Okay, so I’m almost through with my medical kit. After my third visit to the doctor’s office, I now have all the forms fully completed. Mostly the return trips had to do with getting results of tests, and having other medical practices dig through their archives for my early-year immunization records. So. Much. Fun. Actually, I’m glad I’m doing this, because those early-year records were set to be destroyed in the near future (not like there’s any practical reason I’d need them otherwise, so it’s not as if them being destroyed would be all that big a deal, but still). But anyhow, unless I’m mistaken there, that’s all taken care of.

Incidentally, a note to other applicants: don’t forget to get copies of your lab results! We (my doctor and I) would have missed that part if we hadn’t scanned through it several times to make sure we had everything. It’s amazing how easy it can be to simply glaze over stuff, all the while thinking “oh yeah, I’ve already checked that part.”

I found this poem in my local newspaper, the Burlington Free Press, about a month or two ago. While cleaning, I rediscovered it, and thought it would make an appropriate addition to my website.
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I have just had a conversation over email with an individual at the Peace Corps office in Boston regarding what is, and what is not okay to publish on websites regarding the Peace Corps experience. I initiated this conversation, and received very positive responses to my inquiry, and for my curiosity.

It’s worth pointing out that the Peace Corps has a lot riding on its reputation, so it’s understandable if they need to have some checks and balances in regard to what is being said, both on and between the lines. Not only is it an issue of reputation for the Peace Corps and the countries with which it’s affiliated, but it’s also an issue of personal safety and security for Volunteers.

Because I have heard accounts of volunteers who have gotten into trouble with their web publications to the extent that they were actually kicked out of the Peace Corps, I decided that I would rather be safe than sorry, and find out the Peace Corps’ policy on this directly so as to avoid such potential ugliness down the road.
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President Bush recently spoke to the nation, in which he tried to rekindle support for his war in Iraq (read the full transcript). It was apparently supposed to be a “major policy speech,” but most of what I read was more of the same contentless, feel-good blather for which our President is so well known.
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After a month of Aikido, I think I’ve decided that while it’s a really interesting art, I’m going to have a really hard time keeping up with my Taekwondo to the degree that I need and pick up Aikido at the same time. That, and I really, really enjoy kicking stuff! There’s just no striking at all in Aikido - I thought I would like it, and I’m glad I tried it, but I think I’m going to cut bait on this one and return full-time to Taekwondo.