bat flew in one night. That was annoying. And i found a dead cockroach in my bunk and I wondered, "what made him come up here just to die?"

We were living near the US Embassy and had access to an American dining facility where we had breakfast and dinner. Lunch was either with the Afghans or at a nearby NATO base that we could go onto. I preferred the NATO food, the European menu was nice. Afghan food tasted OK but I didn't trust it. They don't believe in thngs like "hygiene" there.

At bthe school where we worked they had traditional "squat toilets." I took photos but I'm not sure anyone wants to see them.

I learned that when Afghans are faced with Western-style toilets, like in a porta-potty, they will still squat over them. I know this because I saw footprints next to the seat in the porta-potties our Afghan guards used.

I tended to sleep through explosions. Sometimes I'd get up and people would say "it sounded like grenade went off nearby" and I'd missed the whole thing. Someone accidentally fired their rifle outside my tent one night and I didn't wake up. Hey, at least i was sleeping well.

I'd usually get up around 5:45, get cleaned up and go to breakfast, then we'd convoy out to work, about 15 minutes away. We'd be there all day, then come back around 5;30. I'd run to the gym, then try to get dinner before the dining hall closed. After checking e-mail (we were 8 1/2 hours ahead -- silly Afghans do that weird 1/2 hour thing -- so as I was getting ready to go to bed friends back home were going to work) I'd make my way back to my tent, take a shower, and usually be in bed by 9. I was generally pretty beat, and after getting over my initial jet lag I slept like a rock all through the night. As evidenced by my inability to hear explosions and nearby gunfire.

No one shot on me on the way to work. I was very happy about that. Plenty of bad things happened in Kabul, but not near me. It was a nice change from Iraq 3 years ago, where I got shot at every day. Silly Iraqis.

We had to brush our teeth with bottled water. Some guys didn't think they needed to. They soon realized their mistake, and the rest of us had to listen to them bitch about it. I had no sympathy for people who got sick through their own stupidity.

I'm happy to be in my own bed now. And I'm avoiding bottled water for the moment, just to avoid the memories.

Labels: Travel, Work

I found my time in Afghanistan to be a pretty worthwhile experience, on the whole. I was there to spend two months with the social science faculty at a fairly new university. They already have courses up and running, so I wasn't really there to help with the curriculum. Instead I was teaching them how to teach, which was harder than it sounds. The younger faculty members were mostly recent college grads (a bachelor's degree was typically all they had) with no teaching experience, while the older instructors grew up in Soviet-style and Taliban-era educational systems. As is often the case, the younger guys have the motivation to change things for the better, while the older guys -- who are in charge -- are afraid of change and try to block new ideas. I pointed out that maybe the Soviet and Taliban systems weren't that good, seeing as the Soviet Union doesn't exist anymore and the Taliban were bastards. But yeah, I had my work cut out for me.

My goal wasn't to get them to teach American-style, but instead, get them to find an "Afghan style" that was right for them. We needed to find techniques that took into account the poor elementary and high school educations the students had, the relatively low level of education the instructors had, the expectations they have for graduates, and of course, the stresses of an ongoing war. So yeah, the teaching styles of the University of Virginia probably wouldn't work so well.

The work was interesting. I spent a lot of time observing classes and working one-on-one with the instructors. I taught a few seminars for the department and also taught a few economics and international relations classes. I was happy to see some of the instructors using the techniques we talked about, adapting them to their own needs. I also "adopted" one particular class of juniors and kept going back there. They were really bright and asked a lot of very insightful questions about US policies...I wish my students at my old university would have seemed so interested. They have some odd views of how things work in the world but at least they're open minded enough to ask questions and learn.

So, yeah, the work was good. And I noticed a big difference between this experience and my time in Iraq a couple years ago. In Iraq I worked at the Embassy and when i left I only said goodbye to Americans and other coalition partners...no Iraqis. But this time around, when I left I was saying goodbye to Afghans, and not so many Americans. Yeah, this was very different.

That was the upside. But I found a downside to Afghan culture. This sounds demeaning, but they seem like children. Children who want you to give them things, who act grown up when they aren't, who are capable of violence without realizing the effects of it, who want authority without responsibility. This is not a good thing. This country has been at war of one sort or another for 30 years and it cannot continue...we saw what happened the last time it descended into a totally failed state, and as one instructor told me, "you need us, you cannot afford to walk away again." Unfortunately, I think he's right. But I feel like they'll say what they think we want to hear, then as soon as we are gone, move on their own way. Which is fine, until their way doesn't work and they come back to us to fix it.

The younger generation has the desire to do great things and the passion -- for the moment -- to make positive changes. But many are getting frustrated and trying to leave the country. The brain drain is incredible, and the government is taking steps to slow it, but these steps are reducing the chance for overseas training. I hope some of them will stay and fight through the frustration, taking the baby steps that are needed to move the country forward.

The Dean told me they cannot measure themselves against the US, they must measure themselves against their neighbors. Good call. Unfortunately, we seem to be pushing them toward a US standard, all in the name of "setting the bar high so they have something to reach for." Considering how many people are living in mud huts without running water, we may need to rethink that strategy.

Labels: Teaching, Work

Okay, I am going to bed RIGHT NOW.

As soon as I finish this.

I wonder if I am so sleepy because I worked so hard today. Or because I got a bunch of shots, including anthrax, typhoid, and hepatitis vaccines. Or because of the three lychee martinis I had when Adrian and I had dinner with Lan from Chicago (and Aaron, a nice guy who we met at a New Years party, worked our table, so yay that!).

