hanging on

^{[this is what i saw, it just needed some emphasis]}
i spent most of this morning beginning next year's vacation and study arrangements, which are all rather bureaucratically complicated. it was only in the afternoon that i managed to find a loophole as far as the studies are concerned, a loophole that will allow me to take more than the maximum number of hours per semester with army permission (the maximum is little more than half the university-required amount).

the woman in charge is the very same person who screwed up my transfer at the beginning of the year, and i will never cease to be amazed that the person with the authority doesn't appear to have any real academic experience. and by academic i mean a pass mark for the 8th grade.

unfortunately she totally outranks me so i'll just keep my sneer to myself.

noon without siesta kills me.

we lit candles on base tonight for hanukkah, and it was only as the captain placed them that we noticed that he has a miniature christmas tree set up in the corner... explaining the concept of a "hanukkah bush" to a russian immigrant is a waste of time.

i left base around 8pm, and had a chat with my mother about a number of things. she primarily phoned me up to inform me about shadowslight's condition, and we wound up doing our usual status update. she's finally feeling more secure after her company's government takeover (which i'm really glad to hear), and i had a lot to say regarding my return to academia.

i'm exhausted, and really grateful that tomorrow's the last day of the week.