embrace change

wow - i'm really tired and i haven't packed yet. and i'm nervous as hell, not just because i haven't studied enough but also because there's a requirement i don't meet and it's possible that i'll arrive on tuesday and be sent home immediately. that would suck.

today started way too early, and i barely made the bus. business as usual. i had breakfast with one of my teammates, relinquished my weapon and verified that i didn't need to worry about uniforms. then i hit my office.

best part of the day: the massage chair. i hogged it for most of the morning, and it is goooooooooooooood.

today is the first time that our current team has been together, not just in a long time but two of them hadn't even met until this morning. there was lots to tell from all sides, an incredible amount of mail to deal with, and i spent the morning trying to sort stuff out and stressing.

lunch was alright, we had a team meeting afterwards - a lot of funny stories, but what was really nice was receiving praise for a project that i did on the side that's suddenly been put into use and is appreciated.

around 2pm i left the office to head for the city officer for a 3.40pm appointment (cutting it close considering the public transport issues), and as i walked out the building i saw someone from my unit start his car - i stopped him and discovered that he was going to the city officer too!

my experience at the city officer was stressful and unpleasant. they really tried to be helpful, but the problem i'm experiencing with tuesday's requirements isn't something that anyone can really help me with in good conscience. basically, i have an exemption from physical tasks because of my slipped disc, and i won't be accepted if i have any exemptions. no doctor would be willing to cancel an exemption for the obvious and completely reasonable fear of being held liable in case something happened to me.

i saw a couple of guys from the course, milled around, then headed off to my old base to go and say hi.

repeat: what a difference! it really does feel like coming home, the people are warm and it was great seeing everyone, catching up, talking about the future... i'm blown away as usual to discover that it's not just nicer in my head.

piles and i bussed home together (we're pretty much neighbours), and we had a rather intense discussion about work ethic, academia and life goals. liberating, and i think that on some level i might have gotten through to him. although past experience tells me he'll forget it all by morning.

i've spent the evening organizing for tomorrow / the next three weeks, interviewing a potential (kinda cute) flatmate, watching dr horrible's sing-along blog [brilliant!], eating with crash bandicoot and now trying to pack an enormous amount of gear into very tiny spaces. once i'm done i'll shower and pass out like a good little soldier.