I'm guessing it was the second reason. And by "second," I mean "third."

But before going to bed I should

1) congratulate Derek and Nyk (they know why), and

2) say that I'll be shooting at the range tomorrow. In about 10 hours. So if you're in DC, stay indoors.

Labels: Friends, Work

For the last two days I've been at a research workshop led by the institute in Colorado where I used to be the #2 guy. Yesterday morning as I looked at the 7 of us around the table in one session I realized that 5 of us have PhDs, which is a bit of a change since in my current job I'm usually the only one around.

It was nice to take a couple days to think about big issues as we set the research agenda for the institute for next year. Even though I am in a policy making job here in DC, I really don't get to think about "big picture" or "long term" stuff unless I do it on my own. I was brought in supposedly as a Southeast Asia analyst but that's not what they're using me for. And in fact, even the people who ARE supposed to be working with that region really don't do much. They really are just Washington bureaucrats, and sadly, that is what I have become as well. I spend my day writing regulations, thank you notes, and reports on other people's work. Oh, and putting together "talking points" and "readahead packages" for other people's meetings. And coordinating...don't forget how we have to "coordinate" our "staff packages" so every office can have their "input" regardless of whether it's any of their concern.

When I get down about the job I usually remind myself that the goal was to get to DC, and I was willing to take a less than fascinating job to get here. But with everything that's happened here at home since last fall, DC really hasn't been as fun as I'd hoped. So I'm in a job I don't like but not really having the benefits that were supposed to come from that. Well, OK, at least I'm not totally working my ass off, and I have the time to be planning for my next big job move in a couple years, and I do get to do some travel which hs helped me meet up with friends. But somewhere along the line, I'd like to think I'm contributing something worthwhile, whether at work or somewhere else.

Hmmm...maybe I should look into teaching part time. Or start doing some volunteer work where I can make a contribution.

Labels: Life, Work

Meetings are going OK, no more frustrating than expected. And screw it all, I'm in Hawaii, so automatically, life is good.

Dinner tonight with Fritz and Kim, much fun was had, and there was a cute waiter who was definitely gay but didn't seem to want to admit it.

I'm seriously thinking we should have moved here instead of DC. So nice....

Got out of meetings too late to call home tonight, was already after midnight in DC and it's not nice to wake people. Unlike last night, where I tried to call one of my colleagues here with me (also from DC so phone number was a DC area code). But I misread his number and called the wrong number, which would have been OK except it was 1:30am back in DC when I woke up a complete stranger. Oops.

Labels: Travel, Work

Arrived last night in Honolulu. I'm here until Friday morning for work. Had a meeting this afternoon, then the all-day meetings start Tuesday.

My friends Fritz and Kim met me at the airport with leis, which was very cool. I got complimented on one of them, then got big kudos for the other, which was a collection of little liquor bottles on a string. We'll see how many of those make it home with me.

Got to bed around 10:30 last night after a 23-hour day (we are 6 hours behind DC here). I took a couple little sleepy pills because the time difference always throws me off and I wake up around 3am unable to get back to sleep. I did wake up after about an hour, then drifted off again, and woke up again around 4am but no big deal. Then at 6am my supervisor calls and says "we're going to breakfast at 7 and we'll discuss our plan for the day." My plan was to sleep in until 8, then do some work here and go to the one meeting we had today at 2pm. I didn't really see a need to discuss it any further than that and I told him I wouldn't be joining people for breakfast because I was going to be busy going back to bed. He called again at 8:30 as I was jumping into the shower and said, "hey, we're back and we're downstairs, come down so we can discuss our plans for the day." WTF? This strikes me as pretty simple, why does there need to be a bunch of discusison about it? I wandered down and it was apparent I was unhappy, and if they don;t like that, then screw 'em. I'm tired of the idea that being a "team player" means abandoning common sense. This is why I prefer going on business trips by myself rather than with control freaks 20 years older than me who are no fun to be with but who insist on doing stuff together. This is also one reason I'm not unhappy about going to Afghanistan -- it gets me out of the office I share with these people.

I'm going down in a couple hours to meet the group for dinner. So we can discuss our plans for tomorrow. Goddess give me the strength not to strangle one of them as an example to the others.

Labels: Travel, Work

Tuesday, when it all happened, my title was going to just be "I Really Hate My Job," but after settling for a couple days I can qualify that with "Sometimes."

It's no single thing, just a number of frustrations that all hit at once. Like the guy with no social skills that I'm required to have working on projects with me because no one else will work with him but they aren't willing to fire him. He is one annoying bastard. And then there's the guy who tried to slide in and take one of my major projects -- the only one I'm really excited about -- for his own.

Both of these guys, along with my boss who's pretty much an idiot in a very high pay grade who's content to not do anything between now and the time he retures other than play little bureaucratic games, just made for an all-around annoying day. And the freezing weather without the benefit of snow, which might shut down work for a day, ain't helping.

When I came home I really, really wanted a drink, and that's not really a good sign.

Maybe it's just me, a general inability to work with others. I'm just finding that I feel I set high stadards for myself, and I want to tackle challenges, and I just feel I work with people who are content to be basic government bureaucrats. All of which suggests that if I really want to accomplish something cool in my professional life -- and I do -- it'll have to be outside of government, Probably owning my own firm. Which sounds an awful lot like a conversation College Roommate Dave and I had 13 years ago.

But right now I'm watching "How They Make That" and I'm seeing some jobs that suck more, so it's not too bad I guess. Things got a little better this week, but I'm pretty close to counting the days until I'm done here.

Labels: Work