On a whole different level...

It's been a while since I've updated the happs in my life so here it goes.....

I'm still waiting on the register.  :(

I've read a lot the blogs of some FSO hopefuls who are just kind of stuck on the register. Their score, for their particular cone, is so low they know they won't get an invite. So, they wait, and they try again. And the cycle goes on and on.

With the FSS, particularly OMS, we are in high demand.   What are the chances of getting stuck and again off?  Apparently, very high. Reading those blogs, I always thought that would never happen to the OMS register. At some point the register would clear itself just like last year.  There were 80+ spot last year. This year there are only 44.  10 were invited to the January class, and 8 for the March class.

And still I wait.

No one told me that waiting on the register would be this stressful. It's my own fault really. My score is ridiculously low. I am prepared to apply again and start all over but the announcement hasn't hit for April 2013 and last year it was out by now.

This is so crazy.


So now I'm stuck trying to wait out this whole budget thing in Congress and at the same time watch my place on the register drop lower and lower because more people are being added to register with a higher score than mine.

I'm hoping and praying that there are a lot of people on the DNC and the July class is an extremely large class. I would absolutely be devastated if I aged off.  So this is where I am. Why does this have to be so freaking difficult?

In other news. The vacation is back on.  I'm going to J for 5 weeks in August/September. Yay! It's not Africa but it's a close second.  He's taking me to Paris for my birthday. I'm so excited about that because I'll finally get to buy a painting from the street artists in the courtyard in Montmarte.  I also want to go to the beach so I'm trying to get him to extend it the celebration to the South of France. I mean it's only fitting.

There is a lesson with all of this stress/drama.  Wish I knew what it was.

Patience still isn't my virtue

You know, I thought it would get better. 

It didn't.

Once I made it through FRP, I thought the anxiety and the paranoia would go away.

It hasn't.

Will I get a January invite?

Probably not because I'm so far down on the list.

My fingers are crossed for a March invite.

It might seem like I'm complaining. I'm really not. I am so grateful that I've made this far.  All of my hard work has paid off, and it happened relatively quickly. However, I feel like my life is in limbo.  I canceled my 5 week vacation and now I'm just sitting here. waiting. For someone to tell me something. 

This is not conducive to my type-A, control freak, slightly OCD personality.

We have had this conversation before right about here.  I actually just re-read it and I'm pretty obnoxious and so full of myself. It's pretty funny considering a couple of months later I was rejected.  Talk about eating massive amounts of chocolate cake after that.  

Anyhow, I think I'm going to start planning my vacay with J. We're now discussing Tuscany or Prague.  At this point, I don't care where I go as long as I go somewhere with my love.  My friend is going to Turks and Caicos? No, it's not Aruba. It's somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean.  Maybe I can score a present.

My African Adventure is Off

The 01/28 specialists class invites have started going out.

Of course, those of us who are on the register have gone completely crazy....again!

I emailed  my contact asking her where I was on the register. I haven't received a reply probably because she's busy crunching whatever she needs to crunch in order to offer accurate salary packages to the new invitees.  Word on the street is that the # of OMS in each specialist class averages around 20.   The last I heard there were 24 people on the register but that also includes people on the do not call list. 

In light of all of this, J and I have decided that we're going to cancel the trip.  It's heart breaking! I was watching 60 Minutes on Sunday and they profiled a couple who have been documenting lions for 30 years, and I cried.  No, I didn't cry. I sobbed...hysterically!  I digress.  I just didn't want to take the chance that I would get an invite and 3 days before I was to leave for London, I get the email.  I would rather cancel now and lose $ rather than canceling later and losing $$$$$$. 

It's really sad and we are so disappointed but the consolation is that I'm going to be living my dream! Not many people can say that. We will get to Africa eventually.

So here I sit obsessively refreshing my email to hoping to get the January call.   I feel like I felt when I was waiting to hear if I passed QEP.  I did the same thing then.  This time it's more excitement than fear. 

I still can't believe it.

