These pages must show

Speculating on why people speculate (the speculating edition)

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:13:22 -0400

So there is this whole subculture of people waiting to get hired into the Foreign Service. I guess I am now part of this group.

THEY ARE A LOT OF CRAZY.

There are message boards and blogs and other communication devices where they whine and pout and ask questions they already know the answer to. Mostly they do this because they want quite badly to get hired, and I suppose, are looking for ways to pass the time.

That said, it’s sort of annoying.

For example, there are now something like 177 people waiting to get offered a Foreign Service position in the public diplomacy track (that’s my track).

At most, about 140 people will get offered a job from that list in the next 12 months. And that doesn’t include the 100 or so people that will likely get added to the list in the next 12 months…

So that’s like 277 people for 140 jobs (maybe).

And to make matters worse, you can only be on the list to get hired for 18 months….

So needless to say, a lot of people are nervous about whether or not they get hired.

Consider me nervous, too, I guess.

Yet you don’t see me having a Internet coronary everyday.

Every day, it’s some rant about whether more people will get hired, or less people will get hired — all based on speculation, obvs.

Am I ranting now? Am I become one of them?

Eek. Good day.

That's why I didn't get that intern gig for Michael Bloomberg

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:30:00 -0400

That's why I didn't get that intern gig for Michael Bloomberg:

Just a great little look at how the powerful hobnob with the powerful, and how their offspring will one day be powerful too. Because it’s set up that way.

Also, Luke Russert, earn it. Yourself.

Eeek. Keeping posts coming is hard

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:29:54 -0400

So it’s been a month, Tumblr.

Sorry.

I can tell you that I’ve been to Europe —- Croatia, Austria and Italy (try the deer goulash, the wine of any color and the gelato).

I also relented and signed up for Pandora. Why I resisted this, I do not know.

More on the Euro/$$$ grudge match

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:51:21 -0400

Caution: boring currency discussion. The Euro is down under $1.20 today. I like that my European vacation is getting cheaper by the minute, but it’s time to chill out Euro. We don’t a major worldwide economic collapse. This is the lowest the Euro has been trading since March 2006. For those keeping score, $1 hasn’t equaled 1 euro since Dec. 2002. When the Euro entered circulation on 1/1/2002, 1 Euro got you back $0.89. All time high was $1.57 (last time I was in Europe in summer 2008)

So I’m saying goodbye this week, only temporarily, to one...

Fri, 28 May 2010 14:41:32 -0400

So I’m saying goodbye this week, only temporarily, to one of my great friends Schmemily (Remember the anonymous stuff?). Anyway, she’s leaving on a 7-week fellowship to Austria to work at a Austrian newspaper there.

The bad news? I’ll miss her a bunch.

The good news? I’m going to go visit her this summer.

Lots of discos and friend flattened meats to ensue.

Tonight we bid adieu at a gathering at a local Austrian restaurant in town.

Vampire Weekend: Diplomat’s Son

Tue, 25 May 2010 10:13:00 -0400

Vampire Weekend: Diplomat’s Son

So, I'm applying for the foreign servce

Thu, 20 May 2010 18:56:07 -0400

You should know this about me. I’ve applied to the foreign service. What follows is foreign service speak. I passed my FSOT in October 2009, my PNQ in November, my OA in April and am now dealing with my security and medical clearances.

For non foreign service types. Basically, this thing takes a while, and may never happen despite all the good news so far.

A lot of this blog is going to be devoted to the foreign service, my process, etc.

I promise, promise to never use those silly acronyms however. So everyone can get comfortable.

What’s the foreign service?

Well, in its most simplest form, it’s the people who work in the U.S. embassies and consulates around the world.

That’s what draws me — the around the world part.

I was in Washington this past week for medical exams as part of the hiring process. At 28, I’m not too use to visiting the doctor, so it was nice to get a full work up on the ins and outs of Aaron. For instance, never knew I was blood type O- (good for others, not so much for me).

I also learned that I have a heart murmur. (Need to read more about that on WebMD).

None of that’s the most interesting part of my trip mind you. I spent my time in D.C. staying with my ex-girlfriend, partner really, of the past six years. It was really our first extended time together since the split.

And, I can report, no horror stories.

More soon…

Passport fees are increasing. Should I renew now?

Thu, 13 May 2010 17:53:00 -0400

Passport fees are increasing. Should I renew now?:

So my passport won’t expire until June 2011, but I read today that the cost of a renewal will be rising from $75 to $110. A renewal is good for 10 years. So the question becomes, is losing a year off my passport worth saving the $35? Really, based on interest rates, it’s a much better bet to renew now since I can’t make that money up in interest over such a short period of time …

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist officially left the Republican Party...

Thu, 13 May 2010 10:41:12 -0400

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist officially left the Republican Party on May 12, 2010, when he changed his party registration to “none.” I got to be on hand for the spectacle. What you notice about Crist is just how good he is one on one with people. He makes eye contact, he remembers people’s names, he goes out of the way to take pictures with them. And yes, he does say “people” a lot these days.

Euro vs. Dollar: Two currencies enter, only one leaves

Wed, 12 May 2010 09:12:46 -0400

Euro vs. Dollar: Two currencies enter, only one leaves:

So I’ve been following the currency market a lot in the last few weeks. Not cause I’m a nerd, rather because I’m heading to Europe for 12 days in July. I was in Italy when the Euro replaced the Lira on Jan. 1, 2002. Back then, if I remember correctly, the dollar got you something like 1.20 euro. In 2008, I spent two and a half weeks in Europe when the same dollar translated into something like .67 euro.

Where will it be come July? Some analysts are predicting something close to a 1 to 1 ratio.

Here’s my cat. Let’s call her “Mika.”...

Tue, 11 May 2010 14:18:09 -0400

Here’s my cat. Let’s call her “Mika.” Ok, that’s her name. Mika fell/jumped out of a window last week causing her owner great consternation. While running free, she apparently got into a nasty fight with a stray.

She lost.

The vet won — my money.

Mika is doing alright, however. She’ll be my sidekick for the next long while.

The importance of being earnest

Tue, 11 May 2010 13:36:55 -0400

By way of background, I’m a Florida journalist who grew up in the Northeast and went to college in the Midwest.

I love Election Days, and baseball, and my Trek 1.2.

I have a cat who gets into fights and loses. I avoid fights.

I’ve been stranded at O’Hare, once, and have seen the movie Center Stage 14 times.

I got a Nook for Christmas. I gave Pumas.

I just got an e-mail from the Boston Pops press office. Woah.

The domed ceiling of an Orthodox church in Riga, Latvia. Taken,...

Tue, 11 May 2010 11:56:24 -0400

The domed ceiling of an Orthodox church in Riga, Latvia. Taken, I believe, on July 5, 2008. P.S., welcome to my blog. I’m not sure what it will be. But it’ll be something. And hopefully, some fun.