1 Mar

          So I just spent the last two hours doing a Canadian Forces service-wide questionnaire designed to deduce exactly what tasks you perform at your current job, and the knowledge needed to perform them. After answering several hundred multiple-choice questions, I realised that I have to know practically everything, but I don't actually do anything. Obviously I deserve a raise.
          The only question that really annoyed me was the one that asked how long you've held your current rank:

          a. 1-3 yrs
          b. 4-7 yrs
          c. 7-9 yrs
          d. more than 10 yrs.

          You know your screwed when you've got so much time in rank they've given up trying to accurately quantify it. Grrr.....

 

3 Mar

          There are a lot of sports I don't get, but biathlon has to be up there at the top of the list. I mean, here I am, running along, and one of the other competitors pass me. And I have a rifle...

 

9 Mar

          I met Pen in town last night for dinner, and then a movie afterwards, but she was feeling ill so we skipped the movie. She called in sick to work today, so I did too so I could stay home and take care of her. She really is rather pathetic when she's sick--kind of like a soggy Cat from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Luckily we're both salary workers, so staying home isn't a hardship. Hey, someone has to keep us in the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese we've become accustomed to. (None of that no-name Dollar Store brand for us. We'se hi-falut'n.)

 

13 Mar

          So I queried an agent, who then requested a partial. So I sent them the partial, and now they've requested the complete manuscript. I'd really appreciate it if everyone would cross whatever part of their anatomy they deem lucky on my behalf.
          Steve--out.

 

17 Mar

          So I mailed off the manuscript to the agent that requested it. Hopefully the next step in the process is an offer to represent me--unless they want me to fly down and read it to them in the original Canadian. "It was a dark and stormy night, eh. I'd just settled down with some Timbits and a double double..."
          Oh yeah, does anyone have any idea what this website is, what language it's in, and why my poem that was published in SH is on it under the link on the left called jõuluhirmu?

 http://www.hot.ee/xawahot/

 

20 Mar

          Quick, someone tell me that everything's going to be all right, things will get better, and my luck will change. Wait....I just did. Never mind.

 

22 Mar

          I had to do Part 1 of my medical examination yesterday. Apparently when you're ancient in the CF you need a complete medical workup every 2 years, and since I qualified as ancient 5 years ago and hadn't had one yet, they decided I'm overdue. I had to fast the night before, which sucks, because even if you don't normally eat at night, when someone tells you that you can't you're suddenly ravenous. By 22:00 I would even have eaten some of that mystery cheese (Smells bad; looks worse) my wife likes.
          So I get to the Base Hospital for my 7:30 appointment, and have to wait in this long line just to tell the receptionist that I'm here for my 7:30 appointment. After waiting 20 minutes, the conversation went something like this:

Me: I have an appointment for my Part 1 Medical at seven thirty?
Receptionist (looks puzzled): I'm sorry, but we don't have any appointments starting at seven thirty--unless it's for a Part 1 Medical.
Me (blinks): I have an appointment for my Part 1 Medical at seven thirty?
Receptionist: Oh, then just report to Medical Records. You don't have to wait in this line.
Me: Grrrrrr....

          Medical records gave me a clipboard with a sheaf of paperwork to fill out, and told me to go wait at the lab to have my blood work done. Of course, when I got to the lab there was already eight guys there with the same clipboard.

Note: It is not a good idea to make a bunch of military men who have been fasting all night wait around for over an hour and a half to get their blood work done.

          Eventually they took four vials of blood, and told me to pee in a cup. (And not a coffee cup either--although I don't think it's fair that she should get so worked up when it's her fault for not being more specific.)
          After that they checked my vision and hearing. Yep, I can still see and hear--I'm just more discriminating now. ("Sorry, sir, I would have saluted you, but I didn't see you, honest. No, I didn't hear you holler for me to halt.") Finally, they checked my immunization record. Seems I'm good, unless they send me somewhere where I might contract malaria, then I'll need a booster because lord knows they wouldn't want me to catch that--again. (Gee, this needle worked so well last time. Where do I sign up for another?)
          I have my Part 2 medical next week. I'm not sure what it entails--maybe a psych evaluation. I figure they should have given me that first, and saved all the bother with the rest of the tests.

 

24 Mar

          Pen and I saw V for Vendetta yesterday, at the I-Max. There were only about five other people in the theatre, so it was kind of like a private showing. I loved it, pretty much for all the same reasons everyone else has already mentioned. There's just one thing bothering me. Most people have mentioned how V isn't necessarily one of the good guys, that his motives may not be so noble, that he may not even be sane, and blah blah blah...
          What bothers me is that I identified with him completely. Okay, maybe his indoctrination of Evey was a little over the top, but other than that...
          So what does that say about me?

 

30 Mar

          I'm suffering from a total lack of energy lately. Apparently a lot of you are too. Ten years ago we'd have blamed it on the Russians bombarding us with their patented Suck Your Will to Live rays. Ever since the fall, though, they couldn't afford to replace the batteries in the SYWTL ray gun cause of budget cuts.
          So, it must be the Chinese. The Chinese are the new Russians.

           And it was my wife's birthday yesterday. She's still way younger than I am. *ahem*
 

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y   P E N!!!

 

31 Mar

          They say that you have to make your own luck. That good things happen to people who make them happen. Maybe that's true. All I know is that I've done everything I can think of to get the things I want:

1. I have a good marriage.
2. I have a clean bill of health--as do my loved ones.
3. Pen and I are making okay money, and our daughter will be finished University soon--which is like winning the lottery.
4. I have a lottery ticket. (2, actually).
5. I finished writing the second book in a series, and it's currently under consideration by an agent.
6. I'm off to Ad Astra this weekend, and Eeriecon at the end of the month.
7. Our band auditioned a singer last night that we feel will work out perfectly, so odds are good that the band is a go again.

          So I've done everything I can to ensure that my life goes the way I would like it to. Now all life has to do is cooperate. Let's see how that works out for me.