The Register

Dear Ms. Webster:

On behalf of the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service, I am pleased to inform you that your name has been added to the register of those awaiting appointment to the Foreign Service as an Office Management Specialist........


*insert a lot of OH MY GOD, screaming, and crying here*  


After 3 years of trying, I can't believe I actually made it! I actually made it!  My life is getting ready to drastically change and I'm going to be a member of the diplomatic corps.  How freaking awesome is that?  There are no words to describe the moment.  All of the stress, anxiety,  and fear pales in comparison  to getting proof that the powers that be actually do like you and want you to be a part of the team! 

I. AM. ON. THE. REGISTER! 

Bloody hell!

I'm not complaining, but

Dear Investigators at Diplomatic Security,


HURRY THE HELL UP!!!! 


Love, Me

___________________________

Okay, seriously, I'm really not complaining because this time last year I was thinking about how many more months it would be until the new vacancy opened again. In light, I am so grateful that I made it even this far.  I also understand what a long process this is and the fact that the investigation can take months and months. I am also only about 5 weeks in but this waiting...

and waiting.....


and waiting some more is making me nuts!

___________________________
Dear Diplomatic Security people,

I am not a prostitute (thanks Secret Service for being male whores in South America), a compulsive gambler ( I went to MD Live and lost $20 in 20 minutes. I was done), nor an alcoholic. My address is what is says it is, yes, I do have my MBA, I'm a trustworthy person, and I would try my best not to embarrass the United States Government in or outside of its borders.   Anything else you need to know? 

Love, me



That is all.

Ummm......

Standing in front of the fax machine with a co-worker..... 

Her:  You're going to Africa soon, right?
Me:  Yes. I leave Jan 18th.
Her:  You must be so excited!
Me:   I am! I've been looking forward to this trip for 2 1/2 years now, and I haven't taken any
        time off work since I came back from Thailand. I'm so ready.
Her:   Where are you going again?
Me:    South Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar, and London then I'll be in London for 3 1/2 weeks.
Her:   That's so awesome. You know I've always wanted to go to Africa to see tigers.
Me:   *Crickets*
Her:   *a very wide grin with a far away look*
Me:    Tigers?  Africa is the wrong continent for tigers
Her:   *confusion* Really? Are you sure?
Me:   *looks at her like she's a complete idiot*  I'm pretty sure
Her:   Huh. I always thought that tigers were the female version of a lion.
Me:   *Crickets*  Are you serious right now?
Her:   So you're saying tigers are not the female version of lions?
Me:    I can't talk to you anymore.   *walks away*

I really couldn't make this stuff up if I tried....


In other news, I emailed the security clearance people about my case. They told me to check back around mid-October.  The person who responded wasn't very nice about; very curt in fact.  I definitely like the nurses in medical better. 

There really isn't a big rush for me to get clearance at this point. Word on the street is that there will be a January class. I'm not too keen on that because my trip is already paid for. I would rather have a March class but what I want and what DOS wants for me are two totally different things. Besides, my score was so low I may not even get called for January.  I guess I'll just cross that bridge when/if I get to it.

Medical Clearnence Done!

Woot! Woot!

I got the email yesterday that I cleared medical last Friday.  I'm so close!!!! 


I have been running around since August 21, 2012 trying to get all of this medical stuff in.  I had this crazy plan that I would just get it all done within a week and everything would be fine.  WRONG!  What I failed to realize is that life isn't just about me and I can't just ring up my doctors and say "hey, I need a doctor's appt so I can get this form filled out. Oh by the way, I need it by the 09/20. Chop! Chop!" 

Umm, no!

My doctor looks at me like I'm smoking crack when I tell her what it's form and she further gives me dirty looks when she sees the medical form.  Hey, it's not my fault that they want all of this blood work done.  One good thing, I found out what my blood type is; A+. Go me!  On the bright side, my super awesome government insurance paid for everything!  I saw the bill and I nearly had a fit with the cost of how much bloodwork costs.  Really? 

My doctors are amazing! I <3 them! 

Now, I'm just waiting for security to come through, and then the final step is FRP.

Holy Batman! I'm so close!