Crickets

Nothing but crickets and cobwebs around these parts. I never did finish my posts about my vacation and catching up with friends AND rest. I left for my conference with terrible pain in my left shoulder and rotator cuff (which I sprained last December). Once I started my vacation and caught up on rest and relaxation, the pain went away and so did my plan for a full body massage.

Once I came back home, life got busy again. Two weeks away from work meant two weeks to catch up on. Plus, I got involved in a project on another grant. Is it really possible to have 110% of my time accounted for?? Seriously? 

And now, it's almost the end of November.Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Friday marks my 3rd year with Guam CEDDERS. I did a blog post about my first two years here. This past year:

• I traveled 36, 551 miles.
• I went to Hawaii for two weekends for the MCH LEND program (If you click that link, I'm in the 2nd row on the far right).
• I went to conferences in Jacksonville, FL and Atlanta, GA.
• I presented on two different topics at a conference in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia.
• I was part of 3 grant writing teams. At one point during one grant writing session, we worked till midnight. Two of those grants were funded; one grant was approved, but no funds were available.
• I killed one external hard drive and a laser printer, not to mention several cases of paper in the process.
• People still call to ask my opinion about stuff and I'm still amazed that they do. 

I've been doing a lot more this year than I have in the past. I sometimes get to travel with my boss and we share a room. Some of my co-workers are amazed that I am willing to share a room with the boss. I say, "Why not?" She's great to be around and she takes care of me. She makes sure I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner; that I feel okay, that I call home. She's been talking about retiring soon and so she's had me doing some stuff (like the presentations in Pohnpei) I wouldn't normally do. She calls it succession planning. I call it heart attack inducing. (Maybe that's why I've recently been diagnosed with inappropriate sinus tachycardia? I kid... the jury is still out on the reason.)  I'm not willing to take her seriously just yet. When she mentions that she can retire, she also says that she won't just yet because I'm not ready. She has big shoes to fill. But, I must be doing something right because I am still employed there 3 years later. In fact, I signed my new contract last week. That's a new record! I usually sign it a week or two after my anniversary date. I'm 100% federally funded so if there are no funds, I am jobless. Hence, the yearly contract. 

It's been an adventure. I still sometimes work before 8am and after 5pm, on weekends and holidays, on vacation and even when I'm home sick. But, it's all been worth it.