back to the US of A
Today is Christine's birthday. I really miss her. I got her a gift certificate to a particularly swanky spa in Palo Alto for her birthday, which I hope she is able to enjoy. Her work can be pretty stressful. We did have an amazing vacation in Prague, Vienna and Budapest not along ago, however. If you haven't seen them, I have pics up on Facebook.
I'm flying out of Vienna on Christmas eve, bound for Philadelphia. I'll be spending Christmas with Christine and my family there and am very much looking forward to seeing them.
Working at the IAEA has been a truly amazing experience. I hope I have the opportunity to return someday for a stint in the Office of External Relations and Policy Coordination (EXPO) or perhaps with the Safeguards department- I would do Public Information again in a heartbeat as well if they ever decide they want a full-time (non-intern) Nonproliferation analyst.
On New Year's eve, it is back to California. My classes do not start until early February, but I still have plenty to do in January, including a ski trip to Tahoe with my dad, an exam in L.A. for the Presidential Management Fellowship program, a report to finish up for the Department of Energy, a visit from Christine's family and I have to learn Micro and Macro economics so that I can pass tests at the end of the month to get into International Economics, a prereq for graduation.
I'm looking forward to seeing my cats and ferrets again. I'm also looking forward to finally getting to hang out with Brent as classmates. We're going to be in two classes together I think: International Econ and a French class on security and democracy in Africa. Other than that, I am taking a seminar on the implications of new nuclear energy technology and the spread of nuclear power for nonproliferation, a seminar on politics and security in post-Soviet Eurasia (i.e. the Stans and other FSU countries vis-a-vis Russia) and a workshop on missile defense.
I'm looking forward to driving again. When I left gasoline was around 4.50 a gallon. Now, I understand one can fuel up near my apartment for about 1.65 a gallon. This is good, considering I live about 60 miles away from school. Fortunately, I only have class on Mondays and Wednesdays (very long days on those days, but still) and will probably have a pretty flexible work schedule.
Still waiting to hear from the NNSA to see if I got any offers from any of their departments for next year. The prospect of working with Obama appointees on actual nonproliferation policy formation and implementation is extremely attractive. There is a lot that needs doing (and undoing).
I'm flying out of Vienna on Christmas eve, bound for Philadelphia. I'll be spending Christmas with Christine and my family there and am very much looking forward to seeing them.
Working at the IAEA has been a truly amazing experience. I hope I have the opportunity to return someday for a stint in the Office of External Relations and Policy Coordination (EXPO) or perhaps with the Safeguards department- I would do Public Information again in a heartbeat as well if they ever decide they want a full-time (non-intern) Nonproliferation analyst.
On New Year's eve, it is back to California. My classes do not start until early February, but I still have plenty to do in January, including a ski trip to Tahoe with my dad, an exam in L.A. for the Presidential Management Fellowship program, a report to finish up for the Department of Energy, a visit from Christine's family and I have to learn Micro and Macro economics so that I can pass tests at the end of the month to get into International Economics, a prereq for graduation.
I'm looking forward to seeing my cats and ferrets again. I'm also looking forward to finally getting to hang out with Brent as classmates. We're going to be in two classes together I think: International Econ and a French class on security and democracy in Africa. Other than that, I am taking a seminar on the implications of new nuclear energy technology and the spread of nuclear power for nonproliferation, a seminar on politics and security in post-Soviet Eurasia (i.e. the Stans and other FSU countries vis-a-vis Russia) and a workshop on missile defense.
I'm looking forward to driving again. When I left gasoline was around 4.50 a gallon. Now, I understand one can fuel up near my apartment for about 1.65 a gallon. This is good, considering I live about 60 miles away from school. Fortunately, I only have class on Mondays and Wednesdays (very long days on those days, but still) and will probably have a pretty flexible work schedule.
Still waiting to hear from the NNSA to see if I got any offers from any of their departments for next year. The prospect of working with Obama appointees on actual nonproliferation policy formation and implementation is extremely attractive. There is a lot that needs doing (and undoing).